Gladney

What Gladney does

Gladney Center for Adoption is a Texas-based nonprofit organization founded in 1887 that provides a comprehensive portfolio of adoption-related services to prospective adoptive families, expectant and birth parents, and children in the foster care system. Headquartered at 6300 John Ryan Drive in Fort Worth, the organization operates domestic infant adoption, international adoption (covering programs in Asia, Latin America, and Europe including Bulgaria), and foster care adoption through its New Beginnings program, alongside supporting services such as SWAN Permanency Services, home study and post-placement evaluations, counseling through IASIS MCN, and post-adoption support. The organization also operates The Gladney Home, a residential healing facility for girls in foster care.

The business operates a fee-for-service professional services model, charging adoption-related fees (with a dedicated Fees & Financial Aid page indicating the existence of financial assistance options) and supplementing revenue through donations via the iamgladney.org platform. Go-to-market is community-led: prospective families are reached through free in-person and virtual information sessions, content marketing, email newsletters, and referrals. Sub-brands include Gladney University, an adoption professional training platform, and AdoptED, a consumer-facing adoption education platform. Distribution is direct, centered on the Fort Worth campus with virtual engagement extending reach nationally and internationally.

The organization is led by President and CEO Mark Melson (self-identified as a "Gladney Dad") and employs 51-100 staff members. Technology infrastructure is limited to standard web/CRM tooling (mygladney.com portal, Zoom-based sessions, a donation CRM at iamgladney.org) with no proprietary software or AI/ML capabilities described. A 2024 grant from the Lowe's Hometowns program funded physical improvements to The Gladney Home, representing a minor corporate partnership.

Name

Gladney

Legal name

Gladney Center for Adoption

Website

https://adoptionsbygladney.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Gladney Center for Adoption is a Fort Worth, Texas-based nonprofit founded in 1887 that provides domestic, international, and foster care adoption services, plus counseling, residential care, and adoption education, to prospective adoptive families, expectant parents, and foster children.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adoption Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)

Keywords

• Adoption services
• Domestic infant adoption
• International adoption
• Foster care adoption
• Home study services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Worth

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Adoption Services Fees: Gladney generates revenue through fees charged for adoption services including domestic infant adoption, international adoption, foster care adoption, home study services, and post-adoption counseling. The organization also mentions Fees & Financial Aid resources, indicating a fee-for-service model with potential financial assistance options.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gladney Center for Adoption is a nonprofit adoption agency that facilitates domestic infant, international, and foster care adoptions for prospective adoptive families. It also provides expectant parent counseling, home study and post-placement services, post-adoption support, and operates The Gladney Home, a residential healing home for girls in foster care. Educational offerings are delivered through Gladney University and AdoptED.

Product overview

Gladney Center for Adoption is a single, unified adoption service organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of adoption-related programs and support services. The core offerings include three primary adoption programs (Domestic Infant Adoption, International Adoption, and Foster Adoption/New Beginnings), supported by ancillary services such as SWAN Permanency Services, Home Study & Post Placement Services, and Post-Adoption Support. The organization also operates The Gladney Home, a residential healing home for girls in foster care, and provides educational platforms through Gladney University and AdoptED. These products and services work together to guide expectant parents, adoptive families, and adoptees through the complete adoption journey from consideration through lifelong support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Gladney Home: A healing home for girls in foster care, built on compassion, community, and connection.
• Gladney University
• AdoptED
• IASIS MCN

Products and services

• Domestic Infant Adoption

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Lowe'sminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 June 2024Lowe's awarded a Hometowns grant to the Gladney Center for Adoption as part of a five-year, $100 million program to revitalize community spaces. The grant funds outdoor furniture, landscaping, sports equipment, and storage improvements at the residential home for foster children in Fort Worth, Texas. 100 projects benefited 87 communities in 44 states under this initiative.

Scale indicators1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Lutheran Social Services: A faith-based network providing adoption, foster care, and refugee services among other social services — broad incumbent in the same child welfare space as Gladney.
• Catholic Charities USA: A national network providing adoption, foster care, and family services among broader social services — overlapping with Gladney but as part of a much wider social services portfolio.

Regional players

• Children's Home Society of North Carolina: A long-running state-level adoption and family services nonprofit — comparable to Gladney's service mix but operating primarily in North Carolina.
• Children's Home Society of California: A long-established California-based adoption and family services nonprofit — comparable service model to Gladney but with a primarily West Coast geographic focus.
• Children's Home & Aid: A Midwest-focused child welfare and adoption nonprofit offering foster care and adoption services — comparable mission but primarily serving Illinois and surrounding states rather than Texas/national.

Direct peers

• Bethany Christian Services: One of the largest U.S. nonprofit adoption and foster care agencies, offering domestic, international, and foster adoption services with counseling — directly comparable to Gladney's full-service adoption model.
• American Adoptions: A large, established U.S. domestic infant adoption agency with national reach and a fee-for-service model — directly comparable to Gladney's domestic infant adoption program.
• Nightlight Christian Adoptions: Nonprofit adoption agency offering domestic, international, and embryo adoption programs plus post-adoption support — closely aligned with Gladney's multi-track service portfolio.
• Lifeline Children Services: Faith-based nonprofit providing international and domestic adoption, foster care, and pregnancy counseling services — directly overlapping Gladney's adoption continuum.

Emerging players

• Adoption.com: A digital adoption information and matching platform that competes for the same prospective adoptive parent audience as Gladney's information sessions and online outreach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gladney_center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Gladney