Exclusive By: Kanwal Abidi
First Lady Melania Trump successfully organized a new Executive Order entitled, “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families.”
Under Mrs. Trump’s leadership, this unprecedented presidential order unites Federal resources with innovative public- and private-sector partnerships to provide more pathways to success for young people who have experienced foster care.
The First Lady joined President Donald J. Trump at today’s historic signing ceremony at the White House.
The Executive Order on Fostering the Future for American Children and Families contains the following provisions that have been central to Mrs. Trump’s focus as First Lady, among others geared toward maximizing strategic partnerships with Americans of faith and modernizing the child welfare system:
- Fostering the Future Pledge & Future Commitments: Establishes a Fostering the Future program to secure government, private-industry, nonprofit, and academic partners’ commitments for new educational and employment pathways for youth transitioning out of foster care;
- Online Resource and Planning Hub: Authorizes the creation of a Fostering the Future online platform for current and former foster youth to develop customized plans for their self-sufficiency and success by connecting them with critical resources;
- Increased Access to Federal Support: Increases access to Education and Training Vouchers and federal grants to support more time-limited and credentialed programs that promote educational success, workforce advancement, and financial literacy for young people transitioning out of care; and
- Expanded Educational Opportunities: Expands educational opportunities by facilitating state use of scholarship programs funded by tax-credited donations to scholarship-granting organizations for children in foster care.
As a result of this new executive order, and as part of First Lady Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future initiative, public and private-sector partners can make commitments to expand access to mentorships, scholarships, technology, and workforce training for youth who have experienced foster care. These pledges will reflect a shared national effort to ensure every young person has the tools to build a strong and independent future.
The following Federal partners announced new commitments as part of this effort:
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): In addition to implementing the directives of the Fostering the Future Executive Order, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) will also launch a Fostering the Future-aligned initiative to keep children safely with their families and reduce unnecessary entries into foster care while also increasing the availability of foster homes for children and youth. ACF will also announce a new pilot program to donate decommissioned federal laptops to youth in foster care to help bridge the digital divide and increase access to online resources that are critical for a successful transition to adulthood.
- The U.S. Department of Treasury and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: These Departments are committed to hosting a series of roundtables across the country to learn from youth transitioning from foster care about unique obstacles to financial literacy and opportunities to support them on a pathway to sustained financial well-being. These Departments will establish policies and programs to help ensure that the transition process from foster care includes a strong financial literacy foundation. An initial statement of findings from the roundtables will be made available in Spring 2026.
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): OPM announced a new opportunity for youth and young adults who have been in foster care to obtain federal jobs via the Pathways Programs – a special federal government hiring authority for early career talent. In consultation with youth who have experienced foster care, OPM will collaborate with federal agencies to identify internships and early-career employment that provide hands-on experience in government. To strengthen readiness for public service, OPM will build a dedicated applicant portal and incorporate a speaker series and other professional development activities to help participants build skills, networks, and confidence to succeed in the range of opportunities available through federal service.
Private-sector organizations looking to join First Lady Melania Trump in supporting Fostering the Future, are invited to sign the Fostering the Future Pledge at WhiteHouse.Gov/
First Lady Melania Trump established Fostering the Future in 2021. Fostering the Future, a Be Best initiative, offers scholarships at the university and college levels to individuals within the foster care community. Scholarship recipients acquire essential knowledge vital for obtaining an entry-level position, ultimately leading to financial independence.
Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future’s distinguished participating universities include, but are not limited to Vanderbilt University, University of Miami, Villanova University, Florida University, and Oral Roberts University.
Full text of First Lady Melania Trump’s remarks, as prepared for delivery:
It’s truly inspiring to see everyone gathered here together, united in support of this remarkable initiative and community. As I stand here and observe the audience, I recognize the vital importance of each one of you—to this mission—to our future generations.
In particular, I would like to thank the cabinet secretaries, congress members, scholarship donors, and various organizations for their unending advocacy.
A special thank you to my husband for his enduring commitment to Fostering the Future. The President has prioritized America’s foster care children, and shortly, he will sign our Fostering the Future Executive Order.
Too many people from the foster care community end up homeless, in danger on America’s streets.
It was 2021 when I developed the idea to establish an impactful platform with an important mission: to provide individuals from the foster care community the ability to secure an entry-level job position, and in turn… financial independence.
Fostering the Future, a Be Best initiative, provides individuals from the foster care community with technology-based scholarships to attend colleges and universities throughout America. Fostering the Future sets these individuals on their career paths, but more significantly, it equips each scholarship recipient with a fundamental foundation of knowledge that will endure throughout their lifetimes.
Permanency for those who embody the fleeting.
I applaud the American Universities that have joined my mission—institutions like Vanderbilt University, University of Miami, and Villanova University.
Following graduation, scholarship recipients from my program are prepared to enter the workforce, and, ultimately, become leading executives. Predictably, they will manage thousands of employees and generate significant value for American communities—through job creation, access to healthcare, food security, and other societal benefits.
This Executive Order, “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families,” gives me tremendous pride. It is both, empathetic and strategic. It will certainly be impactful.
It aims to establish a comprehensive network connecting federal departments and agencies, private sector businesses, higher-learning institutions, and charitable organizations. This will create new educational and employment opportunities countrywide. Our faith-based organizations will continue playing a vital and consequential role.
My hope, of course, is that this level of coordinated collaboration will sustain. But today, I call on leadership from these various organizations, including the private sector, to join my effort. Rise above the ease of inaction.
I predict this small spark today will ignite a profound and lasting nationwide movement. Our united resolve will foster a thriving future filled with compassion and innovation.
Together, we will illuminate the pathway for today’s foster children to become tomorrow’s builders.
And tomorrow’s builders will foster the future of America’s legacy.
