Start a Foster Village chapter in your community and become the village beyond the system

Your membership dues are $250/month to keep your location active. This covers ongoing use of the brand and all of the shared services and materials listed above.

There are so many benefits to joining a village of people working to make a difference, such as:

• You get a roadmap to follow, taking the guesswork and uncertainty out of starting a nonprofit and running programming.

• You gain immediate credibility and meaningful results by partnering with our trusted brand and model.

• You receive coaching from our team of experts who have been in the trenches and can help you overcome challenges and avoid pitfalls.

• You get practical “how to” as well as education on the child welfare system, trauma-informed care, and more...so your good intentions translate to good work as well.

• You save hundreds of thousands of dollars of startup and operation costs with all the resources and materials we give you.

No, each Foster Village affiliate will incorporate as its own 501c3 organization. You will have your own legal entity, website, location, donor base, etc. but will follow Foster Village best practices and guidelines while receiving shared services and community support as an affiliate. We believe that funds and resources donated by each community should stay in each community.

As a Foster Village affiliate, you will become part of our team, our village, and our circle. We work hard during the application process to really get to know you and make sure this partnership is a good fit for both of us. The application process consists of four steps:

1. Fill out an initial interest form. This lets us get to know you and why you’re interested in starting a Foster Village location.
2. Have an initial “meet and greet” with Foster Village. Once we review your interest form, we’ll schedule a meet and greet to get to know you more, explain more about the program and what to expect, answer any questions, and explore if this could be a positive partnership for both parties.
3. Apply for the program. If we feel this is a good fit after the meet and greet, we will send you an application where you can officially apply for the program.
4. Conduct a “fit interview” with Foster Village. We will review your application and schedule a more in-depth interview to determine if your location would be a good fit for this program.

If, at the end of the process, we both feel like the partnership is a good fit, you will be invited to join the training program.

Before you apply, we ask that you research the need along with other child welfare services in your area to understand where the gaps are in your community and how your location will be meeting a real need. Our mission is to truly make an impact and not to compete with other organizations but to close the gaps and bring dignity to the system. We want to hear why your community needs a Foster Village!

Other than that, there are no specific requirements to become an affiliate. We will conduct a fit interview with each affiliate, and decisions will be based on the complete picture of the applicant. Please do remember that you will be starting and running your own nonprofit, so you will need to be prepared to raise money, build a team, and get in the trenches and work hard – but we’re here to show you the way!

Every location is different; therefore, there is not a set timeframe in which you will complete the program. Local laws and community dynamics, finding a space, building a team, and your own work experience and availability will impact how long it takes to launch your location. However, we have designed this program to take an average of six months to complete.

We’re not going to lie: running a nonprofit is a lot of work. You will need to consider the up-front cost of legal fees to get incorporated and the work of finding facilities, building a board, and building a team. On an ongoing basis, you will play an active role in fundraising, team management, and overseeing marketing, operations, and the day-to-day of running a nonprofit.

This program isn’t for someone looking for a side hustle; it’s for those who truly feel called to start and run an organization. We’re here to make it as easy as possible for you by sharing what we’ve learned through our experience plus the secret sauce of running an amazing foster support organization.

The costs are variable per affiliate depending on in-kind contributions and infrastructure at your location. The initial incorporation costs are just over $5,400, which includes $2,000 for legal filing, $3,000 for membership dues for the first year ($250/month), and $400 for your website. All other start-up costs depend on any additional technology, resources, contracts, subscriptions, and services acquired.

The other main up-front cost you can expect, in addition to training and incorporation, is building your resource center. This includes purchasing or renting a space, installing shelving and storage, and stocking supplies for families. Inventory costs can range from $2,000-$10,000 depending on the amount of in-kind donations and desired inventory to launch.

You should plan on raising at least $20,000 a year to cover general operating expenses at the beginning. If you rent a space or hire staff, your budget will obviously need to increase.

You can help with planning and preparing fundraisers and events throughout the year. Prior non-profit fundraising or event planning experience a plus. Flexible schedule and time commitment.

Our Resource Centers serve as a hub for those caring for children in foster care. Volunteers are needed to help sort and organize donations during weekday time slots and assist families who might be visiting during those times. Sign-up slots go out in our monthly volunteer newsletters and ongoing commitment is flexible. Once your volunteer application is approved, you will be added to the newsletter list so you can keep up with current needs and opportunities.

We need help delivering Welcome Packs, beds, car seats, and other basic necessities to children entering foster care, as well as folks on standby for when various needs arise. Volunteers must be willing to drive to one of our Resource Centers in North Austin or Dripping Springs to pick up donations and deliver to foster homes in the Austin area. Commitment and hours are flexible; compassion for children and families walking through hard circumstances is a must. Once your application to volunteer is approved, volunteers will be added to a group notification app where you'll be notified of needs as they arise and have the ability to volunteer based on your availability.

