Standing Up for Equity: Why Foster Forward Joined a Federal Lawsuit and What This Victory Means
At Foster Forward, our work is rooted in a simple belief: young people and families impacted by foster care deserve dignity, safety, and access to opportunity without discrimination or political interference.
That belief is what led us, alongside a broad national coalition of nonprofit organizations, to join a federal lawsuit in 2025. This fall, a federal judge blocked the unlawful restrictions at the center of the case, marking an important victory for equity-based services nationwide.
Why We Took a Stand
In July 2025, the federal administration imposed new certification requirements on grant programs administered by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development. These requirements threatened to penalize organizations for supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and transgender rights, or for failing to certify compliance with vague and ideologically driven mandates.
For organizations like Foster Forward, these restrictions posed a serious and immediate risk. Federal funding supports housing stability, violence prevention, and essential services for youth and families experiencing crisis. The new requirements would have forced service providers to choose between upholding inclusive, trauma-informed practices or risking the loss of critical funding. That was not a choice we could accept.
Protecting the Young People We Serve
Foster Forward joined this lawsuit because the proposed restrictions conflicted directly with how we serve young people aging out of foster care, LGBTQI+ youth, survivors of violence, and young adults experiencing homelessness.
Equity-based approaches are not abstract principles for us. They are practical tools that help young people feel safe, respected, and supported. Removing or censoring these approaches would undermine the effectiveness of the programs young people rely on.
A Coalition United in Purpose
We were proud to stand alongside organizations from across the country, including domestic violence coalitions, housing providers, youth-serving organizations, and homelessness advocates.
In Rhode Island, the plaintiffs included the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, House of Hope Community Development Corporation, Community Care Alliance, Foster Forward, the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness, and Haus of Codec.
We are deeply grateful to the pro bono legal teams who represented the coalition, including Democracy Forward, the National Women’s Law Center, the ACLU Foundation of Rhode Island, Jacobson Lawyers Group, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island.
The Court’s Decision and Why It Matters
In October 2025, a federal judge in Rhode Island granted a preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of the new grant restrictions. The court found the requirements were likely unconstitutional and posed irreparable harm to organizations serving vulnerable communities.
This ruling halted policies that would have forced nonprofits to eliminate equity-based initiatives in order to receive federal funding. It ensures that programs like ours can continue serving youth and families without interruption.
Looking Ahead
This decision allows Foster Forward to continue serving young people and families with integrity and consistency, without compromising our values or our mission. It affirms that equity and inclusion are essential to creating safe, effective, and responsive programs.
We are proud to have taken this stand and grateful to the partners who stood alongside us. Protecting young people sometimes means showing up in unexpected places, including the courtroom.
