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NATIONAL FOSTER YOUTH INSTITUTE

Revolutionizing the American Foster Care System Through Education, Action, and Lifting Up Foster Youth Voices.

aka NFYI   |   Los Angeles, CA   |  http://www.nfyi.org

Mission

We aim to transform the child welfare system by building a national grassroots movement led by foster youth and their families. Truly transformative foster care reform will not come to fruition unless the individuals who have personal experience are leading the effort to develop and design needed policy change and programs.​

Ruling year info

2014

Executive Director

Ms. Rebecca Louve Yao

Main address

PO BOX 8959

Los Angeles, CA 90008 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

46-0809227

NTEE code info

Alliance/Advocacy Organizations (O01)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Congressional Leadership Academy - Shadow Day Experience

The Congressional Leadership Academy is a 10-month robust program consisting of monthly skill building and organizing workshops for former foster youth, ages 18-30 from across the nation. The program incorporates NFYI's signature weeklong Shadow Day Experience, which takes place in-person in Washington, DC. Between 35-50 young people with personal experience in the foster care system spend one-on-one time with a Member of Congress. Throughout the Academy, participants attend virtual trainings to prepare for their meetings with policymakers. These trainings include, strategic sharing, leadership and professional development, government, advocacy and community organizing. Former foster youth gain a behind-the-scenes look at the legislative processes, and policymakers hear personal testimony and experiences of youth in the child welfare system. Participants also form lasting relationships with their peers, staff, and decision makers.

Population(s) Served
Young adults
Social and economic status
Families of choice
Foster and adoptive children

National Voices prepares the next generation of former foster youth organizers to partner with policymakers to articulate pressing issues and explore possible solutions to transform the child welfare system. The program focuses on local and statewide mobilization efforts within six regions across the country and bridges work across other NFYI programs at the federal level. Program participants engage in virtual workshops on topics including leadership development, community organizing, professional development, mental health, and building relationships with decision makers. The regions host virtual and in-person activities such as townhalls, Congressional briefings, listening tours, and one-on-one meetings with decision makers and state representatives. Regional activities bridge mobilization efforts with other NFYI programs to amplify and replicate successful advocacy efforts. The Los Angeles Chapter is the most active concentration of NFYI members and serves as a replicable model.

Population(s) Served
Young adults
Families of choice
Foster and adoptive children
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people

NFYI’s paid internships ensure that foster youth voices are the foundation of our work and help prepare participants for future jobs. Only half of former foster youth are employed at the age of 24, resulting in higher rates of poverty and homelessness. By creating internships that support NFYI’s mission and help solidify professional skills, we’re developing the next generation of leaders who are better prepared for the workforce. The program promotes connection through a cohort design and by the end of the program, interns have an increased network of peers, staff, community partners, and decision-makers. Interns receive extensive training in community organizing strategies.

Population(s) Served
Young adults
Foster and adoptive children
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Activists

Where we work

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

Financials

NATIONAL FOSTER YOUTH INSTITUTE
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

NATIONAL FOSTER YOUTH INSTITUTE

Board of directors
as of 03/27/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Dr. Wendy Smith

USC

Term: 2021 -

Karen Bass

Mayor of Los Angeles

Yolanda "Cookie" Parker

Senior Advisor

David Herbst

Vectis Strategies

Nii-Quartelai Quartey

FOX SOUL, Pepperdine University. The Smiley Group, Inc.

Wendy Smith, Ph.D

USC

Jewels Elmore Washington

Private Chef/Author

Nanxi Liu

Blaze Technology

Marcus Scribner

Actor/Activist

Conway Collis

GRACE/End Child Poverty CA

Kim Sterton

Trifecta Entertainment & Media

Doug Bond

Amity Foundation

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 11/18/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

No data