Definition of Kinship Navigator Programs
Federal law defines kinship navigator programs as programs that assist kinship caregivers in learning about, finding, and using programs and services to meet the needs of the children they are raising and their own needs, and promote effective partnerships among public and private agencies to ensure kinship caregiver families are served. 42 U.S.C. 627.
Title IV-E Federal Reimbursement of Kinship Navigator Programs
In 2018, Congress provided for ongoing federal funding for evidence-based kinship navigator programs through the Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First). Two rounds of federal kinship navigator grantees under the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Fostering Connections) had been successful, as had earlier state and county initated kinship navigator programs (see History below).
Family First adopted the same program requirements from the Fostering Connections Act that applied to federal grantees under that law, and added a requirement that these programs must be found by a “Title IV-E Clearinghouse” (Clearinghouse) to meet evidence-based standards of promising, supported or well-supported.
Under the Family First Act, jurisdictions can receive ongoing federal title IV-E reimbursement for up to 50% of their expenditures to provide kinship navigator programs that meet certain requirements. This federal support is available regardless of whether the children for whom the services are being accessed meet income eligibility requirements for Title IV-E or are candidates for foster care.
In November 2018, HHS released information about the requirements for ongoing federal reimbursement of kinship navigator programs, which is still applicable as of 2025: Administration for Children and Families, Program Instruction ACYF-CB-PI-18-11 - Requirements for Participating in the Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Program.
To receive ongoing title IV-E federal reimbursement, kinship navigator programs:
MUST:
- Coordinate with other state or local agencies that promote service coordination or provide information and referral, such as 2-1-1 and 3-1-1
- Plan and operate with kinship caregivers, youth raised by kinship caregivers, government agencies, and community and faith-based organizations
- Establish information and referral systems that link kinship caregivers, support group facilitators and providers to each other, public benefits, training and legal assistance
- Provide outreach to kinship care families, including through a website
- Promote partnerships between public and private agencies
- Meet evidence-based requirements as determined by a Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse
MAY:
- Establish and support a kinship care ombudsman
- Support any other activities designed to assist kinship caregivers obtain benefits and services
- Provide concrete goods
Generations United has published a tip sheet of elements to include in a successful kinship navigator program, which build on these federal requirements.
Title IV-Prevention Services Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse)
As of July 2025, the Clearinghouse includes six kinship navigator programs, which it has determined meet its evidence-based standards: Arizona Kinship Support Services, Colorado Kinnected Kinship Navigator Program, Kinship Interdisciplinary Navigation Technologically-Advanced Model (KIN-TECH™) – Florida, Nevada's Foster Kinship, and Ohio's Kinship Supports Intervention/ProtectOhio, and Washington State Kinship Navigator Program.
Title IV-E child welfare agencies that want to follow one of these models with fidelity rather than evaluate their own program can follow the guidance in ACYF-CB-PI-18-11 to submit a Title IV-E Plan Pre-Print Attachment XII and revise their cost allocation plan. Once the attachment has been approved by the Children’s Bureau at the US Administration for Children, Youth and Families and the jurisdiction’s cost allocation plan has been modified and approved, 50% of all allowable program, administrative, and training expenditures for the title IV-E kinship navigator program are federally reimbursable.
Title IV-B Federal Funding Opportunities for Kinship Navigator Programs
To help jurisdictions develop, enhance, or evaluate kinship navigator programs for inclusion in the Clearinghouse, title IV-B funds have been made available to help states, territories and tribes acces ongoing Title IV-E child welfare funding for these important programs. Each year from 2018 through 2023, Congress appropriated $20 million in Title IV-B child welfare funds for kinship navigator programs.The Children's Bureau at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued program guidance for this title IV-B opportunity each year, and Title IV-E child welfare agencies were required to apply annually, but it is was not a competitive process. For the years 2024 and 2025, Congress reduced the appropriation to $10 million, and the grants remained non-competitive. Virtually all eligible jurisdictions applied for and received this funding, which has not required a match.
Due to this multi-year funding opportunity, more kinship navigator programs exist in 2025 than ever before. For a list of existing programs, see this resource.
Starting in 2026, $10 million per year for five years of title IV-B funding will be available to kinship navigator programs through a competitive grant program; this opportunity will be open to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education, in addition to state, local, and tribal child welfare agencies. As soon as the application is posted, we will share it on grandfamilies.org.
History of Kinship Navigator Programs
Kinship navigator programs started twenty five years ago as state and county initiatives. These programs assist kinship caregivers in navigating the many systems that impact them, including child welfare, aging, education, housing and health care. Washington State, New Jersey, and Ohio all had robust statewide kinship navigator programs, and several other states and communities also had programs.
Based on the success of these early programs, advocates sought to obtain support at the national level to expand kinship navigator programs into more areas. These advocacy efforts resulted in the authorization of Family Connection Grants through the passage of the Fostering Connections. There were two rounds of grants under this successful program, in 2009 and 2012.
According to the evaluation of the 2009 grantees (the evaluation of the 2012 grantees was not finalized), positive outcomes for those receiving kinship navigator services included:
- Safety: Relative caregivers receiving navigator services achieved identified safety goals for their families.
- Permanency: Children in the care of relative caregivers receiving navigation services had higher rates of permanency through legal guardianship and reunification with parents.
- Well-being: results showed that kinship navigator programs were successful at ameliorating the needs of grandfamilies.
Many of these programs are continuing to thrive, including the kinship navigator program at the Children’s Home in Florida. The Florida program includes several unique features of the kinship navigator model: one-e-application (online service portal site to apply for eligible benefits and services and administered in the home of a relative with a laptop computer), peer-to-peer support (hiring grandparents and other relatives who have lived the caregiving experience and can mentor and coach kinship caregivers), and an interdisciplinary team (a cadre of interdisciplinary professionals who unite to help kinship caregivers problem-solve complex issues).
This navigator program utilizes an array of standardized assessments to address family needs, stress, developmental needs, health and well-being incorporating a wraparound model and family driven approach that partners with key community partners to support and strengthen kin care arrangements. To learn more please visit www.childrenshomenetwork.org.
The five-year evaluation of Florida’s 2012 kinship navigator grant showed compelling results for its nearly 3,000 participants:
- Low rates of re-entry: 99 percent of participants' children did not enter the child welfare system at the 12 month follow-up, showing placement stability and child safety.
- Cost-Savings: Cost of the program is less than half the costs associated with adjudicating a child dependent. Non-relative foster care is 6 times and residential group care is more than 21 times as expensive as the navigator program.
If you have any comments concerning this summary, please contact its author: Ana Beltran, Generations United, at abeltran@gu.org.