Jan 21, 2026
At Tate Healey Webster, we see firsthand how love and stability transform the lives of children being raised by relatives, fictive kin, and permanent guardians. Many of these children are thriving in safe, supportive homes, but guardianship is often just one step on the path to permanency. Adoption gives children the full legal security of a forever family — and for many caregivers, that is the ultimate goal.
Yet we also know that the financial costs of adoption can stand in the way. That is why we are excited to share news of a new resource for families making this important transition.
A New Grant Program Meeting an Unmet Need
Through its Pilot Programs, Gift of Adoption identified a major unmet need: financial support for families moving from guardianship to adoption. In response, the organization created Guardianship to Adoption Grants to help kinship caregivers, fictive kin guardians, and permanent guardians adopt the children already in their homes.
In 2025 alone, Gift of Adoption has already awarded ten grants totaling $32,700 to families making this transition. These grants are designed to reduce the financial barriers to adoption and to help ensure children achieve the permanency and stability they deserve.
How These Grants Make a Difference
The Guardianship to Adoption Grants provide meaningful support in several ways:
- Removing financial obstacles: Even modest costs can be difficult for families who are already stretching to meet children’s needs.
- Encouraging permanency: Adoption gives children a secure, legal parent-child relationship that guardianship does not always provide.
- Supporting kinship placements: Many of the children benefiting from these grants are being raised by grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, or family friends who stepped up in a time of need.
At Tate Healey Webster, we often help guardians, custodians, and permanent guardians legally adopt the children they already love and care for every day. Programs like this one make that process more accessible to the families who need it most.
A Commitment to Families — and to Giving Back
We are especially proud to share this program because it represents more than just financial assistance. It is part of a broader commitment to ensuring every child has the stability of a permanent home.
Board Certified Adoption Attorney Jeanne T. Tate serves on the board of Gift of Adoption, an organization that provides grants to help children who might otherwise remain in foster care or temporary arrangements find safe and loving permanent families. Her service reflects what we believe at Tate Healey Webster — that the legal work we do is just one piece of a much larger effort to support children and families across the country.
Learn More
If you are a guardian exploring adoption, or if you know a family who could benefit from this program, we encourage you to learn more and share this opportunity. Every child deserves the security of a forever family, and with resources like these grants, more children will have the chance to get there.
To learn more about Gift of Adoption and the Guardianship to Adoption Grants, visit giftofadoption.org
