Vol. 2, No. 2 • Spring 1998

How to Start an FPA
from Scratch

To organize a foster parent association, you need
time, energy, and a passion for your purpose:
making a difference in the lives of all children in
foster care. You must also have a game plan.
Here are a few practical tips on starting an FPA:

1. Start by contacting agencies in your county. Set up an appointment to express your desire of forming an FPA. Ask for a list of all foster parents in the county. Accept any assistance the agency offers you. They will have access to a lot of helpful information.
   
   
2. Contact other foster parents by phone or mail. Try to form a committee to help you organize the first meeting. Set time and location of first meeting. The county agency may have a conference room you could use; local churches are also a good place to meet.
   
   
3. Send out an informal newsletter to remind people of the meeting. If possible, offer child care. Invite a guest speaker from another county association with an existing organization to talk about that county's experiences and the benefits of having an association.
   
   
4. At this first meeting, elect officers and set the agenda for a future meeting.
   
   
5. Decide if there will be membership dues. If you have them, keep them low.
   
   
6. Form a committee to write bylaws.
   
   
7. Create a mission statement. A broad one (for example, "To promote quality family foster care") will prove more useful than a narrow one.
   
   
8. Conduct yourselves as professionals: keep a positive relationship with foster care agencies, and maintain accurate minutes of all business meetings and records of financial transactions.

Copyright � 2000 Jordan Institute for Families