Thinking about adoption, but worried about the cost? There are a variety of grants and low-cost funding programs that can help.
If you’re thinking about adopting, there are a lot of things to consider, and a lot of questions to be answered. While you’re probably understandably focused on the child you’ll welcome into your family, there are other, more practical considerations. One of these is financial. It’s simply not true that adoption is only for the rich, and for anyone concerned about the cost, there are grants and low-cost funding programs to help. Many organizations offer these grants and programs, with varying eligibility requirements. For instance, some of the programs are available for any type of legal adoption, while others are limited to international adoption, or adoption of special needs children. The following is a listing of some of the grant programs that are available:
The National Adoption Foundation
The National Adoption Foundation offers a grant program for any legal adoption, with no income limitations. The grants range from $500 to $2,500. Due to the high number of applications and the limited resources of a private foundation, not all needs can be met. To help meet these needs, the foundation has joined forces with corporations that have an interest in helping adoptive families. These partnerships make other financial services, such as low-cost loan programs, available. Find out more at www.nafadopt.org or call 203-791-3811.
The Gift Of Adoption Fund
This fund was previously a private foundation; it changed to a public charity in the fall of 2000. The new structure allows the organization to have multiple chapters as fund-raising partners in order to help more families. The Gift of Adoption Fund gives assistance in the form of direct cash grants or interest-free loans. These grants, which usually range in size from $2,000 to $5,000, are available for any type of legal adoption. Grants are not restricted based upon need, but preference may be given to those who are childless or those with significant financial needs. For more information, go to www.giftofadoption.org or call 877-905-ADOP (2367).
China Care Foundation
To encourage the adoption and care of orphans from China, the China Care Foundation provides financial aid in the form of grants, low-interest loans, or a combination of both. The amount awarded usually ranges from $1,000 to $3,000 and is based on family finances and need. China Care Foundation is especially interested in families who are adopting special needs or older children. For more information, see www.chinacare.org or call 203-227-3655.
The above-mentioned programs are only a small sampling of the financial aid available for prospective adoptive parents. By going online and doing a search for adoption grants based on your specific circumstances—your family, the type of adoption you are pursuing, the country you hope to adopt from, etc.—you can find many more resources than those listed here. There are faith-specific grants, country-specific grants, and even agency-specific grants. The important thing to know is that if you’re interested in adopting but are worried that the cost is too high, there are numerous resources available.
This article was originally published in the Winter 2006 issue of Conceive Magazine.
Related Topics: Adoption
