Are you considering adoption and wondering how to fund it? Grants can be a great way to offset some of the costs associated with adoption.
In this post, we’ll discuss best practices for grant writing so that you can maximize your chances of being awarded a grant. We’ll also provide tips for finding grants that may be applicable to your situation. Adoption is an amazing journey, and we hope this information helps to make the process easier for you to undertake!
Grant Writing is a Competitive Process
One of the first things you need to realize is that grant writing is a competitive process. Each Foundation that offers grants for adoptions has a limited amount of funds to give out and most identify a specific time when they award grants. This creates a competitive process for those that are applying in any given round. Unfortunately, there are a lot more applicants than there are grants to help them, so it is a competition to get them. Even if it is competitive, we recommend applying because, simply, you can’t get a grant unless you apply!
Follow the Guidelines
Step one is read the directions and guidelines for each grant closely. Do not apply if you do not meet the guidelines. This is a common mistake. It’s better to put your focus on the grants that you do qualify for as opposed to wasting time on grants that you aren’t eligible for.
It Takes Time
Each grant has its own requirements and guidelines. Invest the time to read through and follow the guidelines and you’ll begin to see results. Select a few Foundations at the start – your A group and then if you don’t get success go to your B group. Take the time and work with your coach to find the grants and foundations that are the best fit for your situation.
Grants Aren’t a Silver Bullet
Don’t expect that grants will pay all your adoption expenses. That’s not what they are designed to do. Your goal should be to get as much as you can through grants with the understanding that this will offset your total costs, not cover them. You will need to plan on other sources for help through your adoption journey.
Qualifying for Grants
There are three factors that foundations usually look for in their applicants. These are:
- Religious affiliation — The majority of grants are from religiously affiliated foundations. They will be looking for a statement of faith and possibly some kind of a recommendation or statement from your pastor or church leader.
- Financial need — Most foundations will look at the combined income for couples and then use this to determine the applicants’ needs. Foundations will also consider issues such as financial loss due to health problems, failed attempts at adoption or pregnancy (such as costs from IVF or fertility treatments), and job loss.
- Special needs — Foundations will be especially interested in a child you’re looking to adopt having an identified medical need such as a physical or mental disability.
Gather Core Documents
As you start to write your applications, you need to have all of your documents ready for quick reference. Your core documents that most foundations will ask about include:
- Budget
- Your personal story
- Home study
Tax information - Letters of recommendation
Common Mistakes
The most common mistakes we see are:
- Ignoring Guidelines
- Applying to ALL Foundations
- Making Your Application ALL About Religion
If you can avoid these mistakes, then you have a better chance of finding the right grants and making your application stand out from the rest.
The Reward Is Worth the Effort with Grant Writing
Grant writing may be a challenging process, but it can also yield financial rewards for your adoption. The best way to increase the likelihood of success is by doing a thorough research and following the guidelines offered by each organization.
Your Adoption Finance Coach can help you through this process one step at a time. Our financial coaches are experienced and eager to help families through their adoption journey to identify resources, raise funds, and create a comprehensive financial plan for completing their adoption. It is a privilege to work closely with families on such a personal journey and we’d welcome the opportunity to assist you.
If you are interested in learning more about our services and how we can help your family, please reach out to us at coach@youradoptionfinancecoach.com .
