Nonprofit Private Adoption Agencies
A nonprofit adoption agency is usually very similar in terms of services to a for-profit adoption agency.4 The cost will be vary, (sometimes even more than for-profit agencies), the end goal will be the same for adopting parents, and the services provided to adoptive families will be similar. The difference lies in where the profits go when all is completed.
Nonprofit agencies qualify for 501(c)(3) tax exemption status with the IRS. This means they are eligible as a charitable organization, and their profits must go toward something outside the shareholder and company owner’s personal finances1. Some common causes a nonprofit adoption agency might support include furthering adoption education, aiding birth families through the process, hosting support groups and retreats, and supporting vulnerable families and children in and out of their agency’s scope. This said, it is also not uncommon for nonprofit adoption agencies to be vague in where exactly their profits go, so a little extra digging may be required to fully understand the organization in total.
Many of these agencies utilize their websites to highlight the nonprofit work they do, and some of them simply highlight their 501(c)(3) status as a major reason to go through them. Many of these agencies have religious/church affiliations. Children’s Home Society of Minnesota (Children’s Home) and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS) is an adoption services agency whose mission states: “To express the love of Christ for all people through service that inspires hope, changes lives and builds community.”3 Despite qualifying as private agencies, many of them include programs that work with certain state foster systems to help match adopters with children and help adoptive families navigate fostering to adopt. Children’s Home Society of Minnesota (Children’s Home) and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS) are examples, but there are many.
For-Profit Private Adoption Agencies
There are fewer for-profit adoption agencies. This may be due to the growing concern among prospective adopters about the ethics of the situation potentially leading to for-profit adoption agencies simply not being profitable enough or some other reason; however, the majority of information gathered to date about choosing the “right” adoption agency discusses checking if the agency is a nonprofit. Even some private adoption agencies, such as Bethany Christian Services5, still qualify as 501(c)(3) organizations. As stated above, the function of and services provided by for-profit and nonprofit adoption agencies are functionally the same. For the most part, the difference lies in where the profits legally are allowed to land.
National Adoption Agencies
National adoption agencies work with prospective adopters to find and place a child from any state in the US to any other state in the US. They must maintain licensure to complete adoptions in all 50 states. Due to the nature of the work requiring such a far-reach and large staff, there are significantly fewer national agencies than there are local agencies. This said, national adoption agencies reportedly have shorter wait times for placement and more options for placements. One downside to national agencies is the inability to meet with agency representatives in person, outside of potential long-distance traveling or online conferences/calls. Some of the most well-known national adoption agencies include Gladney Center for Adoption, Bethany Christian Services, American Adoptions, and Lifetime Adoption.6
Local Adoption Agencies
Local or regional adoption agencies are similar to national adoption agencies in that they match adoptive families with infants. The most significant difference is, where national adoption agencies work across state lines, local adoption agencies only operate within a specific region, usually a single state. This limits the scope of the agency’s search for a match and can take longer with fewer options, but local agencies allow prospective adoptive and birth families to meet with representatives in person and have assurance in the agency’s expertise surrounding their state laws on adoption.7
Public Adoption Agencies/Foster Care Adoption
Public adoption agencies are adoption agencies funded by the government. Utilizing a public adoption agency is oftentimes referred to as “Foster Care Adoption”. The requirements for prospective parents and the resources that can be expected from the government vary significantly from state to state.8 This is consistently the cheapest option. It also has the most transparency regarding what to expect. Infant adoption is more rare from the foster system than it is from private adoption.8 There are also unique issues the adoptable children within the foster system face leading to high levels of trauma among children within the system.
Adoption Through an Attorney
Adoption attorneys are utilized in most adoptions and are necessary entities in the process to navigate legal requirements, process documents, and work with the court system to finalize the adoption. Some people may choose to pursue working with an adoption attorney before working with an agency. Adoption attorneys are more likely to accept prospective adopters that have been previously turned away by private agencies due to things like age or marital status. They provide a greater ability to pick and choose the exact professionals an adoptive family wants to work with as well.
Prospective adopters are often required to find a social worker or otherwise qualified person to facilitate a home study. Attorneys also do not usually aid in advertisement and outreach, so, assuming the parents do not have a specific child in mind, they may have to hire someone else for that as well.9 Essentially, adopting through an attorney can significantly limit the resources an adoptive family has access to, but if a family feels they do not need a one-stop shop for their adoption, adoption attorneys can successfully facilitate a legal adoption and some are highly satisfied with this route.