Spring 2026 Leadership Opportunities

Overview

This leadership group will support our ongoing Fostering College Connections work, including Empower and Thrive, resource review, and feedback with our college partners. 

• Timeline: late February through June 

• Eligibility: Minnesota Fosters currently in a college or certification program or recent graduates (since 2024) of a certificate, associates, or bachelors degree

• Estimated Pay: $25/hour, estimated time commitment of 2-5 hours per month. Paid monthly. Additional stipends for optional projects/independent work will be clearly communicated ahead of time in writing by staff. Participants should not initiate independent work on their own, these opportunities will be provided by staff as needed.

• Staff Lead: Sarah

Details

What will the College Committee support? In January 2025, we launched our Fostering College Connections initiative by supporting four MN colleges to launch Foster-specific support programs on their campuses! In the 2025-2026 school year, we are expanding to support additional college pilots and hosting a statewide Community of Practice for college staff and community partners to become more Fosters informed. Our spring 2025 College Committee supported the initial pilot launches, and identified two priorities for Foster Advocates moving forward–1) ongoing feedback and impact related to our college partners, and 2) starting peer connections between Fosters in college and in high school. This committee is focused on priority one–we won’t be able to start on the second priority until next year, but it is coming!

This committee will focus on:

• Feedback for staff on our ongoing Fostering College Connections work, including reviewing resources created for college partners like materials for Foster Care Awareness Month. We hope each committee member will be able to attend one technical assistance or Community of Practice gatherings with college partners for direct feedback with those staff as well. 

• Empower and Thrive: We are hosting the second annual Empower and Thrive with Minneapolis College on March 11th! This is a Foster-specific college resource fair, with multiple colleges and community partners tabling, a FAFSA lab, and more. There is a morning and afternoon shift, and we would ask every committee member to attend one. There will be opportunities to speak to Fosters not-yet-in-college about your education journey. 

• Public Speaking: There will be at least one opportunity (at the MN Social Service Association conference on March 12th) for public speaking on the topic of Fosters in higher education, with more possible in Foster Care Awareness Month. This is optional, but will be offered first to College Committee members. 

Meeting Dates: 

Required Zoom meeting dates: 

• Monday February 23rd, 1-2 pm: kickoff meeting (group introductions, purpose alignment, and E&T overview)

• Monday, March 9th, 1-1:30 pm: Empower & Thrive prep meeting

• Wednesday, April 8th, 1-2 pm: Monthly Meeting

• Monday, May 11th, 1-2 pm: Monthly Meeting

• Monday, June 8th, 1-2 pm: End-of semester meeting

Optional dates include:

• Empower and Thrive! Wednesday March 11th at Minneapolis College: Attend morning session (8:30-11:30 am) or afternoon (3:30-6:30 pm)

  • Strongly encouraged for any Twin City committee member to attend.

  • For committee members in greater MN, we will support your travel if available. Otherwise, you will get first choice for TA/COP attendance. 

• Technical assistance meetings with college partners, all virtual from 1-2 pm: 

  • March 10th, April 14th, May 12th, June 9th

• Community of Practice statewide meetings, all hybrid from 12:30-2 pm:

  • February 24th, April 28th, June 23rd

• MSSA Presentation (in-person, Twin Cities): March 12th, 2-6 pm

Overview

This leadership group will support our ongoing MN Promise Report implementation, including feedback around public communications, Foster-informed training offerings, and our 1-year report celebration! 

• Timeline: early March through June 

• Eligibility: Minnesota Fosters who are familiar with MN Promise content (you do not need to have attended a session, but should have read some of the report)

• Estimated Pay: $25/hour, estimated time commitment of 2-6 hours per month. Paid monthly. Additional stipends for optional projects/independent work will be clearly communicated ahead of time in writing by staff. Participants should not initiate independent work on their own, these opportunities will be provided by staff as needed.

