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January 2002Vol. 3, No. 1Generations United Announces 10 KinNET Grants for 2002-2003

Last year the Children's Bureau awarded a cooperative agreement to Generations United to establish KinNET, a national network of support groups for relatives caring for kin in foster care. KinNET focuses on the unique needs of kinship caregivers, including the legal, psychological, and socioeconomic issues involved in becoming a guardian or adoptive parent. Joining Generations United to broaden its resources and services is the Brookdale Foundation Group, an organization that funds support groups for relatives raising children outside the foster care system.

Together they will select programs for initial funding in 2002-2003. Details of the awards to the selected organizations include:

  • Creation of one or more support groups for relatives caring for kin in foster care over a 2-year period ($6,000 the first year and $4,000 the second)
  • Contingent funding for the second year based on the first year's progress
  • Grantee organizations matching at least 10 percent of the grant.

Proposals must be submitted by February 15, 2002, and funding applicants must be local agencies with a 501(c) 3 or equivalent tax-exempt status. Guidelines and the application form are available at the Generations United website (http://www.gu.org). Click on "KinNET" and then "General Public."

KinNET also will pursue its overall goal of creating a national network by:

  • Inviting support groups, including those in the existing Brookdale Relatives as Parents Program, to participate in the network
  • Providing assistance such as training and technical assistance, Internet-based bulletin boards and chats with experts to the support groups
  • Evaluating national support groups to identify exemplary practices that can be replicated. Evaluation teams from Syracuse University will use permanency, safety, and child and family well-being outcome measures from the Adoption and Safe Families Act.

Related Items

See the following related articles in past issues of the Children's Bureau Express:

  • "New Findings on the Status of Children Cared For by Relatives" (July/August 2001)
  • "Online Support for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren" (November/December 2001)