Article by Will Jenne

Introduction

One of the many hurdles that people interested in pursuing adoption have to navigate is the expensive nature of the adoption process (especially if the adoption is contested). This financial hurdle has long been a barrier of entry for many families that have had a desire to grow their family through adoption. At the Adoption Law Firm, we try to assist our clients in getting through the adoption process in the most time efficient and affordable manner that we can, but the realities of adoption related expenses are often still a burden that many of our clients have to carry. Because of this immense and often reported barrier to the entry of worthy candidates for adoption, our team has compiled and researched the list of organizations that offer grant funding to pay for adoption to assist families through their adoption journey. Each of these organizations has their own ideal candidate, requirements for eligibility, and amounts that might award an applicant, but it is our hope that continued interest in the adoption process leads to more and greater opportunities for families to gain financial assistance as they pursue adoption. Here are 11 organizations that offer grants to help support adoption:

Helpusadopt.org

Helpusadopt.org issues grant funds in six cycles per year, and the goal of these grants is to help the recipients to complete an adoption that has already been initiated. The cycles along with deadlines for applying for the grant can be found here. Each cycle includes around $300,000 in total grants, with an average of 300 applicants per cycle. Each grant award is usually between $1,000 and $30,000. Requirements on who can apply for this grant can be found here, but some of the biggest requirements are: 1) at least one applicant must be a U.S. citizen, 2) applicants must reside in the U.S., 3) applicant must have completed their home study prior to applying for the grant, and 4) applicant must demonstrate a significant financial need. Applicants may already have children, but this organization may give preference to prospective adoptive parents who do not have children yet.

Who cannot apply? Helpusadopt.org does not issue grants to embryo adoptions, step-parent, second-parent adoptions, or contested adoptions.

Lifesong for Orphans

Lifesong is a Christian organization whose goal is to help children be adopted into “traditional, 2-parent, Christian families.” The amount of financial assistance that is offered within each grant is determined by a combination of factors, which can be found here, including the needs of the child (i.e., special needs, age, etc.).

Lifesong’s grants are intended for domestic and international adoptions. Lifesong requires that all applicants be U.S. citizens, applications must be filed after a home study has been conducted but before the child has been placed in the home, and that families working through licensed adoption agencies will be prioritized. Lifesong’s FAQ page found here, also indicates that prospective applicants may contact them directly if there are questions about their eligibility.

Gift of Adoption

Gift of Adoption awards grants of up to $15,000 to qualified applicants. To qualify, an applicant must have a completed home study at the time of application from a licensed and accredited adoption agency. This organization does not review applications until the adoption is expected to be about 6 months out.

For domestic adoptions, Gift of Adoption’s list of priorities are to: 1) keep children at risk of entering foster care (or who are already in foster care) from doing so, 2) unite biological siblings or prevent them from being separated, and 3) facilitate relative, kinship, or fictive kin adoptions.

For international adoptions, their list of priorities is to: 1) unite or preserve biological siblings, 2) prevent a child from aging out of the orphanage system, 3) prevent special needs children from being institutionalized, 4) assist children with life-threatening medical conditions who will not receive proper care until adopted, and 5) facilitate relative, kinship, or fictive kin adoptions.

Show Hope

Show Hope does four disbursements of grant funds per year. The deadline dates for this application are: March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31. Each of these grant disbursements generally amount to between $8,000 and $12,000.

Show Hope only considers applications for those who are adopting through a licensed child-placement agency. While Show Hope considers both domestic and internation adoptions, they only provide funding to applicants who are U.S. citizens and (in the case of an internation adoption) are adopting the child from a nation that is a party to the Hague Adoption Convention.

Show Hope generally takes about 90 days to review and make a decision on applications that have been submitted. If the application is approved, the placing agency will receive an award letter with instructions on how to request the disbursement funds. For domestic adoptions, the agency can request funds when the child is placed. For international adoptions, the agency can request funds when your I-800 Form is approved or when travel arrangements to bring the child home is booked. If the application is not approved, applications will not be reconsidered for the same adoption even in light of new information or circumstances.

Cade Foundation

The Cade Foundation Family Building Grant is an annual award that provides up to $10,000 in funding to families who are facing infertility. To qualify for this grant, applicants must be 1) diagnosed with infertility and 2) a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States. Winners of this grant award will be expected to attend the Cade Foundation’s Family Building Gala in Baltimore, MD (in person or visually).