• Staff Lead: Elena

Details

What will the MN Promise Committee support? Fosters have provided feedback on the MN Promise campaign at every step of the way, from feedback on our test session, to recruitment and followup for attendees, to data analysis and draft review of the report, to helping to plan for our launch in 2025. Those opportunities have been limited to MN Promise participants only. Now that the report is live, we are expanding the committee to any Minnesota Foster interested in supporting the next steps of implementing this report and growing the Foster Movement!

This committee will focus on:

• Bold Ideas in Action: Providing staff feedback on the Bold Ideas we are working on as well as how to uplift Bold Ideas in Action by partners across the state.

• Movement-Building Communications: the Committee will help staff brainstorm ideas for ongoing focus of MN Promise communication. Optional opportunities to support writings, video, and public presentations this spring. 

• Foster-informed training: We have started to develop training opportunities to support partners across the state on how they can be more Foster-informed. The Committee will help review and adjust these offerings and have the opportunity to support spring training.

Meeting Dates: 

Required virtual meeting dates are: 

• Thursday March 5th, 5-6:30 pm: kickoff meeting (group introductions, purpose alignment)

• Thursday March 19th, 5-6:30 pm: monthly meeting

• Thursday April 9th, 5-6:30 pm: monthly meeting

• Thursday April 23rd: 5-6:30 pm: monthly meeting

• Thursday May 7th, 5-6:30 pm: monthly meeting

• Thursday June 4th, 5-6:30 pm: monthly meeting and debrief

(meetings will be made hybrid as local members prefer)

Optional dates include:

• MSSA Presentation (in-person): March 12th, 2-6 pm

• MN Promise video highlights: TBD

• Foster-informed training: TBD

Overview

The Executive Director’s Advisory Council will focus on program input and strategic advice for staff on community priorities. 

• Timeline: February through December

• Estimated Pay: $25/hr, estimated time commitment ranging from 2 - 8 hours per month, paid monthly. Additional stipends for optional projects/independent work will be clearly communicated ahead of time in writing by staff. Participants should not initiate independent work on their own, these opportunities will be provided by staff as needed.

• Staff Lead: Osahon
  

Details

In the past, Foster Advocates had a Community Board, a committee of the Board of Directors, that has now sunset. We're replacing it with the Advisory Council, which is separate from the Board and focused specifically on programming and Foster input to ensure all our work truly reflects community needs and voices on every level.

Advisory Council members will also help co-design our new Comprehensive Fellowships launching later this year. To avoid any conflict of interest and ensure a fair, unbiased process for all applicants, members won’t be eligible to apply when the Fellowship opens.

*We're seeking statewide representation across Minnesota to ensure we pull in feedback from Fosters throughout the state. Priority may be given to Fosters from areas where we currently lack representation, while we'll reserve two spots specifically for the Twin Cities Metro Area due to its high concentration of Fosters.

While direct execution of community activities falls outside this advisory role's core responsibilities, we'll include a professional development component to equip you with the skills and confidence needed to serve as a strong representative of the Advisory Council.

The council will focus on: 

• Program Feedback:

  • Review Foster Advocates programming (workshops, cohorts, services)

  • Identify gaps, suggest improvements

  • Ensure offerings meet community needs and align our culture with the movement, and where the community is headed

  • Recommend new programming

• Strategic Advice:

  • Inform ED and staff on community priorities

  • Provide lived expertise on overarching organizational systems change strategy

  • Weigh in on major decisions affecting Fosters

• Community Leadership:

  • Shape community-building activities and celebrations through your input

  • Guide peer connection, support networks, and feedback channels

  • Advise on larger-scale events and forums

• Co-host community events/forums
  

Virtual Meeting Dates: Required dates are: 

• February 23, 2026, 6-8 PM

• March 30, 2026, 6-8 PM

• April 27, 2026, 6-8 PM

• May 25, 2026, 6-8 PM

• June 29, 2026, 6-8 PM

• July 27, 2026, 6-8 PM

• August 31, 2026, 6-8 PM

• October 26, 2026, 6-8 PM

• November 30, 2026, 6-8 PM

Additional meetings/optional offerings will be discussed at our kickoff meeting.