Grants Available for Intended Parents

When you come to the decision to start a family via surrogacy, it is an exciting and life-changing decision! Unfortunately, surrogacy can be very expensive, and some intended parents find it difficult to cover all the costs associated with starting a family in this way.

A breakdown of the costs that are involved in a surrogacy journey are:

·       Medical Expenses

·       Agency fees

·       Legal Services

·       Travel Costs

·       Insurance Costs

Seeing that list can be overwhelming for some intended parents when thinking about all the individuals who are involved in making your dream become a reality and how much all that can cost.

When you are thinking about surrogacy, it is important to think ahead of time how you will be able to pay for it all.

If you don’t have unlimited money in your bank account (which most of us don’t!)  Don’t worry, there are ways to do a surrogacy journey without spending every dime in your bank account!  For some of the costs, there are options such as taking out a loan, fundraising the money through crowdfunding, or borrowing from family or friends.

What is a surrogacy grant?

If you need more assistance, you could be eligible for a grant.  A surrogacy grant is money that can be awarded to intended parents to assist in covering the costs that are associated with the surrogacy process.  Different organizations work differently, some may offer grants that are payable directly to an agency or clinic, or some provide an award for IVF medication that would go straight to the fertility clinic.  Grants can vary in amount and are often awarded once or twice a year.  These are offered by organizations that truly have the philosophy that everyone should have the option of having a family if they want, no matter how that family is created.  Grants are available to singles, same-sex couples, and all genders who are residents of the United States.

Major Organizations Offering Surrogacy-Related Grants

Gift of Parenthood (Link: https://giftofparenthood.org/grant-giveaways/)

Gift of Parenthood is an organization that offers grants four times a year, based on the availability of funds. Grants can be used to cover any expenses that are associated with third-party reproduction.

Baby Quest (Link: https://babyquestfoundation.org/)

Baby Quest Foundation helps individuals build families through gestational surrogacy, IVF, and egg donation.  This organization offers surrogacy grants bi-annually.

Chick Mission (Link: https://www.thechickmission.org/hope-grants/)

The Chick Mission is a non-profit organization that aims to provide those 18 to 40 years old with education, resources, and financial aid for fertility preservation.

Tinina Q. Cade Foundation (Link: https://www.cadefoundation.org/)

The Tinina Q. Cade Foundation offers a Family Building Grant of up to $10,000 to infertile families.  The Family Building Grant can be used to help with the costs of domestic adoption and medical fertility treatment.

Footprints of Angels (Link: https://www.footprintsofangels.org/)

Footprints of Angels is a non-profit organization that provides grants for women who have suffered recurrent miscarriages and/or infertility.

Hope for Fertility Foundation (Link: https://www.hopeforfertility.org/grant/)

The Hope for Fertility Foundation is an organization that provides grants of up to $5,000 to couples dealing with infertility. These grants can assist with infertility treatments and adoption costs.

Family Formation Charitable Trust (AARTA) (Link: https://adoptionart.org/charitable-trust/apply-for-a-grant/)

AARTA provides financial assistance to those who want to start or build a family via gestational surrogacy. Grants vary in amount and can help assist with costs such as counseling fees, legal services, travel, lab tests, agency services, medical costs, and home studies.

Jewish Fertility Foundation (Link: https://jewishfertilityfoundation.org/grants/)

Jewish Fertility Foundation (JFF) provides financial assistance, educational awareness, and emotional support to Jewish people with medical fertility challenges. JFF aims to help any person experiencing infertility feel supported and less isolated throughout their fertility journey regardless of religious background.

Journey to Parenthood (Link: https://journeytoparenthood.org/)

Journey to Parenthood is an organization that helps individuals looking to create families through advanced fertility treatments such as IUI, IVF, egg donation, and surrogacy. Applicants must be under treatment from a Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist (REI).  To determine further eligibility, visit their website.

Starfish Infertility Foundation (Link: https://starfishinfertilityfoundation.org/)

The Starfish Foundation is an organization that offers financial support to individuals facing infertility treatments without fertility coverage through their insurance.

Life Grants from the Chicago Coalition for Family Building (IL, IN, IA, MO, or WI only) (Link: https://coalitionforfamilybuilding.org/)

The Chicago Coalition for Family Building is a nonprofit organization that provides grants for those affected by the mental, physical, and financial distress of infertility. This program is only open to individuals living in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, or Wisconsin who require help with third-party reproduction.

Heartbeat Program (Link: https://www.ferringfertility.com/patient-resources/)

The Heartbeat program is a fertility preservation program through Walgreens and Ferring Pharmaceuticals. Eligible patients are offered select fertility medications at no cost.  To determine eligibility, view their website.

Polite Tumor (Link: https://www.politetumor.com/)

Polite Tumor’s mission is to provide financial assistance to women under 40 who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

What to know before applying for a grant

Each organization here is listed as a resource, but we do not have specifics on their current availability for grants.  Please remember their program can change at any time, so research the organization from the links provided.  There is of course no guarantee that you will be given that grant you apply for but many of the organizations will allow you to reapply if you are unsuccessful if you complete another application, you just have to check with each organization directly to get their rules and regulations regarding applications. 

To learn more about financing your surrogacy journey, please contact a surrogacy expert here at Bright Future Families.