FAQ – Brittany's Hope

Below, you’ll find some helpful answers to some of our most common questions. Whether you are looking for financial assistance for your international adoption of a child with special needs, looking to sponsor a child in one of our programs, or just for more information about our organization, we’re here to help!

Adoption Grants

Are you a licensed adoption agency?

a. No, we are not a licensed adoption agency. We are an advocacy organization who provides grant funds to our affiliate agencies who award our funds to prospective families.

Which adoption agencies do you work with?

a. When partnering with adoption agencies, we believe in solid partnership and long-term impact, therefore we are selective in who and how many agencies we work with. We currently work with six affiliate adoption agencies: link. We are not currently accepting new applications for partnership.

How does an individual or family qualify for an Adoption Grant?

a. We have three requirements: you must be working with one of our affiliate agencies, the child must be designated as having “special needs”, and the adoption must be international. You can learn more about our Adoption Grant process here!

What is your definition of a child with 'Special Needs?'

a. The definition of a child with ‘Special Needs’ varies from country to country. When our affiliate agencies confirm these classifications, they typically involve the following areas:
i. Diagnoses include mental, physical, or emotional disabilities which can range from mild to severe.
ii. A child aged five or older. Why is this? Typically, children in this age range are considered harder to place with adoptive families.
iii. Sibling Groups. Separating sibling groups, from the only family they may have, can further compound emotional stress. It is always encouraged to keep siblings together when possible.
iv. At-risk children. Although healthy, these children may be in jeopardy of developing learning, emotional, or behavioral disabilities. Babies exposed to drugs, alcohol, abuse, neglect, and those with genetic pre-dispositions to mental illnesses and physical disabilities are also at-risk.

Why do you only offer Adoption Grants for an international adoption?

a. Countries open to inter-country adoption often do not have the resources or system in place to adequately meet the needs of their orphaned children, especially children with special needs. Our focus is on these children due to the fact they are at a higher risk for institutionalization due to the inability to access resources, and are in great need.

Do You Charge Fees for your services?

No, we currently charge no fees for any of our services, and do not plan to charge fees in the future for our work.

Are you governed by a board of directors?

Yes. Our Board of Directors are all volunteers and do not receive compensation for any of their contributed time. We have an Executive Board as well as Members-At-Large.

Why are affiliate agencies expected to reduce their placement fees?

We believe our role is to help non-profit agencies advocate for their difficult-to-place children. We also believe one of the best ways to advocate is through a reduction of costs for potential adoptive families. We want to work with agencies that share this philosophy. A “good faith” reduction by an agency sends us a clear message they intend to seriously advocate for this child.

How do we decide on the amount of the grant?

We are aware of the extensive thought and work our affiliate agencies put into identifying families who, financially, will most benefit from and should be offered grant monies. We trust their judgment in determining the amounts offered to each individual family. Brittany’s Hope asks that the family, and the affiliate agency while discussing the grant agreement considers the amount the family will need to raise in order to realize their full grant amount and are comfortable in meeting their commitment.

What is the duration of a grant?

Grant monies are offered to our affiliate agencies bi-annually for a specific six-month period. Brittany’s Hope will not be held responsible for any awarded grant funds which exceed an affiliate agency’s total awarded grant allotment. Any grant funds not awarded before the end date of the specified six-month period will expire.

When is grant money released?

Grant money is released when all pre-adoption grant requirements have been met and verified. Due to IRS regulations, all of our grant checks must be paid directly to our affiliate adoption agencies.

What qualifies a family for an adoption grant?

Our three primary requirements to be awarded one of our adoption grants are: the adoption is international, the child is designated ‘special needs,’ and families must be working with one of our affiliate adoption agencies.

What is expected of a grant recipient?

Fulfilling all of their pre & post adoption grant commitments.
Spreading awareness about Brittany’s Hope, as well as the Orphan Crisis.
Maintaining a good route of communication throughout their adoption journey with us.
- Making sure all personal information is correct and up to date.
Sending updates & photos to keep Brittany’s Hope’s supporters and donors engaged and motivated.

What is the expected level of communication?

It’s an open door policy! We offer transparency, as we feel it is an important concept of building trust and clarity.
We encourage feedback- positive and negative, as this information will provide our team with ways to self-evaluate.
Contact Information- it needs to be accurate at all times for us to properly engage and build relationships.

Child Sponsorship & Humanitarian Initiatives

What makes your child sponsorship program different from others?

a. Our sponsorship program is unique because of its size and our connection to the children we serve. Our staff and sponsors are connected and committed to these children and their success on an individual level. You can learn more about the BH Sponsorship Experience here, but a few things that set us apart are:
i. We know each child individually. This deep connection is directly related to our knowledge of each child’s unique needs.
ii. More opportunities to connect! From Skype events to having the chance to meet in person on our annual service trips, we make every effort to create connecting opportunities for sponsors and children.
iii. Unlimited opportunity to connect

What countries do you provide child sponsorship opportunities?

a. Viet Nam, Kenya, and Ethiopia

What does Child Sponsorship provide?

a. Nutrition, medical care, education, and opportunities for deep human connection. With this support, we work with our partners to see each child complete our program with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to become an agent of change in their lives and community.

How much does it cost to sponsor a child?

a. There are several different ways to sponsor a child. Check out the different programs, and gift levels, here.

Am I my child’s only sponsor?

a. Annually, it costs approximately $1500 to care for a child in our programs. Therefore, we allow no more than 3 sponsors for any of the children in our programs. For those families who chose to be a singular sponsor for their child and cover the entire cost of their support, we do not assign another sponsor. Also, you may not be your child’s first sponsor, as they may have had a sponsor who discontinued their support due to circumstances. It may take them time to get to you know you as their new sponsor!

