Grandfamilies

The National Center on Grandfamilies conducts federal advocacy and supports kinship/grandfamilies in elevating their own voices to improve policies and practices that impact them. See below for more information on the Center’s work.  

The Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center provides individual assistance, learning opportunities, and resources to government and nonprofit professionals who serve kinship/ grandfamilies, thereby working to improve supports and services for the families. 

See below for more information on the Network’s work and visit them at GKSNetwork.org.  

Who are Grandfamilies and Kinship Families?  

At Generations United, we use the term “grandfamilies” and “kinship families” interchangeably – and combined as “kinship/grandfamilies” – to refer to families in which grandparents, other adult relatives, or close family friends are raising children whose parents are unable to do so. In the United States, over 2.4 million children live in these families. Grandfamilies have unique strengths and face unique challenges. 

National Center on Grandfamilies  

Since 1998, the National Center on Grandfamilies has been a leading voice for families headed by grandparents, other relatives, and close family friends. The Center’s work is guided by GRAND Voices, a national network of grandfamily caregiver advocates. Additionally, through the Center, Generations United leads an advisory group of caregivers and organizations that sets the national agenda to advance public interest in support of these families. Center staff are trusted voices on Capitol Hill, and they provide training and tailored assistance to advocates and practitioners and raise awareness about the strengths and needs of grandfamilies through media outreach and awareness-raising events. The Center releases an annual State of Grandfamilies report and a broad range of guides, fact sheets, and tools for grandfamilies, which cover issues from educational and health care access to financial and legal supports. Resources can be found at gu.org and grandfamilies.org. 

Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network  

Since 2021, the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network has been helping government agencies and nonprofit organizations in states, tribes, and territories, working both individually and across jurisdictional and systemic boundaries to improve supports and services for kinship/grandfamilies. With funding from a five-year cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living (ACL), Generations United operates the Network with four managing partners: the National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, the National Indian Child Welfare Association, USAging, and ZERO TO THREE. A fifth partner, Child Trends, evaluates our work. With our partners and a cadre of subject matter experts, we provide individual assistance, create practical written and video resources for service providers, and offer monthly webinars and regular collaborative learning communities, all free of charge. Please visit our website, GKSNetwork.org. Request no-cost technical assistance here. 

Stay Informed 

• Stay up-to-date on grandfamilies news by subscribing to the Center’s monthly e-resource, “The Grandfamilies Alert,” tailored for grandfamily advocates and their allies. 
• Receive the latest news and resources from the Network and around the field by signing up for the Network’s monthly newsletter, “The Network Connection.” 
• Follow Generations United on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X and follow the Network on LinkedIn.