Hands Across The Water
Hands Across The Water is a 501(c)(3) child welfare agency in Ann Arbor, Michigan, founded in 1999, providing foster care, domestic and Hague-accredited international adoption, kinship care, behavioral health, and family support services to Southeast Michigan families and youth.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersAnn Arbor, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Hands Across The Water does
Hands Across The Water (HATW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit child welfare agency headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with a branch office in Adrian, founded in 1999. It operates six interconnected service lines: Waiting Child Adoption (recruiting families for Michigan foster children over age 7, sibling groups, and children with special needs), International Adoption (Hague-accredited programs serving Bulgaria, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Bangladesh), Foster Care (licensing and supporting homes across Wayne, Washtenaw, Lenawee, Monroe, Livingston, and Jackson counties under partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services), Kinship Care (resource navigation via Michigan State University's Kinship Care Resource Center), Behavioral Health (individual, couples, and family counseling delivered in-person and via telehealth, accepting Medicaid and major Michigan Medicaid managed-care plans), and Family Support Services (post-adoption support, trauma-sensitive yoga, teen support groups, and enrichment funds). The agency's clinical model centers on Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and related trauma-informed modalities delivered by licensed clinical staff.
HATW's business model blends four revenue streams: itemized adoption service fees paid in increments, third-party-reimbursed behavioral health services, foundation and government grants, and donations (individual giving, corporate sponsorships, Kroger Community Rewards, United Way payroll deductions, vehicle donations). Distribution is direct-to-family through agency offices, online inquiry forms, virtual orientations, community events, and government referral channels. The organization holds accreditations from the Intercountry Adoption Accreditation and Maintenance Entity (IAAME), the Council of Accredited Services (CEAS), and is a member of the National Council for Adoption and the Michigan Federation for Children and Families; it has been recognized since 2011 by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's All Children All Families project and holds GuideStar's Platinum Transparency Seal.
Strategically, HATW's position rests on regulatory exclusivity (Michigan's only remaining full-service Hague-accredited international adoption agency) and a recognized niche in trauma-informed, LGBTQ+ inclusive services, with incremental expansion into adjacent Southeast Michigan counties and consortium-style partnerships with peer agencies. Constraints include small staff (11-50 employees), dependency on foundation and government grant cycles, and exposure to the structurally declining U.S. intercountry adoption market.
Hands Across The Water firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hands Across The Water
- Legal name
- Hands Across The Water
- Website
- https://hatw.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hands Across The Water is a 501(c)(3) child welfare agency in Ann Arbor, Michigan, founded in 1999, providing foster care, domestic and Hague-accredited international adoption, kinship care, behavioral health, and family support services to Southeast Michigan families and youth.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Hands Across The Water is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ann Arbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Hands Across The Water business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Adoption Service Fees: Fees for domestic and international adoption services including home studies, application fees, program fees, and post-adoption supervision. Adoption fees are paid in increments as services are rendered with itemized fee lists provided.
- Donations and Philanthropic Support: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and workplace giving programs including Kroger Community Rewards, United Way payroll deductions, and vehicle donations. Earned Platinum Transparency Seal from GuideStar.
- Government Grants: Foundation and government grants for specific programs including mental health services, LGBTQ+ inclusion initiatives, and staff education. Includes grants from Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and Ethel and James Flinn Foundation.
- Behavioral Health Services: Individual, couples, and family counseling services. HATW accepts Medicaid payments and many insurance plans including Blue Cross Complete, HAP Care Source, Meridian, Molina, and Priority Health Choice.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Adoption services pricing varies by program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Hands Across The Water product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hands Across The Water is a private nonprofit child welfare agency that provides domestic and Hague-accredited international adoption services, foster care licensing and support, kinship care navigation, trauma-informed behavioral health counseling, and post-adoption family support services to families in Southeast Michigan. The agency delivers services through offices in Ann Arbor and Adrian, with behavioral health available via telehealth, and partners with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for foster care placements.
Product overview
Hands Across The Water is a private child welfare agency providing a comprehensive suite of services to support and empower families in Southeast Michigan since 1999. The organization operates six interconnected service programs: Waiting Child Adoption (for Michigan foster children awaiting permanent homes), International Adoption (Hague-accredited programs in Mexico, Dominican Republic, Bulgaria, and Bangladesh), Foster Care (licensing and support for foster families in five Michigan counties), Kinship Care (resources for relatives raising children), Behavioral Health (trauma-informed counseling services), and Family Support Services (post-adoption assistance, teen support groups, trauma-sensitive yoga, and enrichment funding). While not a software product company, these service offerings constitute the organization's core portfolio of programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Waiting Child Adoption Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 300 Michigan youth waiting for adoption placed with caring families
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Hands Across The Water
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Hands Across The Water technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Hands Across The Water partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Michigan Department of Health and Human ServicescoreFormal partnership for foster care services; HATW licenses, assesses, and supports foster families while partnering with MDHHS for child referrals. This is the primary channel for foster care placements.
