![Get Help Paying for Infertility Treatments and Adoption Costs [Grant-Scholarship Programs]](https://circleandbloom-staging.circlebloom.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Get-Help-Paying-for-Infertility-Treatments-and-Adoption-Costs-Grant-Scholarship-Programs.jpg)
Last week, my colleague Amy posted an article to our Circle+Bloom Facebook community from U.S. News and World Report about how to cope with the high costs of infertility. It reminded me of a post we wrote on the Circle + Bloom blog about a year ago about a few grants available to people who are facing these crazy-expensive treatments. I think it’s time for an update on some of those grant and scholarship programs.
There are a ton of grants and scholarships out there (not to mention loans and other financing programs). I’m highlighting a bunch below, but you’ll surely be able to find even more. (Just Google “infertility grant programs” and you’ll find a huge list of options).
Just a note: Some grant programs are more “professional” than others. While researching programs for this post, we came across a number of websites that hadn’t been updated in a year or more (we left those off this list). No point wasting your time applying for a grant that isn’t managed well.
Also, read the eligibility requirements closely. Some are very specific and extensive. With applications fees for each (generally $20-$50), save your time and money for the opportunities that are an ideal fit for you and your situation.
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments
- Amount: Varies
- Eligibility: Diagnosis of infertility, over 18 years of age, and U.S. citizen
- Deadline: Once annually. Last deadline was May 17. Check the AGC’s Facebook page for announcements about the next application deadline.
- Fee: Unknown
Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys Family Formation Charitable Trust
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments or Adoption Services
- Eligibility: Individuals or couples seeking adoption (domestic and international) or assisted reproduction.
- Amount: Ranges from $500 to $2,000
- Application Fee: $25
- Deadline: Twice annually, March 1 and September 1
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments
- Eligibility: Permanent U.S. residents (U.S.) treated by a Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist (REI) at an accredited fertility facility in the U.S.
- Amount: Varied
- Application Fee: $50
- Deadline: Twice annually. Next deadline is November 14, 2018.
Cade Foundation (Tinina Q. Cade Foundation) Family Building Grant
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments or Adoption Services
- Eligibility: U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident with a diagnosis of infertility from your doctor. Grants are awarded for domestic adoption or medical fertility treatment.
- Amount: Up to $10,000
- Application Fee: $50
- Deadline: Twice annually, February 1 and July 1
A Child Waits Foundation Grants
- Type: Grant for Adoption Services
- Eligibility: U.S. or Canadian citizens adopting internationally
- Amount: Up to $7,000
- Application Fee: $20
- Deadline: Rolling
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments
- Eligibility: Must meet the definition of infertile (as defined by SART), and if chosen for a grant attend/be present at their local 5K event.
- Amount: One free IVF cycle (donated by a participating SART-recognized fertility clinic/center) or monetary grant, typically $5,000 distributed at 5K fundraising races held in different locations in the U.S.
- Application Fee: $30
- Deadline: Varied based on 5K race schedule. Find upcoming race events.
- Type: Grant for Adoption Services
- Eligibility: Any U.S. citizen with an approved adoption home study from a Hague or COA accredited agency (if international adoption) or licensed social worker (if domestic adoption). Financial need, perseverance, and imminence of the adoption must be demonstrated.
- Amount: Ranges from $1,000 to $7,500
- Application Fee: $50
- Deadline: Applications are reviewed monthly
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments
- Eligibility: Judaism must be the sole religion practiced in the home and applicants need to demonstrate a connection to Jewish life. Income levels are considered. A reproductive endocrinologist must officially diagnose infertility and certify that the applicant is an appropriate candidate for IVF. Applicants must have legal U.S. residency status.
- Amount: Range of $5,000 to $15,000 for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and related expenses (e.g. PGD, ICSI) for medically necessary infertility treatment
- Application Fee: Unknown
- Deadline: Twice annually
- Type: Grant for Adoption Services
- Eligibility: Be a US citizen; have a completed, approved, and current home study; must not be pregnant, trying to conceive, or pursuing infertility treatments simultaneously with your adoption; demonstrate significant financial obstacles and the need for financial assistance; must be associated with a licensed adoption agency or attorney.
