Adoption FAQ

1. Can you send me a grant application packet?
2. Can you send me information on adoption, or can you answer questions concerning a particular adoption process?
3. At what point in the adoption process may an Adoption Assistance Grant Application be submitted?
4. When are grants awarded?
5. What is the monetary amount of grants awarded?
6. Are grants awarded only to qualified families adopting from China?
7. What adoption agencies do you recommend?
8. Do you award grants to families adopting independently?
9. May single parents apply for adoption financial assistance?
10. What services are provided in adoption fees?
11. Do you give grants to non-U.S. citizens? 

1. Can you send me a grant application packet?
Applications for a grant from Shaohannah's Hope are only able to be submitted online, so we do not mail out anything concerning our grant application process.  All of the information concerning our grants is found on our website under Adoption Grants.

2. Can you send me information on adoption, or can you answer questions concerning a particular adoption process?
We have developed the HowtoAdopt.org website as a resource tool to answer the many questions you might have concerning international, domestic, or foster care adoptions.  It is both a source of information and a guide to help people navigate through the various aspects of adoption.   

3. At what point in the adoption process may an Adoption Assistance Grant Application be submitted?
Prospective adoptive families must have satisfactorily completed a home study or home study update prior to submitting an application for financial assistance. Applications must be submitted prior to adoptive placement. Additional eligibility criteria precede the application.

4. When are grants awarded?
A minimum of 3-4 months is required for the review of Adoption Assistance Grant Applications. We receive hundreds of applications on a monthly basis. Grants are contingent upon the availability of funds. Notification regarding the outcome of each review is sent via postal mail. Applications that are not followed with requested supporting documents are not eligible to be considered for review.

5. What is the monetary amount of grants awarded?
Both the monetary amount and the number of grants awarded each month will vary and are contingent upon availability of funds. You are strongly encouraged to carefully and thoroughly answer each section of the application. We also encourage you to seek additional sources of adoption funding-including the investigation of potential support from your church. We have many qualified families who apply and regret that there are not always enough funds to assist each family.

6. Are grants awarded only to qualified families adopting from China?
This ministry is focused on supporting adoption as a response to the Gospel wherever there are parentless children, including the thousands of "waiting" children in foster care in the United States. Our foundation provides grants to qualified families who are adopting from all parts of the world-domestically as well as internationally. Thus far, grants have been awarded to qualified families adopting children from Africa, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Kazakhastan, South Korea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, and the United States.

7. What adoption agencies do you recommend?
While there are many fine adoption agencies though which to adopt, our website lists nine Christian, 501(c)(3), nonprofit agencies as resources. We do NOT endorse any specific agency. They are: A Helping Hand Adoption Agency, America World Adoption Association, Bethany Christian Services, Buckner International, Children's Hope International, Christian World Adoption, Dillon International, Holt International Children's Services, and Love Basket. Contact information for these agencies can be found on our website. Click here for these Helpful Links.

8. Do you award grants to families adopting independently?
No. We have hundreds of applications on file that meet established eligibility criteria. We are not at this time able to expand that criteria.

9. May single parents apply for adoption financial assistance?
Yes, grants have been awarded to Christian single parents. All prospective grant recipients must satisfy the same eligibility criteria-including a letter of reference from their pastor.

10. What services are provided in adoption fees?
Many services are received throughout the adoption process. In the case of international adoption, there are agency fees, overseas document administration, INS fees, home study fees, international fees, and travel fees. There are many children in the United States in foster care whose parents have relinquished parental rights. The cost to adopt these children is often minimal.

11. Do you give grants to non-U.S. citizens?
Unfortunately, for legal reasons we are not able at this time to award grants to families that don't have at least one member who is a U.S. citizen.