- Michigan State University Kinship Care Resource CentercoreHATW provides Kinship Care assistance through a contract with MSU's Kinship Care Resource Center, connecting caregivers with kinship navigators for services including therapy, daycare, food assistance, and support groups.
- Michigan Federation for Children and FamiliescoreStatewide membership organization for child welfare agencies providing advocacy, resources, and collaboration opportunities for HATW.
- National Council for AdoptioncoreNational membership organization for adoption agencies; HATW maintains member status as part of its commitment to ethical adoption practices.
- Human Rights Campaign FoundationcoreHATW recognized as innovator through the All Children All Families project since 2011 for LGBTQ+ inclusive practices; participates in annual assessments and shares best practices.
- CEAS (Council of Accredited Services)coreAccreditation body for adoption agencies; HATW maintains accreditation and compliance through CEAS for ethical international adoption services.
- Fostering FuturesmajorAnn Arbor-based child welfare agency also recognized by HRC as leader in LGBTQ+ services; HATW partnered with Fostering Futures to establish a consortium of agencies supporting LGBTQ+ youth and families in Southeast Michigan.
- GuideStar (Candid)minorThird-party nonprofit transparency platform where HATW maintains Platinum level transparency, demonstrating commitment to organizational openness.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hands Across The Water competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bethany Christian Services: Michigan-rooted adoption and child welfare agency offering domestic and international adoption, foster care, and family support. Direct competitor with similar program mix but substantially larger national footprint and global adoption programs.
- Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children: New York-based nonprofit offering Hague-accredited international adoption, domestic adoption, and post-adoption mental health services. Closely comparable model combining adoption, counseling, and family support, but operating at a different regional scale.
- Gladney Center for Adoption: Long-standing Texas-based adoption agency providing domestic infant adoption, international adoption, and post-adoption support. Comparable service bundle and nonprofit structure, with a much larger marketing and donor base.
- Children's Home Society of North Carolina: Regional nonprofit providing adoption, foster care, and family support services in NC. Comparable comprehensive child-welfare scope, though geographically distinct (Southeast Michigan vs. Southeast United States).
- Children's Home Society of California: California nonprofit delivering adoption, foster care, and child welfare services with similar program breadth. Comparable nonprofit adoption-agency model but operating in a different state with different state-contract dynamics.
- Samaritas: Michigan-headquartered human services nonprofit offering foster care, adoption, behavioral health, and family preservation across the state. Most direct in-state peer given shared Michigan footprint and overlapping service lines including Medicaid-funded behavioral health.
Broad incumbents
- Lutheran Services in America: National network of Lutheran human services agencies providing foster care, adoption, behavioral health, and senior services nationwide. Overlapping capabilities at broader scale; competes for similar state contracts and donor dollars.
- KidsPeace: Multi-state nonprofit providing residential treatment, foster care, and community-based behavioral health services. Overlapping child-welfare and behavioral health programs, but operates residential facilities HATW does not.
Others
- National Council For Adoption: National membership and advocacy organization for adoption agencies and practitioners; HATW is a member. Functions as an industry/standards body rather than a direct service competitor.
- Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption: National nonprofit foundation focused on finding permanent homes for children in foster care via Wendy's Wonderful Kids and similar programs. Adjacent thematic peer that influences the same adoption and foster-care funding ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hands Across The Water social profiles
Digital presenceHands Across The Water financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hands Across The Water leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Hands Across The Water funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hands Across The Water M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hands Across The Water
What does Hands Across The Water do?
Hands Across The Water is a private nonprofit child welfare agency that provides domestic and Hague-accredited international adoption services, foster care licensing and support, kinship care navigation, trauma-informed behavioral health counseling, and post-adoption family support services to families in Southeast Michigan. The agency delivers services through offices in Ann Arbor and Adrian, with behavioral health available via telehealth, and partners with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for foster care placements.
Is Hands Across The Water a public or private company?
Hands Across The Water is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Hands Across The Water founded?
Hands Across The Water was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hands Across The Water based?
Hands Across The Water is headquartered in Ann Arbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hands Across The Water make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Adoption Service Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Philanthropic Support, government Grants and behavioral Health Services.
Who are Hands Across The Water's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bethany Christian Services, Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children, Gladney Center for Adoption, Children's Home Society of North Carolina, Children's Home Society of California and Samaritas. Broad incumbents are Lutheran Services in America and KidsPeace. Others are National Council For Adoption and Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.
Does Hands Across The Water have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hands Across The Water.