How to Apply for a Child-Only Grant in NY — Step by Step

Before You Go to the Office

Gather these documents first. Missing paperwork is the most common reason applications stall:

• Child's birth certificate — hospital records or baptismal certificates work as secondary evidence if the original is pending
• Child's Social Security card or an SSA-5028 receipt showing you've applied for one
• Your photo ID — driver's license, state non-driver ID, or passport
• Proof of address — lease, utility bill, mortgage statement, or a landlord's written statement
• Proof of relationship, if applicable — birth certificates that link you to the child through generations, a marriage certificate, or a sworn affidavit of consanguinity
• Child's income documentation — Social Security award letters, child support orders, or bank statements showing deposits in the child's name. If the child has no income, that simplifies things: the grant pays the full statutory amount.

You do not need a court order, legal custody papers, or a foster care certification. New York explicitly allows informal kinship caregivers to apply.

File Form LDSS-2921

The LDSS-2921 is New York's combined application for cash assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, and childcare subsidies. Filing it opens eligibility screening for multiple programs at once.

NYC residents: File online through ACCESS HRA at nyc.gov/accesshra, by mail, or in person at an HRA Benefits Access Center.

Everyone else: File online at myBenefits.ny.gov or in person at your county Department of Social Services.

When you submit, state clearly — on the form and verbally at intake — that you are a non-parent caregiver applying for assistance for the child. OTDA recommends identifying the application as a non-parent caregiver case; the grant is commonly called a child-only grant. Your income is not counted for the child's Temporary Assistance eligibility.

At the Interview

The county must schedule an eligibility interview. Here is what to expect and what to watch for:

Your income is not counted for the child's child-only Temporary Assistance eligibility. New York requires non-parent caregivers to provide their income and resource information on the LDSS-2921, but it cannot be counted in that eligibility decision. If you are also applying for SNAP or CCAP, caregiver income may be used to determine eligibility for those programs.

They will verify the child's deprivation. The child must be deprived of parental support — meaning a parent is absent, deceased, incapacitated, or unemployed. Bring any documentation you have about the parent's situation, though the district can also verify through its own records.

They will discuss child support cooperation. Applying for cash assistance triggers an automatic assignment of the child's support rights. You must cooperate with the district's child support enforcement unless you qualify for a Good Cause exception (Form LDSS-2726) — for example, if contact with the parent would endanger you or the child.

Processing Timeline

New York must process your application within 30 days of receipt. For SNAP specifically, if you qualify for expedited processing — liquid resources under $100 and gross monthly income under $150, or combined shelter and utility costs exceeding gross income plus liquid resources — the district must issue SNAP benefits within 7 calendar days.

If 30 days pass without a decision, call the office and document the date and the name of the person you spoke with. You have the right to request a Fair Hearing for delayed processing.

After Approval

Once approved, benefits are issued monthly. In NYC, cash goes onto an EBT card. Upstate counties use direct deposit or EBT depending on local systems. Track your case through ACCESS HRA (NYC) or myBenefits (upstate).

You will need to recertify periodically — typically every 6 or 12 months. For SNAP households subject to Change Reporting, report a change in gross monthly income over $125 within 10 days after the month in which the change occurred. Report moves, changes in household composition, and a child returning to a biological parent immediately. Failing to report can create overpayment demands.

The child-only grant is the foundation. SNAP, Medicaid, Child Health Plus, CCAP childcare subsidies, HEAP heating assistance, and the Empire State Child Credit may also apply — and each program has different income rules. The complete New York kinship benefits toolkit walks through every program, form, and deadline.

See more New York guides →