Foster Village hosts a quarterly Parents’ Night Out, where we provide childcare so foster families can get a relaxing evening, a date night or just some time for themselves. We are always looking for extra helpers with a desire to love on these precious children for a few hours while their foster parents take a well-deserved break. 

If cooking and serving others is your gifting, then we would love your help in blessing our families! We host monthly Support Gatherings for our caregivers, and volunteers can sign up to provide a meal for the 10-15 attendees. It can be a simple brunch with things like muffins and fruit or a dinner buffet with a few options for kids and adults. We send out a monthly signup sheet, so you can choose a date/time/location that works for you.

We offer internships for those looking to work in the field of foster care and social work. Experience with child development, foster care, social work, marketing, communications, non-profit development or health and human services is a plus. Flexible schedule and commitment for volunteer internships. 

We are looking for "doers" with a passion for making a difference in the lives of children in foster care. If you've ever wanted to take the reins on a project that uses your unique gifts to enrich the lives of others, then we would love to have you on our team! We are looking for professionals with skills like marketing, accounting, fundraising, etc. who can commit to at least four hours per week, but hours and location are flexible. 

Connect for Success matches community volunteers with kids in foster care to give them the educational support they need to stay in school, improve academic performance, and achieve greater success later in life. Volunteer tutors do not have to be educators. Some may serve as guides and help with homework or reading and others may provide assistance in a particular subject. Tutors will be matched with a child in a grade level they are comfortable with. The program will be tailored to the needs and goals of each student. Training and ongoing support will be provided by program staff. The program requires volunteers to commit to weekly tutoring sessions for an entire school year. Must attend our two hour training and pass background checks.

Thank you for asking! The families served through Foster Village are completely funded by your donations. We do not receive any state funding, and the number of families served is utterly dependent on what donations allow. For example, a large percentage of requests, like car seats, beds and mattresses, must be purchased new for safety reasons. When you give, however big or small, these urgent needs can be met.  

Please visit the giving page to make an online donation or to become a Monthly Partner. 

We are so grateful for businesses like yours! There are several partnership opportunities to show your support for our community’s most vulnerable. Please fill out our contact form and our Executive Director, Chrystal, will be in touch. 

Thank you for thinking of Foster Village for your donations! At this time, we can only accept new donations of the basic necessities that we provide to children entering foster care (listed on our in-kind donations page and Amazon Wish List).

We cannot accept used car seats, mattresses, toys, or anything in need of repair.

While we appreciate the desire to give outgrown items to a good cause, when we receive a mountain of donations to sort through, it can be overwhelming to our small team and limited space and counterproductive to our mission. Since we distribute such a high volume of beds and car seats (hundreds each year!), we only accept those new to ensure safety.

For gently used items that we do not accept at our resource centers, we have created a community Facebook group called Foster Village Swap where folks can post items to donate directly to a foster family who wants them.

To make an in-kind donation, please visit our In-Kind Donations page and fill out the form to request a drop off. A member of our team will review the items you would like to donate and be in touch to schedule a drop off time and location. Please note that we cannot accept unsolicited donations or drop offs.

Thank you so much! We keep an updated list of the items we are needing here, and we can provide you with any promotional materials and lists that you can share. Please complete our contact form and someone will be in touch to chat about next steps!

You are why we are here, and we look forward to supporting you! For more information about how we can serve you, fill out the Request Form, and we will get back to you within 24 hours.

We have two resource centers: Oak Haven is located at 15400 Fitzhugh Rd. Dripping Springs 78620. And our Limerick resource center is located in North Austin at 12410 Limerick Ave. Austin 78758.

Please contact us to schedule a time to come by either location! 

We provide weighted blankets and other sensory and therapeutic objects through our Project SOOTHe program. To request an item, click here to fill out our request form and we will be in touch soon.

We love our volunteers! They are what keep us running and help us connect foster families with the resources they need most. Please check out our current list of volunteer opportunities here. And if you have a special skill or expertise that you’d like to offer, please complete our contact form to provide us with details. 

Our small team works primarily Monday- Friday from 9am-5pm, so we do not generally have volunteer opportunities on-site outside of those hours. As an alternative, we can give you a list of items to collect for Encouragement Packs and/or Family Connection Packs to assemble and drop off at your convenience. 

We are glad you asked! We have an affiliate program that allows those passionate about supporting foster families to replicate our model and materials in their city. To check out our current locations and application process here. 

A willingness to learn more is the best place to start! We recommend researching your local child placement agencies and attending orientations to get a feel for which agency is the best fit. Recommendations from current foster parents can also be very helpful. Many of our volunteers start with us as a way to get a better feel for what it’s like to be a foster family and later go on to get licensed, so volunteering is a great first step as well. 

Yes, we’d love to! Please complete our contact form and tell us a little about your event.