Gift of Adoption Fund

What Gift of Adoption Fund does

Gift of Adoption Fund, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1996 and headquartered at 1200 Shermer Rd, Suite 111, Northbrook, Illinois (FEIN 39-1863217). The organization provides adoption assistance grants ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 (average award $6,400) to families pursuing domestic, international, and kinship adoptions, with grants paid directly to the adoption agencies and attorneys working on the child's behalf. To date the organization has awarded over $25.2 million in grants and helped over 7,286 children find permanent families; it describes itself as the largest provider of adoption assistance grants on a non-discriminatory basis, with monthly review by a Grant Selection Committee and decisions communicated within 48 hours. Application intake operates through a Cognito Forms portal on giftofadoption.org, requires a home study plus tax returns, pay stubs, references, and a non-refundable $50 fee covering up to three reviews, and remains valid for 18 months.

The product surface includes the core Adoption Assistance Grant, the RAREis Adoption Fund sub-brand (a 2019 partnership with Horizon Therapeutics, now Amgen, dedicated to children with rare diseases), and two pilot programs added in 2025: Young Adult Adoption Grants for ages 18-21 and Relative Adoption Licensing Grants for kinship and fictive kin adopters. Donor programs include Monthly Impact Donor subscriptions ($10-$250/month), Investor Board Membership ($3,000/year for 3 years), Adoption Sponsor ($6,000 over 4 years tied to a specific grant), planned giving via bequests and IRA rollovers, and named endowments at $125,000 or more. The signature annual event is Gather for the Gift held at Morgan Manufacturing in Chicago, supplemented by dozens of chapter-run galas, golf outings, trivia nights, wine tastings, and dining challenges across 19+ states.

Revenue is entirely donor-funded across individual donations, corporate partnerships (cause marketing, matching gifts, dedicated funds such as RAREis, and workplace giving through United Way and the Combined Federal Campaign, CFC #95108), chapter fundraising events, and planned/endowment giving. The marketing mix spans giftofadoption.org, email newsletters, organic Instagram and Facebook, peer-to-peer Giving Circles, podcast appearances (The Forgotten Adoption Option, The Adoption Roadmap), and earned media including a Today Show feature on December 25, 2020. The organization is not a technology company and the operating model is volunteer-intensive at the chapter level, supported by a small national staff of 1-10 employees.

Name

Gift of Adoption Fund

Legal name

Gift of Adoption Fund, Inc.

Website

https://giftofadoption.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gift of Adoption Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 that awards adoption assistance grants of $1,000-$15,000 to families pursuing domestic, international, and kinship adoptions, serving as the largest non-discriminatory adoption grant provider in the U.S. and having helped over 7,286 children find permanent families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adoption Assistance Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Adoption assistance grants
• Nonprofit charity fundraising
• Child welfare services
• Corporate cause partnerships
• Donor membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Northbrook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting adoption assistance grants. Donors can give one-time or monthly recurring gifts, with various giving levels including monthly impact donors, investor board members ($3,000/year for 3 years), and adoption sponsors ($6,000 over 4 years).
2. Corporate Partnerships: Cause marketing campaigns, event sponsorships, workplace giving programs, matching gifts, and dedicated corporate funds such as the RAREis Adoption Fund with Horizon Therapeutics.
3. Chapter Fundraising Events: Local chapters across the country organize events including galas, golf tournaments, trivia nights, wine tastings, meat raffles, casino nights, and dining challenges to raise funds for adoption grants.
4. Planned Giving and Endowments: Bequests through wills/trusts, beneficiary designations on retirement plans/life insurance, IRA charitable rollovers, and endowment gifts starting at $125,000 for permanent named funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gift of Adoption Fund provides financial adoption assistance grants ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 (average $6,400) to qualifying families to remove financial barriers and complete the adoptions of children in vulnerable circumstances. Grants are paid directly to licensed adoption agencies and attorneys working on behalf of the child, and are available for domestic, international, and relative/kinship adoptions. The organization funds these grants through individual donations, corporate partnerships, planned giving, and a nationwide network of volunteer-led chapters hosting fundraising events.

