DC Grandparent and Close Relative Caregivers Program: Eligibility and How to Apply

Two Programs, Two Definitions of "Relative"

The District runs two monthly subsidy programs through the Child and Family Services Agency for informal kinship caregivers who are raising children outside the foster care system.

The Grandparent Caregivers Program (GCP), established under D.C. Code § 4-251.01, is for grandparents, great-grandparents, great-aunts, and great-uncles. The Close Relative Caregivers Program (CRCP), under D.C. Code § 4-251.21, extends the same benefit to adult aunts, uncles, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, and godparents.

Both programs pay a monthly subsidy directly to the caregiver. The payment helps cover food, clothing, housing costs, and other daily expenses of raising a child who isn't yours.

Eligibility Requirements

The eligibility rules are the same across both programs, with the only difference being which family relationships qualify.

Income ceiling: Household income must be below 300% of the federal poverty level. Social Security Supplemental Income (SSI) is excluded from the income calculation.

Parent absence: The child's parent generally must not have lived in the caregiver's home for the previous six months. The statute allows exceptions to this residency separation requirement under specified circumstances.

Residency and caregiver status: You must meet one of the statute's residency conditions and demonstrate that you are the child's primary caregiver.

TANF application: You must apply for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families on behalf of the child. This is a procedural step — the child-only TANF application is part of the GCP/CRCP process, not a separate benefit you need to qualify for first.

No court order required: Neither program requires a formal custody or guardianship order. These are designed for informal kinship arrangements.

How to Apply

Applications go through CFSA's Kinship Navigator Portal at kinshipdc.org. You can also call the Kinship Navigator line at 1-866-326-5461.

The portal walks you through the documentation. You'll need proof of your identity, proof of your District residency, proof of the child living with you, and documentation of the parent's absence from the household. Income verification documents (pay stubs, tax returns, benefit letters) establish that you're under the 300% FPL threshold.

CFSA's annual status reports to the D.C. Council track program enrollment, subsidy amounts, and waitlist status. D.C. Code § 4-251.04 directs the Mayor to set the subsidy by rule at 66% to 105% of the regular daily rate for a long-term permanent Level 1 guardianship subsidy. The subsidy is offset by TANF received for the child and is subject to available appropriations. Check the current rate and waitlist status with CFSA when you apply.

GCP/CRCP vs. Child-Only TANF

These programs overlap but aren't interchangeable. Child-only TANF through the Department of Human Services is a separate benefit that any caregiver (including non-relatives) can apply for through the District Direct portal at districtdirect.dc.gov. The caregiver's income generally isn't counted for child-only TANF, and there are no work requirements imposed on the relative caregiver.

You can receive TANF for the child alongside GCP or CRCP, but the subsidy amount is offset by TANF received for the child. Applying for TANF on the child's behalf is part of the GCP/CRCP eligibility process; you do not have to qualify for TANF first. For OPC status, the 2026-27 OSSE form accepts an unexpired federal or DC government document issued within the prior 12 months that shows the caregiver receives public or medical benefits on the child's behalf; examples include an SSI annual benefits notice or a TANF verification or recertification letter.

What These Subsidies Don't Cover

GCP and CRCP provide financial support, but they don't grant you legal authority over the child. You still need the right paperwork for school enrollment (OSSE's OPC form or a Custodial Power of Attorney) and medical consent (a D.C. Code § 16-4901 authorization or CPOA). Our DC School and Medical Consent Guide walks through every form and when to use each one.

The subsidy also doesn't substitute for health coverage. If the child needs insurance, apply separately through DC Medicaid or the DC Health Care Alliance via District Direct.

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