Fostering Success Michigan (FSM) began in 2012 at Western Michigan University with a simple but powerful idea: students with experience in foster care could succeed in college—if systems worked together to support them. Early campus leaders, child welfare professionals, and community partners came together to identify what was missing and imagine what was possible.
That vision became a movement through the leadership and investment of philanthropic partners. With early, catalytic funding from The Kresge Foundation, the Havirmill Foundation, and others, FSM launched as a statewide collective impact initiative. These investments made it possible to build a coordinated network of colleges, agencies, and communities dedicated to increasing postsecondary access, persistence, and completion for students with experience in foster care across Michigan.
As FSM grew, so did the need for long-term sustainability and scalable infrastructure. In 2018, FSM transitioned from Western Michigan University to The New Foster Care, an organization committed to strengthening families and expanding future opportunities for young people transitioning out of foster care. This transition provided critical continuity—allowing FSM to deepen partnerships, continue serving students, and plan for the next phase of growth.
In 2021, with funding support from The New Foster Care, FSM transitioned to Educate Tomorrow, securing a permanent home within a nationally recognized organization with a proven track record of building and sustaining statewide systems of support.
