Technology Enhanced Adoptive Family Recruiting and Matching
🏛 Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB (HHS-ACF-CB)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations working to recruit adoptive families and match children in foster care with permanent families. Eligible applicants include state child welfare agencies, tribal organizations, and private nonprofits with demonstrated expertise in child welfare and adoption services. Programs should focus on using technology (databases, online platforms, social media) to improve recruitment and matching efficiency. Geographic scope is limited to the United States and its territories.
States that receive federal child welfare funding through Title IV-B or IV-E of the Social Security Act are preferred partners. Applicants must have capacity to serve children with diverse needs, including older youth and those with special needs. Faith-based and secular organizations are equally eligible if they meet organizational and programmatic requirements.
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Key dates
- Apr 20, 2026 Applications open
- Jul 9, 2026 Application deadline
- Sep 30, 2026 Award announced
- Oct 1, 2026 Project start
Program description
This program will fund projects focused on technology-enabled strategies that improve adoptive matching, placement, and permanency for children in foster care awaiting adoption. The funds, awarded to four regional centers, will be used to design, implement and evaluate these strategies.
These centers will focus on children with an adoption permanency goal or who are legally free for adoption due to child welfare involvement. Centers will partner with state, territorial, tribal, and local child welfare agencies and courts to develop secure, accessible technology solutions that improve how families are matched with children in need of permanent homes. Proposed solutions must be interoperable with existing systems and may include tools such as data-informed recruitment support, AI-assisted matching, and predictive analytics.
Each center will strengthen data infrastructure, support continuous quality improvement, and develop scalable resources that jurisdictions nationwide can adopt. ACF will define four national service regions to ensure full U.S. coverage. Centers will provide regional innovation support, training, technical assistance, and dissemination of best practices while collaborating nationally on shared learning.
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate measurable improvements in match timeliness, placement stability, and adoption finalization outcomes.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public University
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative describing approach and technology
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Letters of support from partner agencies or organizations
- Organizational capacity documentation (staffing, experience, infrastructure)
- Evaluation plan with specific outcomes
- Letters demonstrating child welfare expertise
Program contact
- 👤 Surina Amin
- 📧 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
-
$9,341,400
Top States by Funding
- MD 5 awards $102.7M
- MI 4 awards $50.3M
- CO 1 awards $20.6M
- DC 1 awards $12.4M
- ME 1 awards $9.3M
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
What organizations can apply for this grant?
State and tribal child welfare agencies, nonprofits, and public institutions engaged in adoption recruitment and matching are eligible. Your organization must have experience serving foster children or families.
How does technology factor into the application?
Proposals should describe technology tools used to recruit families or match children to placements. Examples include web portals, social media campaigns, or data-matching systems.
What is the geographic scope?
This grant supports work within the United States and its territories. Multi-state partnerships are often strengthened.
Are private nonprofits eligible?
Yes, if they have demonstrated experience in child welfare adoption services and proper 501(c)(3) status. Collaboration with state agencies strengthens applications.
What funding amounts are typical?
This program typically funds planning, pilot programs, or limited implementation. Check the RFP for specific funding ranges and project duration.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Lead with your technology approach. Show how tools directly improve recruitment speed or match quality.
- Demonstrate partnerships. Strong collaborations with state child welfare agencies significantly strengthen competitiveness.
- Include outcome metrics. Define how you'll measure success in recruiting families or reducing time-to-placement.
- Address equity explicitly. Show how your approach serves children and families from underrepresented populations.
- Plan for sustainability. Explain funding or operational strategies beyond the grant period.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often underestimate the technology component or describe generic software without child welfare specifics. Weak partnerships with state agencies or lack of pilot data about effectiveness hurt competitiveness. Failing to address equity or cultural competency in recruitment strategies is a common gap.
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