Product overview

Gift of Adoption Fund is a national charity that provides adoption assistance grants to complete the adoptions of children in vulnerable circumstances. The organization operates as a unified platform offering multiple grant programs: the core Adoption Assistance Grant (up to $15,000) for domestic, international, and relative/kinship adoptions; the RAREis Adoption Fund (sub-brand for children with rare diseases); and two pilot programs—Young Adult Adoption Grants for 18-21-year-olds and Relative Adoption Licensing Grants. The organization also offers donor engagement programs including Monthly Impact Donor, Investor Board Membership, and Adoption Sponsor Program, alongside signature events like the annual Gather for the Gift national fundraiser. Grants are awarded regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any characteristic protected by law.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RAREis Adoption Fund: A specialized adoption fund created in partnership with Horizon Therapeutics (now Amgen) to provide adoption assistance grants for children with rare diseases or conditions.

Products and services

• Adoption Assistance Grant Financial grants ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 (average $6,400) awarded to qualified U.S. families to remove financial barriers and complete adoptions of children in vulnerable circumstances. Available for domestic, international, and relative/kinship adoptions. Applications reviewed monthly by Grant Selection Committee, with decisions communicated within 48 hours. Application fee is $50 (non-refundable, covers up to three review submissions) and applications remain valid for 18 months. Grants are paid directly to agencies and attorneys working on the child's behalf.
• RAREis Adoption Fund

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Horizon Therapeutics (now Amgen)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Horizon Therapeutics (now Amgen) launched the #RareIs Adoption Fund in 2019 in partnership with Gift of Adoption. The fund provides adoption assistance grants specifically for children with rare diseases or conditions. As of recent data, the fund has united nearly 100 children with permanent families, allowing them to receive necessary medical care. Horizon's RAREis initiative aims to elevate voices and experiences of people living with rare diseases, and this partnership extends that mission to orphaned children with rare medical conditions.
• White Castle (NW Indiana District)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWhite Castle's NW Indiana District conducted round-up campaigns in 8 stores during spring and fall 2023, raising $45,000 for Gift of Adoption. The cause marketing partnership allowed customers to round up their purchases to benefit adoption assistance grants.
• United WaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGift of Adoption qualifies for United Way workplace giving campaigns through the write-in option (Donors Choose option). Donors can designate gifts to Gift of Adoption, EIN 39-1863217, 1200 Shermer Road, Suite 111, Northbrook IL 60062.
• Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFederal, military, and U.S. Postal Service employees can make payroll contributions to Gift of Adoption through the Combined Federal Campaign. Gift of Adoption's CFC number is 95108.
• LDSO (Lightning Dancer Service Organization)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-op fundraiser partner for the Texas Chapter's Holiday EGG-cellent Raffle featuring a Large Big Green Egg. Joint fundraising event for adoption grants.
• Various Corporate Employers (Matching Gift Programs)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNumerous employers offer matching gift programs that double or triple employee donations to Gift of Adoption. The organization maintains a searchable database for donors to check if their employer matches gifts.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Help Us Adopt: National 501(c)(3) that provides adoption grants to families facing financial barriers. Most direct functional peer to Gift of Adoption: same mission, similar grant sizes, and comparable non-discriminatory eligibility model.
• Show Hope: Adoption assistance nonprofit providing adoption grants and care for orphans, with strong donor-driven funding model and sponsorship-style giving tiers. Directly comparable in grantmaking approach and family-targeted mission.
• Brittany's Hope Foundation: Provides adoption grants for children with special needs and from international programs. Operates a parallel grantmaking model serving an overlapping beneficiary pool.
• Adoptive Families Fund: Smaller adoption grant fund issuing awards to families working through domestic and international adoptions. Closely comparable in scale, scope, and grant structure.
• Lifesong for Orphans: Matches donor sponsorship directly to children, with an adoption grant program layered on. Comparable funding architecture combining sponsor-child pairing with grantmaking.
• Arms of Love Foundation: Faith-based adoption assistance organization providing grants to families adopting children, often internationally and/or with special needs. Directly comparable mission and target population.

Broad incumbents

• Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption: National nonprofit founded by Wendy's founder Dave Thomas focused on finding permanent homes for children in foster care. Operates adoption awareness, advocacy, and programs that overlap with Gift of Adoption's mission.
• National Council For Adoption: Established national advocacy and education organization working across adoption policy and family support. Sits adjacent to Gift of Adoption's grantmaking with broader policy and education scope.
• Holt International Children's Services: One of the largest U.S. international adoption agencies; also supports post-adoption and family preservation. Comparable in international adoption focus but delivers adoption services directly rather than via grants.

Emerging players

• Children of the Nations: Nonprofit partnering with local organizations to provide care, education, and sponsorship for children, including adoption-related pathways. Comparable international child-welfare focus at smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/giftofadoption
• Facebookfacebook.com/giftofadoptionfund
• Instagraminstagram.com/giftofadoption

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Gift of Adoption Fund