Financial Help for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in California

The Programs Available to You

California offers financial and service support programs for grandparents and other relatives raising a child. Which ones apply depends on your care arrangement — whether you have informal custody, legal guardianship, or a child welfare placement.

Key options include:

CalWORKs Child-Only Grant — Monthly cash aid for the child. Available to any relative within the fifth degree of kinship (grandparents, aunts, uncles, great-grandparents, cousins). No court order needed. Your personal income, pension, and savings are not counted. Under ACL 26-66, the 2026 rate for one child is $914/month in Region 1 or $784/month in Region 2.

Kin-GAP (Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment) — Monthly payments at the foster care rate for relatives who become legal guardians through the juvenile dependency system. Requires six months of approved placement, Resource Family Approval, and a signed agreement before the guardianship order for federal Title IV-E cases or before the first payment for State Kin-GAP. Pays significantly more than CalWORKs.

Approved Relative Caregiver (ARC) Funding — Raises payments from CalWORKs level to the foster care rate for relatives caring for court-dependent children who are not federally eligible for Title IV-E foster care. Requires RFA approval or a child-specific criminal exemption under SB 354 and an active child welfare placement.

CalFresh — Monthly food benefits on an EBT card. Non-parent relatives can sometimes establish separate household status for the grandchild, which means only the child's income is counted. Maximum monthly benefit for one person in 2027: $306.

Medi-Cal — Full health coverage for the child. If you do not claim the grandchild as a tax dependent, the child is evaluated as a non-filer based on their own income alone. Children under 19 can qualify for full-scope coverage regardless of immigration status if California residency criteria are met. Coverage includes medical, dental, mental health, and vision.

KSSP (Kinship Support Services Program) — County-funded community programs can offer flexible cash grants, respite care, peer support groups, and emergency help with clothing and utilities. Services vary by county. Informal caregivers and probate guardians may qualify without court or child welfare involvement.

Which Programs You Can Stack

A child cannot receive duplicate cash aid. CalWORKs child-only, Kin-GAP, ARC, and SSI are mutually exclusive for the same child.

But you can combine programs across categories:

• CalWORKs child-only + CalFresh + Medi-Cal + WIC (if child is under 5)
• Kin-GAP + CalFresh + Medi-Cal
• ARC + CalFresh + Medi-Cal
• Any cash program + KSSP services

The most common combination for informal kinship caregivers is CalWORKs child-only + CalFresh + Medi-Cal, applied for simultaneously through BenefitsCal.com.

The Income Protection Rule

The single most important fact for grandparents on fixed incomes: when you apply for CalWORKs as a non-needy caretaker relative, your personal finances are completely excluded from the eligibility calculation. Your pension, Social Security, rental income, savings — none of it counts. Only the child's own income is evaluated.

This is not a workaround. It is the intended structure of the program under CDSS Manual of Policies and Procedures (MPP 44-209). The state wants children placed with capable family members, and the non-needy caretaker designation removes the financial barrier.

The same principle applies to Medi-Cal if you do not claim the child as a tax dependent. The child is evaluated as a non-filer, and your income stays out of the picture.

How to Start

If you have taken in a grandchild and need financial help, file for CalWORKs, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal simultaneously. You can do this online at BenefitsCal.com or in person at your county welfare office.

For CalWORKs, use the simplified Form CW 2219 (for non-needy caretaker relatives). This is a three-page form, much shorter than the standard application. Bring the child's birth certificate and Social Security number, proof the child lives with you, and documentation of any income the child receives.

If you need food assistance urgently, mention expedited CalFresh processing when you apply. If gross monthly income is under $150 and liquid resources are $100 or less, or combined shelter and utility costs exceed gross income and liquid resources, the county must provide CalFresh benefits within three calendar days.

What If You Are Not the Grandparent

California's non-needy caretaker relative designation extends to relatives within the fifth degree of kinship. That includes:

• Grandparents and great-grandparents
• Aunts, uncles, great-aunts, great-uncles
• Siblings (adult brothers and sisters)
• First cousins and first cousins once removed

If you fall within one of these categories, you qualify for the same programs on the same terms. The process is identical.

The California Kinship Financial Help Guide walks through every program, every form, and every document you need — organized by your specific care arrangement so you can see exactly what applies to your situation.

See more California guides →