Belonging Network
Belonging Network is a Vancouver-based registered Canadian charity providing support, education, and community connection for adoptive and permanency families, kinship caregivers, and youth from government care across British Columbia, including the AgedOut.com portal, LEAP online education, and three bursary programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Belonging Network does
Belonging Network is a registered Canadian charitable nonprofit headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, providing support, education, and community connection for adoptive and permanency families, kinship caregivers, and youth from government care. Founded in the early 1970s as the Adoptive Families Association of BC (AFABC) and rebranded to Belonging Network in 2024-2025, the organization operates as the de facto provincial hub for adoption and permanency services across all family types — foster care adoption, international adoption, kinship care, guardianship, and Indigenous customary care.
The organization's core technology consists of website-based service delivery built around two digital platforms: AgedOut.com, an interactive portal providing life skills, bursary information, and resources for youth aging out of government care, and LEAP (Learning for Everyone in Adoption and Permanency), a self-paced online education program replacing the legacy Adoption Education Program. Adjacent products include the free 10-week Connect Attachment program for adoptive parents of youth ages 8-18 (launched Fall 2025), online support groups, curated toolkits, the New Beginnings podcast, and a paid ($25) three-part Attachment, Grief, and Loss workshop series (launching Spring 2026). The organization administers three named bursary programs — TELUS Orca Student Bursary (200+ bursaries over 10 years nationally), Joy MacPhail Youth Bursary ($3,000 annual), and Vancouver Film Studios Indigenous Bursary (up to $3,000 per recipient). Operations are delivered through one-to-one family support, Permanency Support Specialists (two funded by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption's Wendy's Wonderful Kids program), virtual support groups, and in-person events including the annual Timberline camp and Face to Face Connections family socials.
Belonging Network's business model is a diversified nonprofit funding stack: individual donations, a $20/year membership program for adoptive and permanency community members, direct grants from the Province of British Columbia (Ministry of Children and Family Development), foundation grants (TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, Face the World Foundation, Dave Thomas Foundation, Seedlings Foundation, Vancouver Film Studios), and nominal fees for select workshops. The organization employs 11-50 staff and operates with a remote team delivering services throughout BC, with select national reach via the TELUS Orca Student Bursary partnership. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is community-led, with awareness driven through content marketing, organic social, newsletters, events, and earned media via family storytelling.
Belonging Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Belonging Network
- Legal name
- The Belonging Network Support for Families and Youth Association
- Website
- https://belongingnetwork.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Belonging Network is a Vancouver-based registered Canadian charity providing support, education, and community connection for adoptive and permanency families, kinship caregivers, and youth from government care across British Columbia, including the AgedOut.com portal, LEAP online education, and three bursary programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Belonging Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Family Services / Adoption and Permanency Support
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Benefits Counseling & Financial Literacy for Transition-Age Youth (EDAKANAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Mentoring, Coaching, Alumni Networking & Peer Support Platforms (EDAFAMAN)
Keywords
Where Belonging Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Belonging Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: Individual donations from supporters to fund programs and services for families, children, and youth.
- Membership fees: Annual membership fees of $20 per year for Regular, Youth, and Advisory memberships, providing voting rights and access to organizational activities.
- Government funding: Financial support from the Province of British Columbia. The organization acknowledges this support on its website.
- Workshop fees: Fee of $25 for the full Attachment, Grief, and Loss workshop series, a three-part program for waiting adoptive and permanency parents.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual membership for adoption and permanency community members |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Attachment, Grief, and Loss workshop series for waiting adoptive and permanency parents |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
Belonging Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Belonging Network is a registered nonprofit that delivers education, support, and community-connection programs for adoptive and permanency families and for youth in or from government care in British Columbia. Its core deliverables include the AgedOut.com youth portal, the LEAP online education program, online support groups, one-to-one Permanency Support Specialists, three bursary programs (TELUS Orca Student Bursary, Joy MacPhail Youth Bursary, Vancouver Film Studios Indigenous Bursary), toolkits, and community events. The organization is funded primarily by donations, government grants from the Province of British Columbia, and nominal membership/workshop fees.
Product overview
Belonging Network (formerly Adoptive Families Association of BC) is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and services for adoptive and permanency families and youth from government care in British Columbia. The core offering includes the AgedOut.com youth portal for youth aging out of care, the LEAP online education program for prospective parents, and various workshops and support groups. The organization administers three major bursary programs (TELUS Orca Student Bursary, Joy MacPhail Youth Bursary, and Vancouver Film Studios Indigenous Bursary) supporting post-secondary education for youth from care and Indigenous communities. Additional offerings include toolkits, one-to-one family support, and community events. The portfolio functions as an integrated support ecosystem addressing the full adoption and permanency journey from exploration through adulthood.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AgedOut.com: An interactive portal providing resources and support for youth aging out of government care into adulthood.