Can I sponsor more than 1 child?

a. Absolutely! We welcome our supporters to sponsor as many children as they would like in any of our programs.

I’d like to give more than the standard amount for sponsorship; can I put additional funds towards my sponsored child?

a. Absolutely! There is always a need for extra support for the children. By allocating more funds towards your sponsored child, it opens up the ability for Brittany’s Hope to support more children who do not have sponsors. You can also allocate these funds for special events, such as birthdays or holidays.

How Long Does Sponsorship last?

a. We believe in committing to children for life. Sponsorship lasts as long as each child is attending school, or training for a vocation. Because each child has a unique background with varying levels of education and trauma, we do not base our program on a child’s age. Instead, we meet each child where they are to support their success. After graduation, 3 additional months of support help prepare them for living on their own. Brittany’s Hope will notify you if your child graduates or leaves the program for any reason.

What happens if I need to discontinue my sponsorship?

a. If you wish to discontinue your sponsorship, we will be sorry to see you go. However, we simply ask that you notify us so we may begin looking for another sponsor for your child. Until that time, your child will continue to receive all the benefits of our Child Sponsorship Program.

I want to learn more about how I can connect with my Sponsored Child. How do I do that?

a. We want you to feel as connected to your Sponsored Child as possible- that’s what makes our program so special! Visit our Sponsor Login page to learn specific ways to connect, and have additional questions answered, or contact our Humanitarian Aid Coordinator, who will be happy to speak with you.

How do you choose your partners/regions?

a. As a granting program, we truly believe in supporting organizations that are doing good work, but need financial support to elevate their services and impact. We begin by working with those that meet our partnership standards, and later expand our reach beyond our initial orphanages and organizations into the communities where we have long-standing relationships.

Why do children or families leave your program?

a. Our ultimate goal is always for the children no longer need our support, and/or be reunified with their extended family/community. These opportunities mean that collectively with their sponsors, we have achieved our goal. While this can be tough on the connection that sponsors have made with their sponsored children, in most cases it means the reunification of a child with someone who loves them.

About Giving

Is my gift tax-deductible?

a. Donations made to Brittany’s Hope are tax-deductible. When registering for an event or service trip hosted by Brittany’s Hope, your donation amount may be adjusted per services or items provided. You can contact our Finance Coordinator for more details.

How is Brittany's Hope Funded?

a. Brittany’s Hope is a 501c3 charitable organization. The main source of Brittany’s Hope’s funding are individuals, churches, and businesses. See our Form 990 and financial disclosure for details.

How can you state you have a “100% Model?”

a. Thanks to a very generous corporate benefactor, DAS Companies, Incorporated, all of our fundraising and overhead costs are covered – allowing 100% of your donation to directly benefit the children we serve.

Is Brittany’s Hope a religious and/or political organization?

a. No, our supporters, volunteers, staff, children, and the families we serve are comprised of all backgrounds and beliefs. We all share the same goal: elevating the lives of all orphaned and at-risk children.

There are so many organizations out there, and I want to be smart about my giving. How can I be sure you are putting my gift to good use?

a. We recognize the care and sacrifices it takes for our donors to give to charities. We strive to be an open book- we’re always happy to talk with you about our financials. As an organization, we are committed to transparency when it comes to our finances. You can learn more about our credentials on our Financial Accountability page, but here’s some important information to help you make your choice:
1. All administrative & fundraising costs are covered by a generous corporate donor; therefore, 100% of all donations made to Brittany’s Hope go directly into our programs.
2. The U.S. government lists us as a registered 501©3 nonprofit organization.

– GreatNonprofits.com classifies us as a Top-Rated Charity

1. Guidestar classifies us with the ‘Silver Seal of Transparency’
2. We are audited annually by a credible outside accounting firm
3. All of our financial statements are available for your viewing here.

Where do my financial donations actually go? Do you give it directly to the participants in your programs?

a. The short answer is no; funds are not given directly to the children in our programs but are invested into the credible programs that care for them.

A longer answer is that your donation goes into the pot of funds that is distributed to our partners each quarter. For most participants, your financial gifts enable our partners to supply all the tangible resources needed by the children to thrive. All of our programs have needs that reach above and beyond the individual donations for each child; therefore, we may ask supporters occasionally to donate to different needs. For our young adults in our HOPE program, they work with our program administrators to set up bank accounts and learn to manage money responsibly, eventually receiving transfers of funds directly.

Does BH accept gifts of stock and marketable securities?

a. Brittany’s Hope welcomes your generous gifts of stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares, IRAs, and other marketable securities. You can review our Gift Planning page or contact our Finance Coordinator for more details.

Does BH qualify for employer matching gifts?

a. Many employers now offer programs where they will match their employees charitable giving. We are so thankful to our supporters who have discovered the chance to double their gifts to help more children in need. Review our Gift Planning page to see the steps to take to see if your employer offers this benefit, or contact your Human Resources department.

Can I make a direct tax-free gift to BH from my IRA?

a. Important legislation passed into law in 2015 has permanently extended the Charitable IRA Rollover Donation. This special provision allows taxpayers age 70 ½ and older to donate up to $100,000 annually from traditional and Roth IRA accounts directly to charity without recognizing the distribution as income. We encourage you to contact your financial institution or advisor to get more information, and to request a charitable gift from your IRA. Our Finance Coordinator can then give you the details you will need.

Can I make a gift of non-cash assets to BH?

a. We are so thankful for our supporters who wish to gift us non-cash assets. Due to organizational limitations and guidelines, these types of gifts are considered on a case by case basis upon need, viability, and other factors. We encourage you to contact our Finance Coordinator to discuss your proposed donation.

There’s a lot of information here, but I don’t see my question answered. What’s my next step?

a. You can contact us by phone, email, or social media. We’re happy to help!