Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments Program (93.603)
Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments Program (Assistance Listing 93.603) is run by the Administration for Children and Families, part of the Department of Health and Human Services. It awarded $228 million in 279 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $817,885 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $452,500. Half of the 279 awards fell between $201,000 and $1.1 million, and they ranged from $7,671 to $11.8 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$228 million
- Grant awards279
- Typical award$452,500
- Awarded in FY 2025$37.4 million
- Size rank579 of 1824
- Type of assistanceFormula grants
Key findings
- Annual funding fell from $51.0 million in fiscal 2021 to $37.4 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 579th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 70% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 51 states and territories.
What the program funds
The objective of the Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments Program is to provide incentives to states and eligible tribes to increase annually the number of children in foster care who find permanent homes through adoption or legal guardianship.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
States (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa) and tribes that have an approved title IV-E plan and that submit data to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) are eligible to receive payments. The Children's Bureau (CB) shall determine an agency's eligibility for funding based on foster care, adoption and guardianship data reported to AFCARS. of the fiscal year subsequent to the fiscal year in which the adoptions or guardianships were finalized.
What the money can and cannot pay for
State and tribal agencies receiving incentive payments must spend the funds for services (including post-adoption services) and activities allowable under titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act (the Act). Payments must be used to supplement and not supplant Federal or non-Federal funds for services under titles IV-B or IV-E of the Act (see section 473A(f) of the Act). Amounts expended by a state or tribe in accordance with the preceding sentence shall be disregarded in determining state or tribal expenditures for purposes of Federal matching payments under Sections 424, 434, and 474 of the Social Security Act. Incentive funds may not be used as non-Federal (i.e., state, local or tribal) matching funds for Federal financial participation.;
Matching requirements
Statutory Formula: Title IV, Part E, Subpart Sections 424, 434, and 474,Public Law Social Security Act.42 USCMatching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Apr 01, 2026 to May 15, 2026 There is no application for Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments program. AFCARS data submissions by IV-E agencies must be received no later than May 15 of each year to be considered for incentive payments.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
In FY 2023 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico earned incentive payments that were paid out in FY 2024 and ranged from $8,000 to $7,958,000 with an average award amount of $1,221,170
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments Program (93.603) awarded$228 million across 279 grant awards, an average of $817,885 per award.
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 93% of the money.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 262 | $212 million | 93% |
| Other | 17 | $16.7 million | 7.3% |
By state
46 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California | 6 | $24.6 million |
| Indiana | 6 | $14.9 million |
| New York | 5 | $14.5 million |
| Illinois | 5 | $11.6 million |
| Texas | 5 | $10.3 million |
| Arizona | 5 | $9.7 million |
| Florida | 5 | $9.5 million |
| West Virginia | 5 | $8.1 million |
| Georgia | 6 | $8.0 million |
| Minnesota | 6 | $7.7 million |
| Iowa | 6 | $6.1 million |
| Ohio | 5 | $5.8 million |
| Connecticut | 5 | $5.5 million |
| Oklahoma | 6 | $5.4 million |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | $5.2 million |
| Kentucky | 6 | $4.8 million |
| Massachusetts | 6 | $4.5 million |
| Mississippi | 6 | $4.2 million |
| South Carolina | 6 | $4.1 million |
| Montana | 6 | $3.7 million |
| Alabama | 5 | $3.6 million |
| Michigan | 5 | $3.6 million |
| Oregon | 5 | $3.4 million |
| Wisconsin | 6 | $3.4 million |
| Tennessee | 5 | $3.1 million |
| Maryland | 5 | $3.0 million |
| Nevada | 6 | $2.8 million |
| Kansas | 6 | $2.8 million |
| Rhode Island | 6 | $2.7 million |
| Missouri | 5 | $2.6 million |
| Colorado | 6 | $2.5 million |
| Louisiana | 4 | $2.5 million |
| Washington | 4 | $2.2 million |
| Utah | 5 | $2.0 million |
| New Mexico | 4 | $1.6 million |
| Arkansas | 6 | $1.6 million |
| Maine | 5 | $1.5 million |
| Idaho | 5 | $1.5 million |
| Hawaii | 4 | $1.5 million |
| Virginia | 6 | $1.5 million |
| South Dakota | 6 | $1.4 million |
| New Jersey | 6 | $1.4 million |
| Vermont | 6 | $1.1 million |
| North Dakota | 6 | $1.1 million |
| Alaska | 6 | $1.0 million |
| North Carolina | 6 | $1.0 million |
| Wyoming | 6 | $909,559 |
| Delaware | 5 | $902,598 |
| New Hampshire | 5 | $798,144 |
| Puerto Rico | 4 | $741,928 |
| District of Columbia | 5 | $316,339 |