A Network for Connection, Healing, and Ongoing Resources
🏛 Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations supporting child welfare and family strengthening through community-based services. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, state agencies, and tribal organizations working in child welfare, foster care, and family services. The program supports activities that connect families to resources, facilitate healing, and provide ongoing support to children and families experiencing trauma or instability. Geographic scope is nationwide, with priority often given to underserved and rural communities facing barriers to quality services.
Key dates
- Apr 20, 2026 Applications open
- Jul 9, 2026 Application deadline in 38 days
- Sep 29, 2026 Award announced
- Sep 30, 2026 Project start
This grant is for organizations supporting child welfare and family strengthening through community-based services. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, state agencies, and tribal organizations working in child welfare, foster care, and family services. The program supports activities that connect families to resources, facilitate healing, and provide ongoing support to children and families experiencing trauma or instability. Geographic scope is nationwide, with priority often given to underserved and rural communities facing barriers to quality services.
Program description
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through the Children’s Bureau, will fund a cooperative agreement to develop, implement, and evaluate a demonstration program of post-adoption support services for birth parents who have voluntarily placed their children for private domestic adoption. This initiative is founded on the recognition that the well-being of all parties in an adoption is essential. Birth parents often benefit from access to support and resources following their placement for adoption.
This demonstration program will provide services including, but not limited to, support groups and supportive services and resources. The goal is to identify and promote effective models of support that contribute to the positive adjustment and well-being of birth parents. A central component of this project is a rigorous evaluation to measure the effectiveness of the services provided and to develop a model that can be replicated by other organizations nationally. This work directly supports ACF’s mission to promote the social well-being of families and individuals.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for organizations supporting child welfare and family strengthening through community-based services. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, state agencies, and tribal organizations working in child welfare, foster care, and family services. The program supports activities that connect families to resources, facilitate healing, and provide ongoing support to children and families experiencing trauma or instability. Geographic scope is nationwide, with priority often given to underserved and rural communities facing barriers to quality services.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 Federal Application Form
- Project Narrative (typically 15-25 pages)
- Detailed Budget and Budget Narrative
- Organizational Capacity Documentation (staff resumes, policies)
- Letters of Support from Partners
- Evaluation Plan with Outcome Measures
- Logic Model
Program contact
- 👤 Jan Shafer
- 📧 cb@grantreview.org
- 📞 888-203-6161
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.652 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$42,100,000
-
$28,841,696
-
$24,645,000
-
$20,553,500
-
$12,399,999
-
$12,392,000
-
$12,000,000
-
$12,000,000
-
$11,754,734
-
$8,103,315
Top States by Funding
- MD 5 awards $102.7M
- MI 4 awards $50.3M
- CO 1 awards $20.6M
- DC 1 awards $12.4M
- FL 1 awards $8.1M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.652). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $33,299,999 | |
| 2025 | $31,299,999 | |
| 2026 est. | $31,299,999 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
State and local child welfare agencies, nonprofits, tribal organizations, and faith-based groups working in child welfare and family services are eligible. Organizations must be registered with the IRS and in good standing.
What types of activities does this grant support?
The program funds community-based services that connect families to resources, provide healing support, and offer ongoing case management and referral services. Prevention and early intervention activities are often prioritized.
What is the typical funding amount?
This varies by region and organization size. Review the current Notices of Funding Opportunity for specific award ranges in your target year.
How competitive is this grant?
These ACF grants are moderately to highly competitive. Demonstrate evidence-based practices, strong organizational capacity, and clear outcomes measurement.
What is the typical grant period?
Most ACF child welfare grants fund projects for 3-5 years with annual performance reporting required.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Align your project directly to ACF's child welfare priorities and the grant's healing and connection focus. Vague approaches lose points.
- Include strong data on the populations you serve: demographics, barriers, and current outcomes in your community.
- Build partnerships with schools, health providers, and other community organizations. Isolation weakens competitiveness.
- Develop clear, measurable outcomes for each project component with realistic timelines and evaluation methods.
- Budget narrative must explain how funds support the healing and resource connection model; generic budget language gets rejected.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Failing to use evidence-based service models or best practices in child welfare reduces competitiveness significantly. Applications lacking clear outcome metrics and evaluation plans are frequently rejected. Organizations without demonstrated partnerships or strong community relationships struggle to win these grants.
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