- Amount: Up to $15,000 for domestic, international and foster care adoptions
- Application Fee: None
- Deadline: Four times a year (March, June, September, December); next deadline is September 14, 2018
The International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination (INCIID) Scholarship
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments
- Eligibility: United States residents who file income tax returns with IRS; meet the ASRM definition of medical infertility; have documented medical need for the IVF procedure; some form of financial need.
- Amount: Recipients receive approximately $25,000 of donated medical care, and may be required to travel to receive treatment. No money is provided.
- Application Fee: Minimum annual donation of $55. Finalists will have a fundraising commitment of $3,800 to INCIID.
- Deadline: Rolling, and may take 6-12 months to match finalists with a clinic provider
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments or Adoption Services
- Eligibility: U.S. Citizen residing in the U.S.; treated by a Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist (REI) in the United States. Demonstrate that you can provide a stable home environment, and need financial assistance with building your family.
- Amount: Varied, up to $10,000 for advanced fertility treatments such as IUI, IVF, egg donation, and surrogacy as well as adoption (private, foster care, domestic or international)
- Application Fee: $50
- Deadline: At least once annually. Last deadline was March 31, 2018.
Kevin J. Lederer Life Foundation Life Grants
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments or Adoption Services
- Eligibility: Reside in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin or Missouri; have a diagnosis of infertility certified by a medical provider, or are single, or part of a same sex couple, or for egg freezing for medical indications (cancer, endometriosis, transgender); annual household income of less than $150,000. See website for additional eligibility requirements.
- Amount: Up to $10,000
- Application Fee: $25
- Deadline: Once annually. Last deadline was March 13, 2018.
Three individual grant programs are available through this organization:
- Financial Assistance Grants: Cash grants for eligible costs towards family building
- IVF Cycle Grants: Donated services via partner medical practices and third party agencies that assist in family building.
- Sophie St. Aubin – PGD for Life Grant: Cash grants for individuals and couples with reimplantation genetic diagnosis to prevent transmission of a single gene disorder
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments (including IVF, surrogacy, and egg donation)
- Eligibility: Homosexual males, or transgender women may apply individually or as a couple, ages 25 through 50. Review additional eligibility requirements here.
- Amount: Varied for discounted/free services (IVF, surrogacy, egg donation and legal services), cash grants, and discounts on select fertility medications.
- Application Fee: $20
- Deadline: Annually in July/August
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments
- Eligibility: Treatment provided by the grant must be received at the Institute for Reproductive Health in Cincinnati, Ohio. Applicants must have either:
- a medical diagnosis of infertility by a Reproductive Endocrinologist according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s definition of Infertility; or
- be a carrier of a genetic disease or chromosomal disorder that requires the use of Assisted Reproductive Technology (“ART”) services for healthy offspring; or
- Reproductive Endocrinologist has recommended ART services due to recurrent pregnancy loss.
- Amount: Covers the full cost of a standard IVF cycle, or the full cost of one frozen embryo transfer
- Application Fee: $50
- Deadline: September 1, 2018
SAMFund (Surviving and Moving Forward) Grants
- Type: Grant for Fertility Treatments or Adoption Services
- Eligibility: U.S. resident; are a cancer survivor between the ages of 21 and 39; and meet ONE of the following criteria:
- Completed planned treatment with no evidence of disease, or
- One year following the completion of planned treatment with stable disease, or
- In remission and on long-term hormonal therapy (such as Tamoxifen for breast cancer survivors) or long-term targeted therapy (such as Gleevec or Herceptin)
- Amount: Average amount is $1,500 for any family building use. (In the past, roughly 50% of screened applicants have been funded.)
- Application Fee: Unknown
- Deadline: August 17, 2018 (Application process now open)
Please do your own research on these and other grant programs that you find. We can’t verify each one.
Other Great Resources for Infertility and Adoption Grants and Scholarships
Verywell Family published a great list of grants and scholarship programs (including some we don’t have in this post) and advice about researching grant programs and how to fill out the applications.
Working Mother Magazine also has an informative article with some ideas you may not have already thought of to make this journey a bit easier to afford.
Resolve.org also has a whole section of its website dedicated to information about “Making Infertility Affordable”.
I hope this information helps you feel a bit more armed with tools to aid your infertility journey. It is so hard, in so many ways, and the financial impact can be severe. Every little bit can help.
With love & gratitude,
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