FY 2026 guardianship assistance

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families awarded the Virginia Department of Social Services $3,193,164 for the Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program on October 1, 2025, with a performance period through September 30, 2026. The award is a block grant under CFDA 93.090 that provides Federal Financial Participation to help agencies offer guardianship assistance payments to relatives who become legal guardians for eligible children transitioning from foster care into secure, legally recognized family settings. The funding removes financial barriers that might otherwise delay permanency.

The recipient, Virginia Department of Social Services Division of Finance, administers the program across the Commonwealth and distributes sub-awards to local jurisdictions. Sub-recipients include Fairfax County, Roanoke, Henrico County, Richmond, Norfolk, Louisa County, Newport News, Lynchburg, Petersburg, Chesapeake, Arlington County, Washington County Department of Social Services, Pittsylvania County, Chesterfield County, Hanover County, Wythe County, Smyth County Department of Social Services, Halifax County, Shenandoah County, Henry County, Tazewell County, Wise County, Lee County, Franklin County, Suffolk, Hampton, Charlottesville, Culpeper County, and other Virginia local governments and county departments of social services. Sub-awards are structured as allocations of local budgets designated for quarterly and semi-annual disbursements. Place of performance is Virginia. Quarterly awards are made on the basis of estimated expenditures, later revised to include only actual allowable claimed expenditures; quarterly estimates are due July 30, October 30, January 30, and April 30 each year.