Apply for a Grant

Are you facing a financial hurdle on your adoption journey? Apply for a Gift of Adoption grant now. 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, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age.

Ready to Begin?

Fill out the form below to get started and access the adoption assistance grant application:

If you are using a mobile device and the “Submit” button does not appear above, please click this link and complete the form: https://www.cognitoforms.com/GiftOfAdoption1/GrantApplicationRequest

Information about Gift of Adoption Grants

Gift of Adoption is the largest provider of adoption assistance grants awarded without regard to race, religion, age, marital status, gender, or sexual orientation. Grants of up to $15,000 are awarded to qualified applicants to remove financial barriers and make possible the adoptions of children in vulnerable circumstances in the U.S. and around the world. There is no application deadline. Families are invited to apply anytime after completing their home study* and before finalization.

Gift of Adoption provides grants to complete both domestic and international adoptions. Any U.S. citizen who has an approved adoption home study* from a Hague accredited agency (if international adoption) or licensed social worker (if domestic adoption) is eligible to apply.

Financial need, perseverance, and imminence of the adoption must be demonstrated.

Gift of Adoption considers the totality of circumstances when reviewing grant applications. While not limited to these categories, Gift of Adoption’s greatest funding priorities encompass:

For domestic adoptions, the priority is to award grants that:

  • Help keep children who are in or at risk of entering the foster care system from entering the foster care system (this includes relative and kinship adoptions).
  • Unite biological siblings or prevent them from being separated.

For international adoptions, the priority is to award grants that:

  • Unite or preserve biological siblings.
  • Prevent a child from ‘aging-out’ of the orphanage system.
  • Prevent special needs children from becoming institutionalized.
  • Facilitate the placement of a child with a life-threatening medical condition who will not receive proper care until adopted.

*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 without a home study. Click here for more information.

Read our FAQ for More Information

How it Works

Adoption Assistance Grant Application Process


Step One: Fill out the form to the left to request access to the online and downloadable Adoption Assistance Grant Application and then complete and sign it.


Step Two: Submit each of the following items to Gift of Adoption:

  • Completed and signed adoption assistance grant application packet
  • Copy of your most recent income tax return
  • Copy of recent (two months) check stubs for all reported income earners. Please note if you are self-employed you must provide the last two months of your business/personal bank account statements to show proof of income.
  • Copy of your approved and current home study* [Note: If your state laws prevent your home study from being released to you or a third party (e.g. Colorado), you must provide a statement signed by your agency confirming that you have a successful home study on file and that you have been approved to adopt the child with whom you are matched.] *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 without a home study. Click here for more information.
  • Two (2) letters of reference – most applicants will make copies of the letters of reference that were used to obtain their home study.
  • $50 Application Fee (payable via credit card for online applications or by check or money order if printing/mailing your application)

The non-refundable processing fee of $50 is a one-time application fee required to process your adoption assistance grant application; it entitles you to submit your case for review up to three times (qualification requirements apply for all three submissions).


Step Three: Submit your online application or mail printed applications to:

Gift of Adoption
Attn Application Processing
1200 Shermer Rd.
Suite 111
Northbrook, IL 60062

Please note: The grant application process can take up to 60 days.


Resources: Just getting started in the adoption process and not sure where to start? We recommend these four informative sites:

Additional Questions?