- LEAP – Learning for Everyone in Adoption and Permanency
- TELUS Orca Student Bursary
Products and services
- AgedOut.com An interactive portal website providing resources and support specifically for youth aging out of government care into adulthood, including life skills, bursary information, and youth support services.
- LEAP – Learning for Everyone in Adoption and Permanency Online education program that replaced the Adoption Education Program, providing self-paced courses for prospective adoptive and permanency families exploring adoption and permanency in BC.
- Introduction to Adoption and Permanency A free, self-paced online course for anyone wanting to learn about adoption and permanency in BC, especially those interested in adopting from foster care.
- Connect Attachment A free 10-week online program for adoptive parents of pre-teens and teens (ages 8-18) focusing on building secure attachment relationships.
- Attachment, Grief, and Loss Workshop A three-part online workshop series for waiting adoptive and permanency parents and caregivers about how early relationships, grief, loss, and trauma shape a child's development.
- Online Support Groups Virtual meetup spaces (including closed Facebook groups) for adoptive and permanency parents and caregivers to share experiences, support one another, and build community.
- Permanency Support Specialists One-to-one family support services providing personalized guidance and assistance to families throughout the adoption and permanency journey, including specialists funded by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.
- TELUS Orca Student Bursary, powered by Belonging Network A bursary program providing financial assistance to youth from foster or government care pursuing post-secondary education across Canada, through a 10-year partnership with TELUS Friendly Future Foundation offering 200+ bursaries.
- Joy MacPhail Youth Bursary A $3,000 annual bursary for youth who joined their family through legal adoption or other forms of permanency, established in 2022 with funding from Face the World Foundation.
- Vancouver Film Studios Indigenous Bursary A bursary program providing up to $3,000 to Indigenous people of all ages pursuing formal or informal career-related education or training in BC.
- Toolkits Curated collections of digital resources organized by theme including Permanency for Youth, For Professionals, 2SLGBTQIA+, Adoptee Voices, and Self-care for Parents and Caregivers.
- Face to Face Connections In-person and online meetup events for families to relax, play, and build community together, including family socials and parent meetups.
- New Beginnings Podcast A three-part podcast series following a birth mom, adoptee, and adoptive dad as they navigate placement day in adoption.
Quantifiable outcome
- 34 youth awarded bursaries in 2025
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Belonging Network
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Belonging Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Belonging Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Broadway CameraminorBroadway Camera generously donated prizes (a camera) for the winners of the annual 'This is Belonging' photo contest, supporting community engagement and storytelling.
- Indigenous Perspectives SocietycoreIndigenous Perspectives Society provides partnership, training, advice, and encouragement to the Belonging Network. The organization acknowledges their guidance in its Truth and Reconciliation commitments and employee foundational training.
- Métis Family ServicescoreCollaborated on a Q&A town hall about adoption and permanency for Indigenous communities, hosted during Adoption and Permanency Awareness Month.
- BC Foster Parents AssociationminorThe Belonging Network refers prospective foster parents to the BC Foster Parents Association (1-800-663-9999) and Indigenous Caregivers of BC for foster parent inquiries, serving as a complementary referral pathway.
- Indigenous Caregivers of BCminorReferral partner for prospective Indigenous foster and kinship caregivers, complementing Belonging Network's permanency services.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Belonging Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Belonging Network social profiles
Digital presenceBelonging Network compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Belonging Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Belonging Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Belonging Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Belonging Network 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 Belonging Network
What does Belonging Network do?
Belonging Network is a registered nonprofit that delivers education, support, and community-connection programs for adoptive and permanency families and for youth in or from government care in British Columbia. Its core deliverables include the AgedOut.com youth portal, the LEAP online education program, online support groups, one-to-one Permanency Support Specialists, three bursary programs (TELUS Orca Student Bursary, Joy MacPhail Youth Bursary, Vancouver Film Studios Indigenous Bursary), toolkits, and community events. The organization is funded primarily by donations, government grants from the Province of British Columbia, and nominal membership/workshop fees.
Is Belonging Network a public or private company?
Belonging Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Belonging Network founded?
Belonging Network was founded in 1973. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Belonging Network based?
Belonging Network is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Belonging Network make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are membership fees, government funding and workshop fees.
Does Belonging Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Belonging Network.
What industry is Belonging Network in?
Belonging Network's product category is Nonprofit Family Services / Adoption and Permanency Support. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKANAJ, Benefits Counseling & Financial Literacy for Transition-Age Youth, with a secondary code of BPAGADAB, K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.