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Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs

Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB

upcoming
OpenLast verified: 2026-06-19

About This Grant

<p>The Children's Bureau will fund projects that will test and build evidence for collaborative approaches to improving permanency through adoption for children and youth with complex or high-acuity needs, such as medically fragile children. The projects will focus on system-level efforts to recruit, train, support, and retain families who can meet these children's behavioral, medical, or emotional needs.&nbsp;</p><p>Researchers and child welfare program staff will implement and evaluate promising collaborative approaches to achieving stable, permanent adoptive homes for children and youth with complex or high-acuity behavioral, medical, or emotional needs.</p><p>Collaborative approaches must include strategies to recruit, train, support, and retain specialized adoptive homes equipped to meet the needs of children and youth with complex or high-acuity needs. These approaches may also include a variety of additional strategies, such as specialized interventions for children and families; support services and respite care for families; training for caseworkers; collaborative, community-based services; and coordination with state and local health and education agencies. Of particular interest are collaborations that include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demonstrations">Medicaid Section 1115 Research and Demonstration Projects</a> to support potential adoptive families, including foster and kinship caregivers who may be interested in adoption, as well as collaborations that include private adoption agencies.</p><p>Award recipients will be expected to study how the model works in practice (i.e., implementation study) and evaluate the effectiveness of the approach, using the most rigorous research designs, methods, and analytic techniques that are appropriate and sufficient to address the research questions of interest. Applicants will be required to submit a strong theory of change to guide all aspects of implementation and the research design.</p>

Grant Summary

Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs is a Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB grant providing $1.5M to $2.1M for municipality, nonprofit, university. Applications are due 2026-08-17 (open). Check eligibility and apply with FindGrants.

Focus Areas

income_security_and_social_services

Eligibility

  • N/A Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible for awards under this funding opportunity.
municipalitynonprofituniversitytribal governmentsmall businessschool district

How to Apply

Funding Range

$1.5M$2.1M

Deadline

2026-08-17

Complexity
Medium
  1. 1Confirm your organization is eligible for Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs from Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB, checking organization type, location, and any population or project requirements.
  2. 2Gather the required documents and information, including your organization details, project plan, and budget figures.
  3. 3Draft your application narrative and budget addressing the funder's priorities and review criteria. FindGrants can draft each section for you to review and edit.
  4. 4Review every section against the requirements checklist, then export a submission-ready application pack and submit it to Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB before the deadline.
This record is a past award, contract, or funder profile — useful for research, but not an open grant application. Check the original source for current opportunities from this funder.

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Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs: Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for the Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs?

Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs is offered by Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB and is generally open to municipality, nonprofit, university, tribal government, small business, school district. It is open to organizations nationwide unless the funder specifies otherwise. Review the specific eligibility terms before applying, since funders set their own requirements around organization type, location, and the population or project being served.

How much funding does the Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs provide?

Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs provides between $1.5M and $2.1M per award from Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB. Actual award sizes depend on the scope of your project, available program funds, and the number of applicants, so build a budget that reflects realistic, allowable costs rather than the maximum figure.

When is the Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs deadline?

Applications for Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs are due 2026-08-17 (open). Because deadlines can change, verify the date with the funder, Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB, and give yourself enough time to prepare a complete, competitive application before the close date.

How do you apply for the Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs?

To apply for Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs, confirm your eligibility, gather the required documents, and prepare a narrative and budget that address the funder's priorities. FindGrants guides you step by step and can draft each section, then exports a submission-ready application pack for this grant from Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB.

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