For the past two years, Funders Together to End Homelessness (FTEH) ran a Community of Practice focused on funders’ roles in ending youth and young adult homelessness. This community, Foundations for Youth Success (FYS), brought together philanthropic leaders -- large, national funders as well as those working at the community level -- to identifying best practices and implement effective solutions for our young people. Throughout this two-year initiative, members participated in regular virtual meetings and came together in person twice a year.

At our 2017 Funders Forum, Foundations for Youth Success members from the following foundations shared takeaways from this community and changes they've made since:

• Butler Family Fund
• Campion Advocacy Fund
• Miami Homes For All
• Melville Charitable Trust
• Paul G. Allen Family Foundation
• Raikes Foundation
• William J. and Dorothy K. O’Neill Foundation

We also discussed upcoming opportunities for philanthropy and how to work with the new Administration and Congress to ensure that preventing and ending homelessness continues to be a bi-partisan issue with the following speakers:

• Salin Geevarghese, Former HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Philanthropic Innovation
• Megan Gibbard, Executive Director, A Way Home America
• Nan Roman, President and CEO, National Alliance to End Homelessness
• Melissa Young, Director of Heartland Alliance’s National Initiatives on Poverty & Economic Opportunity, Heartland Alliance

Throughout the day we heard from a few special "pop-up" speakers who highlighted upcoming programming and opportunities.

• Leslie Perkul, The William J. Dorothy K. O'Neill Foundation
• Rebecca Allen, Melville Charitable Trust
• Matthew Doherty, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
• Andrea Iloulian, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
• Brenyale Toomer-Byas, Orange County United Way

The event took place on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at the Marriott Marquis Houston