Answered plainly.

The Azgari Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity based in Austin, Texas (EIN 41-2896092) that provides tuition-free, 100% online workforce training in digital and AI-enabled career skills to young people ages 14–25 — including youth in and aging out of the foster-care system — referred through partner organizations. All programs are provided at no cost to the participant and are financed by a party other than the student.

Five tuition-free, 100% online programs: Marketing Specialist (AI-Enabled Digital Marketing, SOC 13-1161, ~24 weeks), Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerk (SOC 43-3031, ~24 weeks), Computer User Support Specialist / IT Help Desk (SOC 15-1232, ~20 weeks), Web Developer (SOC 15-1134, ~24 weeks), and Administrative Assistant / Business Operations Support (SOC 43-6014, ~16 weeks). Each aligns to an occupation on the Workforce Solutions Capital Area Approved Training Occupations list (effective May 5, 2025).

Nothing. Every program is tuition-free — $0 to every participant, financed by a party other than the student through grants, contracts, sponsorships, and philanthropy.

Young people ages 14–25 who are referred by a partner organization under a written agreement with the Foundation, have reliable internet access and a desktop or laptop computer, and can commit approximately 10–15 hours per week for the duration of the program. Participants under 18 enroll with parental or guardian consent.

No. The Foundation does not solicit or enroll members of the general public. Enrollment is closed-cohort: participants are referred by partner organizations — foster-care, workforce, community-based care, school, and juvenile-justice agencies — under written agreements.

100% online: live, instructor-led online sessions on each module, supervised build labs for hands-on practice, and supervised internship-style projects that produce real work product. Participants attend from anywhere with reliable internet and a computer.

A seven-member instructor team from industry, academia, and clinical practice: founder Azgari Lipshy; AI & Software Director Stephen Dugan; Dr. Md Enamul Karim (Professor & Chair of Mathematics and Computer Science, Southern Arkansas University); AI Education Fellow Khadijah Karim (Carnegie Mellon University); Geoff Still (accounting and finance); Nasreen Ahmed, M.A., LPC-A (staffing and people management); and Rowshanara Moly (administrative management).

Email fosteryouthinitiative@azgari.org with the candidate's name, age, and contact information, plus a brief note on background. We follow up directly with the candidate within two business days. New partner organizations: we'll walk you through the written agreement and, for minors, the parental-consent process.

Each program ends with real work product — a portfolio, a set of books, live websites, documented support experience, or a running back office — and the skills to perform entry-level work in the target occupation. No job, income, or business result is guaranteed: the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) educational organization, and individual results vary based on effort, market conditions, and circumstances.

Yes. Azgari Foundation is a Delaware nonprofit corporation, foreign-registered in Texas, with 501(c)(3) public charity status under IRC §170(b)(1)(A)(vi). The IRS determination letter (Letter 947) was issued March 10, 2026 with an effective date of December 1, 2025. EIN 41-2896092 · UEI U95WFYNFERH3 · active SAM.gov registration. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Email clientsuccessteam@azgari.org or book a giving call. An $8,000 sponsorship covers one graduate's first-year business operating costs; general gifts keep all five programs tuition-free and build the future campus. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

The Foundation's long-term vision: a wellness-focused residential live-and-learn campus where young adults aging out of foster care spend up to a year building a business, a body, and a future — housing, training, nutrition, fitness, and mentorship in one place. Campus programs are part of the Foundation's expansion vision, are contingent on grant and capital funding, and are not operating today.

Yes. The Foundation is structured to receive WIOA Youth Formula contracted services, Chafee Foster Care Independence Program grants, HUD YHDP and Continuum of Care awards, Texas Workforce Commission contracts, SBA PRIME programs, foundation grants, and corporate and individual philanthropy. Email grants@azgari.org for funder briefings and outcome reporting plans.

No. The Azgari Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity with its own board, bylaws, and finances. It is a separate legal entity from Azgari, the consulting firm founded by Azgari Lipshy; the two serve the community together while remaining legally and financially independent.

Youth referrals and agencies: fosteryouthinitiative@azgari.org. Grants, funders, and government partners: grants@azgari.org. Partner and sponsor relations: clientsuccessteam@azgari.org. General inquiries: info@azgari.org. Or book a call: https://calendar.google.com/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ2ySOGu-MNCKZdyR1BG5xeAPfCAyFxTZtdm_wqRzGCjFXctJrs7J6GalcPmWKAOzNi7D5psellJ

When a young person ages out of foster care — typically at 18, or 21 in states with Extended Foster Care (EFC) — they lose court-ordered case management, housing subsidies, and most system supports on a fixed date, regardless of readiness. Research from Chapin Hall's Midwest Study finds that within four years of leaving care: roughly 1 in 5 experience homelessness, 1 in 4 become involved with the justice system, fewer than half are employed, and only about 3% earn a four-year college degree. Resources for youth facing this transition are listed at azgari.org/resources.

