Nonprofit in Florida Offers Grants for Adoption Costs

The Tampa Bay Times recently ran a story about the Gift of Adoption Fund.  Gift of Adoption Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization with a chapter in Florida that helps prospective adoptive parents in need defray some of the costs of adoption.

You can find portions of the Tampa Bay Times story below.

The cost of adoption in the U.S. can range from $2,500 for a foster care adoption to up to $40,000 for an adoption through a private agency, according to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, a federally-funded adoption information service.

Such costs can be staggering and make adoption prohibitive for middle-class families. Brian and Holly Festa, a Riverview couple profiled in the Tampa Bay Times earlier this month, have taken to fundraising.

For the Schirers, there’s Gift of Adoption, a nonprofit organization that awards families grant money to help with adoption costs.

It has given more than 1,800 adopting families $5.4 million dollars since its founding in 1996. Now in its 20th year, the organization boasts several chapters around the country, including Arizona, Connecticut and Florida.

The process begins with prospective parents completing an online application. After submitting income documentation and completing a home study, a team evaluates the family and makes a recommendation.

Factors like an applicant’s marital status, gender, race, creed, national origin, religion, age, or sexual orientation is not part of the review process, according to the organization’s website.

Some applications receive a higher priority than others, such as if a family already has taken in a sibling of the adoptive child or if the child has special needs.

The average grant is between $4,000 and $7,500.

Please note that Gift of Adoption Fund will not fully fund an adoption, but it will defray some of the costs so that the adoption can be completed.  The organization requires that the prospective adoptive parents undergo a successful home study prior to applying.  When determining to which prospective adoptive parents they will award a grant, the Fund takes into account the following factors:

-The qualifications of the applicant: the applicant must be a United States citizen with an approved home study.

-The imminence of the adoption: Gift of Adoption generally requires an adoption to be expected to be completed within 6 months before it will review an application.

-The financial need of the applicant:  The organization will look at, among other items, household income, expenses, assets, and debts.  Gift of Adoption also wants to “see that there is an identifiable financial need and that the applicants have been fiscally responsible and good stewards of their available resources.”

-The perseverance shown by the applicant: Gift of Adoption looks to see whether and how the applicant has attempted to fund the adoption on their own, such as through fundraising, sacrifice, and use of their own assets and debts.

-The child and applicant’s compelling story: The organization takes into account any special circumstances or compelling reason why an applicant should receive a grant.

You can apply for a grant on the Gift of Adoption Fund website.

If you have questions about how Family Diplomacy can help you bring a child into your family via adoption (whether non-relative adoption, close relative adoption, stepparent adoption, or second parent adoption), schedule a consultation at (813) 443-0615 or CLICK HERE to fill out our contact form.