Like most families, coming up with $30K isn't easy to do. It's frustrating when I compare the financial process to other big expenses- our home mortgage is only 3%, our car loan 1.9%. What options are there for prospective adoptive parents?
There are many foundations that give loans and grants to adoptive families. If you are an Evangelical Christian, you are in luck. None of these grants or loans will cover your full adoption expense and many applications are very time consuming. I am also wary, because I have been unable to find out how many grants have been awarded by most of these foundations.
Here's the list as we've found it:
Grants & Loans for International Adoptions:
Help Us Adopt
By far the most inclusive organization, no family requirements- Christian, agnostic, Jew, singles, gays, domestic, international, healthy child, child with identified disability. This organization grants money to individuals, families, couples seeking to adopt. Due to their inclusive nature, they receive millions of dollars worth of requests each year, unfortunely they can only fund a small portion of the requests.
Life Song For Orphans
Loans and grants for prospective adoptive families. They have one interesting grant: Both Hands- prospective families help a widow and in turn receive funding for their adoption. They have interest-free loans and matching grants. The prospective family must be a 2 parent, Christian couple and preference is given to older or special needs children.
A Child Waits Foundation
Loans and grants for prospective adoptive families. Grants of up to $5,000 to families demonstrating financial need, special needs of child taken into consideration. Loans of up to $10,000 at 5% interest, $20 application fee for loans (though not for grants). No religious or marital requirements for potential parents.
Katelyn's Fund
Grants of up to $3,000 for married, Christian, heterosexual prospective parents. Parents must write a declaration of their faith and demonstrate financial need to qualify for this grant.
Brittany's Hope Foundation
Families must be working with an affiliated agency. Preference given to families adopting older and special needs children. Brittany's Hope provides matching grants with an average award of around $5,000.
Hand in Hand Christian Adoption Ministry
Matching grants provided to Christian families seeking to adopt.
Show Hope
There are two options from Show Hope for Christian couples or individuals seeking to adopt. The first option is an adoption grant averaging $4,000. The second option is to sell Show Hope t-shirts as a fundraiser which can be done whether or not you receive a grant.
Lydia Fund
For married,
Biblical Christian, heterosexual couples adopting internationally only. Biblical Christian is defined by the Lydia fund as: "acknowledged their sin and put their trust in Jesus Christ alone for eternal salvation, apart from their works and have in their lives the fruit of the spirit of re-birth."
ABBA Fund
Married, Christian, heterosexual families only. There are adoption grants and interest free loans. This is one lengthy application. Be prepared to give your Christian testimony and how you plan on explaining to your children Creation, the Fall and Redemption.
Parenthood for Me
Grants for adoptions or fertility treatments. No religious or marriage requirements of parents/ individuals. Must demonstrate financial need.
America's Christian Credit Union
Loans up to $50K at 8.65%APR for credit union members.
His Kids Too!
This program is for US families adopting internationally. Not quite a grant or a loan, more of a fundraising venue. Families and friends make tax deductible donations to His Kids Too! designated for your adoption.
ARC of Hope
This program is for married couples with preference for those adopting a child with an identified special need. Similar to His Kids Too!, family and friends make tax deductible donations earmarked for your adoption.
Domestic United States Adoptions:
Micah Fund
For families adopting children of minority backgrounds in the United States.
Lifetime Adoption Foundation
For families adopting domestically through the Lifetime Foundation.
North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC)
List of subsidies provided by states on children in foster care.
Grants & Loans that Have Application Fees:
Gift of Adoption
$20 application fee. Average award $3,000 for families or individuals adopting domestically or internationally.
God's Grace Adoption Ministry
$10 application fee for 2 parent, Christian families.
Sea of Faces
Grants for heterosexual, married, Christian families. $15 application fee. Grants awarded between $1,000 and $3,000.
National Adoption Foundation
Grants and loans (up to $25 at 6.59% APR) for families and individuals. $10 application fee.
Pathways for Little Feet
0% interest for adoption loans. $15 application fee.
Perpetual Change Adoption Promise
Grants and fundraising assistance for families or individuals seeking to adopt. $20 application fee.
Golden Dawn Adoption Assistance
Adoption assistance for Mormon families. $20 application fee.
Resources 4 Adoption
This isn't a grant, but a database of grants and other resources. $50 subscription fee.
Grants Not Working as of December 2012:
These are grants we have seen come up on many searches and recommendations that are currently not providing funding.
Helping Kids Cope
Their website isn't working. An e-mail sent to them bounced back as undeliverable.
Home For Good
No longer offering adoption grants.
TMG Foundation
No longer provides matching grants.
The Boatner Family Foundation
No longer offering grants.
Fore Family Foundation
No longer offering grants.
Promise The Children
$15 processing fee. No longer offering grants.
Affording Adoption Foundation
$25 application fee for couples or individuals. Currently unavailable, check back in 2013.
M. Night Shyamalan Foundation
A foundation begun by the Hollywood director to benefit orphans in India. The foundation is still active in its orphan and underprivileged children's assistance, however they are no longer offering adoption grants to families.
