What The Cradle does

The Cradle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit licensed child welfare agency founded in 1923 in Evanston, Illinois, recognized as the oldest adoption agency in the United States. It provides a comprehensive suite of adoption and family support services across Illinois (License #005064) and Indiana (License #53866), serving expectant parents, prospective adoptive families, adopted individuals, and birth parents. Core service lines include domestic adoption, intercountry adoption, agency-assisted adoptions, LGBTQ+ adoption, African American adoption through the Sayers Center, special needs adoption, and the Finding Families for Children Initiative (FFCI), which offers reduced fees for Black families, birth siblings, and medically fragile children. The Cradle supplements adoption placement with lifelong support services including a 24/7 helpline, free temporary nursery care, pregnancy options counseling, adoption-competent therapy, a Mutual Consent Registry for search and reunion, and educational programs such as W.I.S.E. Up!® workshops, StageWise Parenting e-learning, and the Adoption Learning Partners platform.

The organization operates a consultative, sales-led go-to-market motion through its 24-hour helpline (800-CRADLE4), online Calendly scheduling, professional referral networks, and in-person info meetings. Revenue derives from transaction-based adoption service fees (multi-year contracts with phases for home study, program activation, match, and placement, ranging from $4,400 for FFCI special needs to $26,000+ for standard placement), individual donations, planned giving (bequests, charitable gift annuities), corporate partnerships, employer matching, and peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns managed through The Cradle Foundation (established 2003, EIN 45-0506764). Technology is service-delivery support rather than core: Stripe for payment processing, Calendly for scheduling, Google Analytics, Provide Support for live chat, and Meta platforms for social media engagement.

The Cradle holds Council on Accreditation (CEAS) accreditation, Charity Navigator rating, GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency, National Council for Adoption membership, and HIPAA compliance. Leadership comprises President and CEO Jason Friedman and Board Chair Ryan Whitacre. As a 100+ year institution, The Cradle's competitive position rests on its century-old brand reputation, multi-layered regulatory licensure, proprietary W.I.S.E. Up!® trademark, and a full lifecycle service ecosystem that retains engagement across the adoption circle rather than at a single transaction point.

Name

The Cradle

Legal name

The Cradle

Website

https://cradle.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Cradle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit adoption agency founded in 1923 and licensed in Illinois and Indiana, providing comprehensive domestic, intercountry, and special needs adoption services plus lifelong counseling, education, and family support. It serves expectant parents, adoptive families, and adopted individuals across the full adoption lifecycle.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adoption Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child Care Services (6244), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Postpartum Newborn Care & Parent Education (NCS) (HSAAACAA), Mental Health & Infant/Early Childhood Consultation (0–5) (EDACAFAO)

Keywords

• Adoption services
• Pregnancy counseling
• Post-adoption support
• Home study services
• Adoption education

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Adoption Services Fees: Fees charged to adoptive parents for adoption services including home studies, placement, and post-placement support. Fee structures vary by program (domestic, international, agency-assisted, special needs).
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals supporting adoption and child welfare programs. Includes one-time donations, monthly giving, and stock donations processed through The Cradle Foundation.
3. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts including bequests in wills, charitable gift annuities, and beneficiary designations for retirement plans, stock portfolios, and donor-advised funds.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate giving opportunities, employer matching programs, and CauseVox peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns.
5. Education and Training Programs: StageWise Parenting e-learning platform provides courses on adoption topics; W.I.S.E. Up! workshops for adopted youth and families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Cradle is a licensed nonprofit adoption agency providing comprehensive adoption services including home studies, matching with birth parents, placement, and post-placement support for adoptive families. It also offers free pregnancy options counseling and 24/7 helpline support for expectant parents, plus free interim nursery care for infants while parents make decisions. The organization delivers post-adoption counseling, support groups, search and reunion services, and educational programs (W.I.S.E. Up!, StageWise Parenting) for the entire adoption circle across Illinois and Indiana.

Product overview

The Cradle is a licensed nonprofit adoption agency offering a comprehensive suite of adoption and family support services. The organization operates primarily through core adoption programs (Domestic, International, Agency Assisted, LGBTQ+, African American/Sayers Center, and Special Needs Adoption), supplemented by a robust counseling and education division. Key products include: the Family Search directory connecting expectant parents with approved adoptive families; the Cradle Nursery providing free temporary infant care; Adoption-Competent Counseling for mental health support; Post Adoption Support including the Mutual Consent Registry for search and reunion; W.I.S.E. Up!® workshops for adopted youth; and StageWise Parenting/Adoption Learning Partners e-learning platforms. The agency also provides Home Visiting support services, Home Study evaluations, Support Groups, and Professional Training. Services are designed for expectant parents, adoptive families, adopted individuals, and birth parents across Illinois and Indiana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Cradle Society: Part of The Cradle's organizational structure along with The Cradle Foundation
• The Cradle Foundation
• W.I.S.E. Up!
• StageWise Parenting
• Adoption Learning Partners

