Best Grants for Foster Care Group Homes in New York

New York child foster care and adoption nonprofits can access funding through the William and Helen Thomas Charitable Trust to support services for orphaned children who are unlikely to be adopted because of age, disability, or other factors. 501(c)(3) organizations serving these vulnerable youth, especially those in poverty, may be eligible.

The Foundation

In 1946, The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation was established by Francis Cardinal Spellman to honor the legacy of Alfred Emanuel Smith, New York’s most renowned Catholic governor and the first Roman Catholic to run for President of the United States on a major party ticket.

Our Grants

The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation grants support family services, education, and healthcare.

We understand that although life can be unfair, an investment in those who are less fortunate can help to level the playing field.

Grant Procedure

Founded in 1946 to honor the memory of renowned New York Governor and champion of the “little people,” Alfred Emanuel Smith, The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation awards annual grants to organizations that bring hope and support to the poor, sick, and underprivileged within the Archdiocese of New York, regardless of race, creed, or color. Selected organizations are well-managed, financially stable, and propose projects that are worthy, purposeful, and clearly targeted. Charitable efforts are directed primarily toward organizations that serve:

Individuals facing physical, developmental, or emotional challenges who can achieve improved health and well-being through specialized medical and therapeutic services. 

Children and youth affected by poverty or other barriers who can reach their full potential through innovative educational programs and learning opportunities. 

Families and children in need of social support or foster care, whose stability, safety, and long-term prospects can be strengthened through targeted, outcome-driven services. 

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in New York and other Vermont Mutual Insurance Group territories can receive funding to support education, youth development, community programs, and basic needs like housing and hunger. Vermont Mutual Insurance Group provides charitable support to strengthen healthy lives and vibrant communities where it does business.

Greenawalt Foundation

Our Mission

The Greenawalt Foundation advances opportunities in the skilled trades through funding for accredited pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, workforce training initiatives, and youth career exploration experiences. These programs promote technical readiness and connect STEM education to modern trades careers, building a stronger, more sustainable workforce. Foundation support focuses on expanding access and creating equitable pathways to prosperity for individuals pursuing skilled trades careers. Through these efforts, the Foundation helps develop the next generation of skilled professionals who will shape the future of our communities.

Community Grant

The Greenawalt Foundation extends its commitment to opportunity and well-being through community grants that support nonprofit organizations serving women, children, and vulnerable populations. These grants focus on programs that promote safety, stability, and self-sufficiency, including initiatives supporting domestic violence recovery, foster care, the working poor, and animal welfare. Foundation support strengthens the social fabric of communities and expands access to essential resources for those in need. Through these efforts, the Foundation helps build stronger, more compassionate communities where individuals and families can thrive.

Areas of Support

We focus our community grants on initiatives that align with our mission of compassion, opportunity, and empowerment. Areas of support may include:

• Domestic violence prevention and survivor support
• Programs for women and children
• Family assistance and poverty relief initiatives
• Foster care, youth development, and educational support
• Animal welfare and community-based rescue programs

Students with financial need pursuing higher education, including those from foster care backgrounds, can receive scholarship support through Marshfield Area Community Foundation in New York and beyond. The Kenneth and Ardyce Heiting Scholarship prioritizes applicants with foster care experience, helping expand educational access and equity for young people connected to the foster care system.

Students connected to foster care or hospice services in New York pursuing higher education may be eligible for the Dr. Gary King Sharp Memorial Scholarship, which requires a minimum 2.5 GPA. Central Kentucky Community Foundation prioritizes first-generation college students and those with family ties to hospice or the foster care system, supporting educational access and equity.

Grants from the US Dept. of Health & Human Services help New York child foster care and child welfare organizations provide home studies and post-release services for unaccompanied children, with awards from US $1,000,000 - US $50,000,000. Eligible providers may support safe placements, ongoing case management, and community connections for immigrant and refugee children.

Youth who are or were in Nevada foster care and pursuing college, trade, or vocational programs can apply for the Foster Children Education Scholarship, with awards ranging from $1,000 - $5,000. Offered by the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada, this support may benefit foster care–serving organizations in New York guiding eligible youth toward postsecondary education.

Young people exiting foster care or living in poverty in North Carolina who wish to attend accredited colleges or career schools in the U.S. can receive more than US $1,000 in scholarship support. Administered by North Carolina Community Foundation, this fund may benefit foster care group home residents preparing for higher education, with priority for Wayne County and nearby counties.

The EMF Family Building Grants, offered by the Expect Miracles Foundation, support young adult cancer survivors in their fertility treatment and family-building efforts. These grants are designed for applicants with a clear family-building plan and financial strategy, helping bridge the gap in costs associated with fertility preservation, assisted reproductive technologies, and related services. By prioritizing those actively engaged in their journey, the foundation aims to empower survivors to pursue their dreams of family.

Current or former foster youth and orphans planning full-time undergraduate study in the U.S., including New York, can apply for the ISF New Student Scholarship to cover college costs and receive mentoring and leadership training. Grants from Investing in the Success of Foster Youth may benefit residents of foster care group homes preparing for higher education.

