NSHE Foster Youth Success Initiative

About this resource

Originally in 2018 

The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) began their Foster Youth Success Initiative, which began with the NSHE waiving course enrollment fees (tuition) for eligible former foster youth students. This initiative gained support from the Walter S. Johnson Foundation, whose grant funded the implementation of the Foster Youth Success Initiative across seven degree-granting institutions. 

2020 Growth

Truckee Meadows Community College was given a grant by the Walter S. Johnson Foundation. The Truckee Meadows Community College is using the grant funding for a pilot project that further supports vulnerable youth, which aims to breach the gaps in resources for current/former foster youth who are at the community college. Currently, the majority of funding is going towards stable housing and peer mentor support. 

Additionally, there has been an increased use of the course enrollment fee waiver and the NSHE is working to expand formalized assistance for “all students who have experienced foster care.”

The Foundation additional supported the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) a two-year grant to launch a campus-based program to support enrolled foster care alumni. The two-year cycle for that grant began in July 2020.