Collaborative Approaches to Adoption for Children with Complex Needs
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- HHS-2026-ACF-ACYF-CO-0055
- Agency
-
Administration for Children and Families
Department of Health and Human Services
- Applications due
- Award size
- $1,500,000 to $2,150,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
-
- 93.652 Adoption Opportunities
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Income Security and Social Services
- Eligible applicants
-
- 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- State Governments
- Public or Indian Housing Auth.
- Special District Governments
- Independent School Districts
- Higher Education Inst. (Public)
- City/Township Governments
- Small Businesses
- Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
- Higher Education Inst. (Private)
- For Profit Organizations
- Non-501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- Tribal Organizations (Not Federally Recognized)
- Other
- County Governments
- Points of contact
-
- Kathleen Dwyer, Ph.D. cb@grantreview.org (888) 203-6161
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families is soliciting applications for cooperative agreements to test and build evidence for collaborative approaches to adoption for children and youth with complex or high-acuity needs, with applications due August 26, 2026. Projects must be led by researchers working within a child welfare agency or in close partnership with one or more child welfare agencies; private child welfare agencies under contract with public agencies and research organizations partnering with child welfare agencies are eligible applicant types, as are the full range of 501(c)(3) nonprofits, state and tribal governments, higher education institutions, and other entity types listed in the opportunity.
The program expects to fund three awards ranging from $1.5 million to $2.15 million each for three-year project periods beginning September 30, 2026. Cost share is not specified in the available materials. Award recipients must conduct rigorous implementation studies and effectiveness evaluations to assess how the model functions in practice and whether the collaborative approach achieves stable, permanent adoptive homes. Research designs must employ the most rigorous methods appropriate to the research questions. Applicants must submit a strong theory of change and pre-register their research with a public registry.
Collaborative approaches must include strategies to recruit, train, support, and retain specialized adoptive homes equipped to meet children's behavioral, medical, or emotional needs. Collaborations including Medicaid Section 1115 Research and Demonstration Projects, private adoption agencies, or community- or faith-based organizations are of particular interest. Recipients will participate in a consortium through mandatory yearly in-person meetings and monthly virtual meetings.
Merit review emphasizes the Approach component (55 of 115 points), Resources and Capabilities (30 points), and ACF Priority Alignment (10 points), with bonus points available for partnerships of particular interest. The opportunity is assigned CFDA 93.652, Adoption Opportunities.
Synopsis
2 versions
Update #2 · Latest ·
This funding opportunity aims to support innovations that build evidence on how to help children and youth with complex or high-acuity needs achieve permanency through adoption. The projects will focus on collaborative, system-level efforts to recruit, train, support, and retain families who can meet these children's needs.Projects must be led by researchers who work within a child welfare agency or work in close partnership with one or more child welfare agencies. Together, researchers and child welfare program staff will identify and evaluate promising collaborative approaches.Collaborations that include Medicaid Section 1115 Research and Demonstration Projects, private adoption agencies, or community- or faith-based organizations are of particular interest.You'll be expected to: (1) Study how the model works in practice (i.e., implementation study). (2) Evaluate the effectiveness of the approach. (3) Use the most rigorous research designs, methods, and analytic techniques that are appropriate and sufficient to address the research questions of interest.Projects are expected to build on the existing research evidence and contribute generalized knowledge.
Update #1 ·
This funding opportunity aims to support innovations that build evidence on how to help children and youth with complex or high-acuity needs achieve permanency through adoption. The projects will focus on collaborative, system-level efforts to recruit, train, support, and retain families who can meet these children's needs.Projects must be led by researchers who work within a child welfare agency or work in close partnership with one or more child welfare agencies. Together, researchers and child welfare program staff will identify and evaluate promising collaborative approaches.Collaborations that include Medicaid Section 1115 Research and Demonstration Projects, private adoption agencies, or community- or faith-based organizations are of particular interest.You'll be expected to:Study how the model works in practice (i.e., implementation study).Evaluate the effectiveness of the approach.Use the most rigorous research designs, methods, and analytic techniques that are appropriate and sufficient to address the research questions of interest.Projects are expected to build on the existing research evidence and contribute generalized knowledge.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| hhs-2026-acf-acyf-co-0055.pdf |
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