8 Adoption Grants You Should Know About
Adoption Grants.
If you’ve adopted, are pursuing adoption, or are simply considering adoption, you’re familiar with a large piece of the process: funding. Thankfully—and perhaps overwhelmingly—there are tons of adoption financial aid resources to choose from. One of the most common? Adoption grants.
It can be tedious to detangle all of the different conditions and requirements for different adoption grants out there, so we broke down the details for 8 different adoption grants—
1. A Child Waits Foundation
Summary: A Child Waits Foundation’s International Adoption Grant Program is designed to help children who are living in international orphanages or international foster care to become part of a family. Its program is dedicated to helping families complete their adoption and bring their children home by providing grants to help with some of the cost of their adoption.
Application deadlines? You can apply at any time. The review process is ongoing throughout the year.
Home study requirement? Your home study must be complete or in progress in order to apply.
Religious requirement? No.
Income requirement? Gross income of less than $150,000.
Application type? Submit via mail.
Application cost? $20
Special note: You can only apply for this grant after you have accepted a child’s referral.
2. Gift of Adoption
Summary: Grants of up to $15,000 are available to help you complete your relative, domestic, or international adoption. Gift of Adoption is the largest provider of adoption assistance grants without regard to marital status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or age.
Application deadlines? No deadline.
Home study requirement? Yes, your home study must be complete in order to apply.
Religious requirement? No.
Income requirement? None stated.
Application type? Submit via mail.
Application cost? $50
Special note: If a home study is not required for your adoption (relative/kinship adoption) or if you are pursuing a domestic adoption of a specific child over the age of one (typically a former foster child or a subsequent adoption), you may still apply for this grant without a home study.
3. Help Us Adopt
Summary: Help Us Adopt is a national 501(c)(3) financial grant program that helps couples/individuals (regardless of ethnicity, gender, marital status, religion, or sexual orientation) with the cost of their adoptions by awarding grants up to $20,000. Since 2007, it has awarded 504 adoption grants totaling over $4.639 million.
Application deadlines? Help Us Adopt has four application deadlines throughout the year: January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1.
Home study requirement? Yes, your home study must be complete in order to apply.
Religious requirement? No.
Income requirement? None stated.
Application type? Submit online.
Application cost? Free.
Special note: Help Us Adopt prioritizes families without children or those with failed or disrupted adoption placements. Additionally, applicants must not be pregnant, trying to conceive, or undergoing fertility treatments simultaneously with their adoption.
4. JSC Foundation
Summary: JSC Foundation’s hope is to assist Christian couples for which the cost of adoption is a hardship. They are pleased to be able to partner with some of these families as they step out in faith by following the call, allowing one more orphan to come home to their forever family.
Application deadlines? JSC Foundation has four application deadlines throughout the year: January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31.
Home study requirement? Your home study must be complete and approved in order to apply.
Religious requirement? Yes, you must be a practicing Christian in order to receive a grant from JSC Foundation. You are also required to submit a pastoral reference.
Income requirement? Gross income of less than $120,000.
Application type? Submit online.
Application cost? None stated.
Special note: This grant is only awarded to married couples, not single individuals.
5. Lifesong for Orphans
Summary: Lifesong for Orphans guides adopting families through the fundraising process, removing the financial barriers to adoption. Families can apply to receive matching grants, interest-free loans, and access to a free crowdfunding platform.
Application deadlines? You can apply at any time. Applications are always being reviewed, and a decision is typically made in four to six weeks.
Home study requirement? Yes, your home study must be complete in order to apply.
Religious requirement? Yes, you must be a practicing Christian in order to receive Lifesong adoption financial assistance. You are also required to submit a letter of support from your home church.
Income requirement? None.
Application type? Submit via mail.
Application cost? Free.
Special note: Lifesong awards matching grants rather than direct grants. Matching grants are useful fundraising catalysts, helping adoptive families raise on average 3x the amount of the match.
6. National Adoption Foundation
Summary: The National Adoption Foundation offers financial aid to families to help offset expenses directly associated with the adoption process and the formation of families. The grant program is open to all legal adoptions including public or private agency adoptions, international, special needs, or adoptions facilitated by an attorney.
Application deadlines? You can apply at any time, however, the selection committee only reviews applications quarterly.
Home study requirement? Your home study must be complete or in progress in order to apply.
Religious requirement? No.
Income requirement? No.
Application type? Submit via mail.
Application cost? $15
Special note: The National Adoption Foundation selection committee will only notify those who are awarded grants by email or phone. Recipients are notified within 15 days after the close of the quarter.
7. Show Hope
Summary: One of the primary barriers standing between waiting children and families is the cost associated with adoption. Show Hope’s grants help break down that cost and have been a part of helping more than 7,900 children come home to the love, security, and permanency of a family.
Application deadlines? Show Hope has four application deadlines throughout the year: March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31.
Home study requirement? Yes, your home study must be complete in order to apply.
Religious requirement? Yes, you must agree with Show Hope’s Statement of Faith in order to be awarded a grant.
Income requirement? No.
Application type? Submit online.
Application cost? Free.
Special note: While you submit your application online, you will receive notification of the outcome of your application by mail. Processing the application takes a minimum of 90 days after the application deadline.
8. Zoe’s Rainbow
Summary: Zoe’s Rainbow grants are awarded through The Never Alone Foundation, an organization that assists parents in bringing orphaned children home by helping them with the immense expense involved in international adoption.
Application deadlines? No, you may submit your completed application at any time.
Home study requirement? Yes, your home study must be complete in order to apply.
Religious requirement? No.
Income requirement? None stated.
Application type? A downloadable application to be submitted via email or direct mail.
Application cost? Free.
Special Note: Only families pursuing international adoption can apply for this grant.
BONUS!
Some organizations offer interest-free loans rather than grants! Take a look at two trusted ministry partners of Lifesong: ABBA Fund and Pathways for Little Feet.
Considering adoption?
We guide adopting families through the fundraising process, removing the financial barriers to adoption. Download Lifesong’s free adoption financial assistance application to receive matching grants, interest-free loans, and access to our free crowdfunding platform!
Want to support adoptive families?
You can fund grants and loans to help families overcome the financial hurdles of adoption, as well as support orphan care ministries around the globe! 100% of your gift directly helps children in need.