Products and services

• Domestic Adoption Comprehensive domestic adoption services including home study, matching with expectant parents, placement, and post-placement support for families adopting within the United States. For prospective adoptive parents.
• International Adoption Intercountry adoption services for families seeking to adopt children from other countries, including coordination with primary providers, Report of Investigation, and USCIS processes. For prospective adoptive parents pursuing international adoption.
• Agency Assisted Adoption Program A program where The Cradle coordinates with other agencies to facilitate adoptions, handling communication, collaboration, and ICPC requirements for interstate adoptions. For adoptive families working with other placing agencies.
• LGBTQ+ Adoption Adoption services specifically serving LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, offered as part of domestic adoption programs. For LGBTQ+ prospective adoptive parents.
• African American Adoption / Sayers Center Specialized adoption services for Black and multiracial Black families to adopt Black children, with reduced fees through the Finding Families for Children Initiative (FFCI). For Black prospective adoptive parents.
• Special Needs Adoption Adoption services for children with medical conditions, disabilities, or other special needs, with fee reductions available through FFCI for children expected to qualify for adoption subsidies. For prospective adoptive parents of children with special needs.
• Pregnancy Options Counseling Free, confidential counseling services for pregnant individuals to explore parenting and adoption options, available 24/7 via phone, text, and in-person meetings. For expectant parents considering their options.
• Home Study Services Comprehensive home study services including Phase I and Phase II evaluations, required paperwork, classes, and annual updates for prospective adoptive parents.
• Post Adoption Support Ongoing services for adopted individuals and families including support groups, counseling, background reports, medical history assistance, and search and reunion support through the Mutual Consent Registry.
• Adoption-Competent Counseling Specialized therapeutic services for adopted individuals, adoptive families, and birth parents addressing adoption-related mental health and emotional challenges, available in-person and via telehealth.
• W.I.S.E. Up!® Workshop Program A workshop program that empowers adopted and foster youth ages 6-12 to share their adoption story in healthy ways. Includes an annual April workshop and educational resources.
• StageWise Parenting Self-paced e-learning courses and on-demand webinars empowering families through their adoption and parenting journey, covering topics like the Federal Adoption Tax Credit.
• Adoption Learning Partners An online educational platform offering e-learning courses for families, professionals, and community members to increase understanding of adoption and parenting.
• Home Visiting Program A free home visiting program partnering with new or soon-to-be parents, providing guidance on nurturing, caring for children, building relationships, and accessing resources.
• Cradle Nursery / Interim Care Free temporary care for infants while birth parents make decisions about their pregnancy, providing a safe environment with medical support and evaluations. Temporary care services for infants and children while birth parents consider their options or during the adoption process.
• Support Groups Psychoeducational support groups for adopted individuals, adoptive parents, and birth parents providing peer support and adoption-competent guidance.
• Presentations and In-Service Trainings Professional training and educational presentations for schools, organizations, and community groups on adoption-related topics.
• Family Search (Hopeful Families) An online searchable directory of approved families waiting to adopt, allowing expectant parents to review profiles and choose an adoptive family for their baby.
• Mutual Consent Registry A registry service enabling birth parents and adopted individuals to share information by mutual consent for those seeking post-adoption contact.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hope College (Dr. Emily Helder)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Emily Helder, Professor of Psychology at Hope College, partners with CASE to evaluate the impact of W.I.S.E. Up! workshops for youth and families. Research involves pre/post questionnaires, monthly email discussion prompts for 6 months, and follow-up surveys to understand program effectiveness.
• CASE (Council on Adoption Support and Education)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CASE for W.I.S.E. Up! research evaluation, studying the program's impact on adopted and fostered youth and their families.
• Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)coreOthersLicensed child welfare organization under DCFS oversight. Illinois License #005064. Collaborates with state agency for adoption services compliance and oversight.
• Indiana DCS (Department of Child Services)coreOthersLicensed to provide adoption services in Indiana. Indiana License #53866. Case workers provide services in Indiana under state oversight.
• Adoption Learning PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline education platform providing e-learning courses on adoption topics including Let's Talk Adoption, Lifebooks courses, Open Adoption 101, and the Federal Adoption Tax Credit course.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Children's Home & Aid: Illinois-based nonprofit child welfare organization providing adoption, foster care, counseling, and home visiting services across the Midwest, directly overlapping with The Cradle's core geography and service mix.
• Gladney Center for Adoption: Long-standing Texas-based nonprofit adoption agency offering domestic, international, and special needs programs with counseling, education, and post-adoption support — comparable century-old, full-service nonprofit model.
• Bethany Christian Services: One of the largest U.S. nonprofit adoption and child welfare agencies offering domestic, international, and foster care services with home studies, pregnancy counseling, and post-adoption support — closely mirrors The Cradle's full-lifecycle model.
• Holt International Children's Services: Nonprofit focused on intercountry adoption and child welfare with post-adoption services and family support, directly comparable to The Cradle's International Adoption program and post-adoption counseling.
• Nightlight Christian Adoptions: Full-service nonprofit adoption agency offering domestic, international, embryo donation, and home study services with post-adoption support — similar multi-program nonprofit structure with comparable fee schedules.
• America World Adoption Agency: Nonprofit intercountry and domestic adoption agency providing home studies, matching, placement, and post-adoption services — overlapping with The Cradle's agency-assisted and international offerings.
• Adoptions Together: Mid-Atlantic nonprofit providing domestic infant adoption, older-child adoption, home studies, and counseling; comparable mid-size nonprofit with similar counseling and post-adoption support mix.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: National network of diocesan agencies that run pregnancy counseling, adoption, and post-adoption services through many of its local offices — broad incumbent offering overlapping capabilities within each service area.

Regional players

• Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI): Illinois-based faith-affiliated nonprofit providing adoption, foster care, pregnancy counseling, and post-adoption support within Illinois, directly overlapping The Cradle's primary service territory.
• Children's Home Society of Minnesota: Minnesota-based nonprofit with adoption, pregnancy counseling, and post-adoption services in an Upper Midwest market — closely comparable mission and operating model in a neighboring state.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/thecradlerocks
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCradleAdoptionServices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-cradle
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecradleadoption
• Pinterestpinterest.com/cradleadoption

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Cradle