This grant is offered twice per year. The application deadlines are on February 1 and July 1, with announcements of recipients on June 15 and October 15. To apply, applicants must pay a $50 non-refundable application registration fee.

Adoption Subsidy: Alabama Contact – Carla Ingle

Families Rising

Families Rising offers adoption assistance and adoption subsidies in 3 different forms, including: 1) monthly payments, varying on child’s age, needs, and the state, 2) Medicaid coverage, and 3) reimbursement for certain one-time adoption costs. To be eligible for adoption assistance, the child must meet the qualifications for being special needs within the applicant’s state. For example, in Alabama, a child will be considered special needs if they meet at least one of the following: 1) the child has documented physical, menta, or emotional issues; 2) the child is at risk of physical, mental or emotional difficulties due to documented high risk factors; 3) the child is five years old or older; 4) sibling groups of two or more children being placed for adoption in the same home at the same time; and 5) to be eligible for adoption assistance, the child must first be in the care and custody of the Department of Human Resources or another licensed adoption child-placing be eligible to receive SSI at the time of placement.

Camie Hope Adoption Grant

The Adoption Hope Foundation awards financial grants in amounts varying from $500-$15,000 three times per year. The award periods are in February, June, and October. To apply, your application must be postmarked by January 15 (for the February award), May 15 (for the June award), and September 15 (for the October award).

To apply for this grant, the applicant must: 1) have a valid home study from a licensed and accredited adoption agency, 2) must be a U.S. citizen or the adoption must be finalized in the U.S., 3) submit the application prior to the placement of a child in your home

National Adoption Foundation

The National Adoption Foundation’s grant is awarded quarterly and includes grant awards ranging from $500 to $2,000. This grant is available to all public and private agency adoptions, international adoptions, special needs adoptions, and adoptions facilitated by an attorney. The only requirement that must be met to apply for this grant is that the applicant has a completed home study or that the applicant has a home study in progress.

Adopt Together

***Note: I have skipped this one because it seems to be more of a crowdfunding site rather than an actual grant awarding organization. I have seen mentions to Adopt Together awarding their own grants, but in general, this seems to operate more like a “GoFundMe” than a grant. If you would like me to still cover this, then I will circle back around to it.***

United Healthcare Children’s Foundation

These grants are not necessarily “adoption grants” but are, instead, intended to assist with any medical expenses when a child is adopted. United Healthcare

Children’s Foundation offers medical grants to assist parents with children who have special needs or other clinical conditions cover medical expenses.

Before applying for this grant, the parent must meet the following criteria: 1) the child must be 16 years old or younger, be a U.S. Citizen with a Social Security Number, living in the US, and facing a clinical condition; 2) the child must already be covered by a commercial health insurance plan; and 3) the family’s Adjusted Gross Income must not exceed the maximum for the family’s size (this is discussed further below).

The applicant must provide the UHCCF with the following documents at the time of application: 1) Federal Tax Return (IRS form 1040) that lists the child as a dependent, 2) the child’s current health insurance card, and 3) the UHCCF Medical Form signed by a doctor within 6 months of the application and must include all medical items/services requesting the grant to cover.

The Adjusted Gross Income maximum (found on line 11 of IRS Form 1040) is as follows: Family of 2 ($65,000 or less), Family of 3 ($100,000 or less), Family of 4 ($135,000 or less), and 5 or more people ($170,000 or less).

The Buescher Foundation

The Buescher Foundation offers adoption grants to provide funds to families adoption domestically. To qualify for this grant, the applicant must be adopting domestically and be approved for adoption by an agency or a facilitator.

In order to apply, the applicant must submit a completed home study and a look book. Applicants will also be asked to submit a personal statement to explain the following: 1) are there any special needs/considerations that the grant selection committee should know about, 2) why did you choose to adopt, 3) what (if any) is your experience with adoption, and 4) why should you receive the award?

The Buescher Foundation’s website does not explicitly list the range of award amounts that could be expected and, instead, operates solely on a case-by-case determination of needs.

 

The Adoption Law Firm 334-546-2009

Will Jenne is an intern at our firm. Will grew up in Cleveland, TN where he met his wife, Albian, in their church’s youth program while they were in middle school. Will graduated from Cleveland High School in 2018 and graduated from Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies in 2022. Will is on track to graduate from Jones School of Law in May 2026 and plans to join The Adoption Law Firm as an attorney upon passing the bar later this year.