Individuals formerly in Colorado foster care pursuing post-secondary education can receive US $1,000 - US $10,000 scholarships to study at accredited U.S. institutions. The Denver Foundation provides this support for eligible applicants up to age 30, which may benefit youth connected to foster care group homes in New York who meet the Colorado foster care requirement.

Nonprofit organizations serving youth in Bronx County, New York can seek funding for leadership, citizenship, character development, health and well-being, school activities, and community involvement projects. Focused on youth development, Aaron Judge All Rise Foundation invites programs that support children and families, which may include services for those in foster care or challenging home situations, to apply for US $3,000 mini-grants.

New York 501(c)(3) organizations supporting at-risk children, foster youth, or homeless families can apply for Conscious Kids grants of US $10,000 - US $20,000 for program support. Funding can back educational services, tutoring, internships, tuition assistance, and culturally enriching summer camps, which may benefit foster care group homes and related child welfare programs.

New York child welfare and youth homelessness organizations can access funding through the Laird Norton Family Foundation to support youth and young adults ages 12–25 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness or system involvement. Eligible U.S.-based nonprofits, not individuals or for-profits, may benefit if their work aligns with the foundation’s human services priorities.

New York 501(c)(3) organizations supporting foster children, domestic violence survivors, or sexual assault victims can apply for the When Georgia Smiled Foundation’s When Georgia Smiled Grant to expand services, infrastructure, and healing supports. Grants from When Georgia Smiled Foundation help U.S. child foster care and adoption services, domestic violence programs, and related crisis organizations strengthen safety and long-term outcomes.

New York 501(c)(3) organizations providing child foster care, family services, education, or youth justice support can access funding through Tiger Foundation, with awards from US $50,000 - US $300,000. Grants back high-impact, direct human services in the five NYC boroughs, including programs for children in foster care and their families.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in New York supporting foster care, community health, or workforce development can seek capacity-building, project, and capital support through the Ira W. DeCamp Foundation. With a mission to strengthen community-based services, the foundation provides New York foster care programs with funding for staff development, youth services, partnerships, and advocacy efforts.

New York City and northern New Jersey 501(c)(3) nonprofits working in youth and family services, foster care, education, health, or employment can seek funding for programs serving disadvantaged children and families. The Achelis and Bodman Foundation provides operating and program support, with a focus on smaller, neighborhood-based organizations relying on private funding.

The McGraw Foundation offers annual grants to not-for-profit organizations, primarily in the greater Chicago area, focusing on education, conservation, and human services. Grant amounts typically range from $2,000 to $10,000, with larger grants available for particularly impactful projects. While supporting diverse initiatives, the Foundation does not fund individuals or specific events. Organizations must be tax-exempt under IRS regulations to qualify for funding. The Foundation encourages innovative approaches and partnerships in grant applications.

The ECosystem for Leading Innovation in Plasma Science and Engineering (ECLIPSE) program aims to advance plasma science research by addressing societal challenges through multidisciplinary collaboration. It encourages proposals that integrate fundamental scientific inquiries with technological applications, fostering innovation in areas such as environmental remediation, advanced manufacturing, and nanotechnology. Proposals should align with NSF priorities and promote diversity in STEM, enhancing workforce development and broadening participation from underrepresented groups.

The Family Unification Program (FUP) aims to assist families and youth at risk of homelessness by providing Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) assistance. It targets families facing housing issues that could lead to out-of-home placement for children and youth aged 18-24 who have aged out of foster care. The program offers flexible voucher durations, with extensions available under specific conditions, ensuring support for those in need of stable housing.

The Residential Services for Unaccompanied Alien Children program, funded by the US Department of Health & Human Services, aims to provide safe and child-centered care for unaccompanied minors. This initiative supports organizations that can offer 24/7 services and are licensed to provide necessary care, including group homes and transitional foster care, particularly in areas near the U.S. southern border, ensuring the well-being of vulnerable children.

 The Understory: Regional Resilience Grants

The Understory has launched a new $4,000,000 grant program as part of our H.E.R.E. (The Hudson Estuary Resilience Effort) initiative.

These Regional Resilience Grants aim to foster social and ecological resilience in the Hudson Valley by supporting local non-profit projects and organizations working in the areas of culture, ecology, food/farming, and shelter.

True resilience comes with connection to and affection for the people and places around us. If we are to withstand the many social and ecological challenges we face here in the Hudson Valley, we need to do it together. Our hope is that these grants will prove to be catalytic in helping us all care for each other and our shared home.

These grants were shaped by Hudson Valley practitioners whom The Understory convened into guilds — groups of local subject-matter experts working in each area. Guild members, along with The Understory staff and other regional experts, will review applications and make funding recommendations. The fund was created with the support of a diverse group of place-focused funders in the Hudson Valley.

Truly, these grants are for this place, and of this place.

Opportunity

We are seeking energetic organizations with great ideas and detailed, realistic, and well-formed plans to foster social and ecological restoration, resilience, and regeneration in the Hudson Valley.

For this program, the Hudson Valley means these ten counties: Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester.

Grants range from $10,000 to $200,000. We expect to award approximately 60-70 grants totaling at least $4,000,000. Most awards are likely to fall between $25,000 and $100,000. That said, all projects will be seriously considered at the lower and upper limits.

We encourage you to size your request to the scope of your work rather than to the floor or the ceiling.