Hawaiʻi is becoming the first state in the nation to ensure every eligible child in foster care, from newborn through age 17, has a funded, tax-advantaged savings and investment account. Through partnerships with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Ed Freedman’s Stable Road Foundation, Hawaiʻi has secured funding for every eligible foster child, eliminating the remaining gap in support.

The initiative responds to the national “Fostering the Future” initiative, which established the federal Section 530A savings account program — giving children in foster care a dedicated savings and investment account they can access beginning at age 18. In Hawaiʻi, all eligible foster children will now receive both an account and seed funding through a combination of federal and philanthropic support:

• The federal government provides a $1,000 seed contribution for children born between 2025 and 2028. The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation provides $250 for foster children age 10 and under, born before 2025.
• Ed Freedman’s Stable Road Foundation funds every eligible foster child ages 11 through 17 — the one age group no one else is covering — with a $250 contribution per child.

By bringing these efforts together, Hawaiʻi becomes the first state in the nation to provide funded accounts for every eligible child in foster care, regardless of age.

Section 530A accounts are Treasury-backed investment accounts available to eligible U.S. children with a Social Security number. The accounts can be accessed after age 18, allowing investments to grow over time.