Approximately 20,000 young people age out of the U.S. foster care system each year without being adopted or permanently placed, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation and annual federal AFCARS reports. The number has remained near this level for more than a decade. Roughly 400,000 children are in foster care on any given day, and about 5% of them reach adulthood while still in care each year.

Several federally and state-funded programs offer free workforce training for foster youth. WIOA Youth Formula programs (ages 14–24, administered by local American Job Centers) fund occupational training, work experience, and mentorship. The Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program provides up to $5,000 per year for post-secondary education or vocational training for eligible foster youth ages 14–26. YouthBuild, Job Corps, and local workforce boards offer additional pathways. The Azgari Foundation provides tuition-free, 100% online career training in five digital-skills occupations for foster youth ages 14–25 referred through partner organizations. A national directory of programs is at azgari.org/resources.

The John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (formerly the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999) is a federal block grant that funds states to provide independent-living services to youth ages 14–21 who are in or aging out of foster care. Services include life-skills training, housing assistance, educational support, employment services, and mentorship. The Education and Training Voucher (ETV) component provides up to $5,000 per year to eligible youth ages 14–26 for post-secondary or vocational education. Program specifics vary by state. Contact your state child welfare agency or visit the Children's Bureau at acf.hhs.gov/cb for information.

Multiple federal and state programs provide financial assistance to youth aging out of foster care: (1) Chafee ETV vouchers — up to $5,000/year for education or training, ages 14–26; (2) Extended Foster Care (EFC) — 26 states and D.C. extend foster care benefits to age 21; (3) FAFSA Independent Status — former foster youth qualify as independent students with no parental income required, often unlocking larger Pell Grants; (4) SNAP — former foster youth qualify automatically until age 26 in states that adopted ACA provisions; (5) Medicaid — many states extend Medicaid to former foster youth to age 26 under federal law. The Azgari Foundation's resource directory at azgari.org/resources lists financial assistance programs by category.

Major national organizations supporting foster youth in the transition to adulthood include: Foster Club (peer support and advocacy, fosterclub.com), National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI), Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative (workforce and financial stability), Think of Us (think-of-us.org), Youth Advocate Programs, and the Family and Youth Services Bureau (federal). The Azgari Foundation (azgari.org) provides free workforce training for foster youth ages 14–25. A directory of 40+ national organizations is at azgari.org/resources.

Yes. Former foster youth have access to several tuition-free or reduced-cost options. As of 2026: 24 states have tuition waiver programs covering community college or state university costs for foster care alumni; the Chafee ETV program funds up to $5,000/year for any post-secondary or vocational program; former foster youth qualify as independent on the FAFSA regardless of age, typically yielding larger Pell Grants. Vocational training options include WIOA-funded programs at American Job Centers, Job Corps (residential, no cost), YouthBuild, and the Azgari Foundation's free online career training (azgari.org/programs) for youth referred through partner agencies.

Extended Foster Care (EFC) allows young adults to remain in foster care past age 18 — up to age 21 in most participating states. As of 2026, 26 states and D.C. have EFC programs. Eligibility typically requires one of: enrollment in school, participation in a vocational or employment program, employment (at least 80 hours/month), or an incapacity preventing participation. Youth who qualify receive a housing subsidy, case management, and often a monthly stipend. The Fostering Connections to Success Act (2008) and Family First Prevention Services Act (2018) created the federal funding structure for EFC. Contact your state child welfare agency to check local eligibility rules.

Workforce programs structured for foster youth include: WIOA Youth Formula (Title I, ages 14–24, priority for foster care alumni), YouthBuild (construction, healthcare, IT), Job Corps (residential vocational training, ages 16–24), Chafee ILP employment services, and state Independent Living programs. The Azgari Foundation offers free online training in five digital-skills occupations — marketing, bookkeeping, IT support, web development, and business operations — to foster youth ages 14–25 referred by partner organizations. See azgari.org/resources for a full national directory.

Foster youth leaving care can find resources through: their state's Independent Living (IL) program (contact the state child welfare agency); 211 (dial 2-1-1 or text your zip code to 898-211 for local housing, food, and services); American Job Centers (findmyworkforce.org) for employment and training; college TRiO programs and foster youth liaisons at post-secondary institutions; and azgari.org/resources — a directory of 40+ national organizations by category covering housing, employment, education, legal aid, mental health, and financial assistance. Foster Club (fosterclub.com) and Think of Us (think-of-us.org) maintain additional state-by-state listings.

Yes. All Azgari Foundation programs are delivered 100% online, so any foster youth ages 14–25 in the United States who is referred by a qualifying partner organization can enroll, regardless of state. Partner organizations — foster care agencies, workforce boards, juvenile justice programs, and community-based providers — contact the Foundation at fosteryouthinitiative@azgari.org to establish a referral agreement. The Foundation is based in Austin, Texas, and incorporated in Delaware, with current active programs serving participants nationally.