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Mission

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35).
Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause. (Isaiah 1:17).

The Adoption Assistance Fund’s purpose is to provide a means for PBC to live out God’s mandate to love and pursue justice for vulnerable children worldwide. Part of PBC’s mission is to glorify God by encouraging and helping PBC member couples to care for orphans through adoption. The Adoption Fund exists to provide financial support to adoptive families for whom costs might otherwise be prohibitive.

Eligibility

Who may apply? Married PBC members seeking to adopt may apply once per adoption.
Application

Process

Those couples who have submitted an application to adopt with a licensed agency may apply for assistance from the PBC Adoption Fund. Couples shall submit copies of the following:

1. A Copy of the application with a licensed adoption agency

2. Most recent federal income tax return

3. A signed statement from the adoption agency which details the projected cost of the adoption

4. Information about employer adoption benefits if any

5. Proof of a successful completed homestudy

6. A signed statement that the applicants have read and understood this policy

Solicitation For Donations
Applicants may solicit donations from PBC non-members that can be processed through the church as a charitable donation. It is the applicant’s responsibility to supply the donor agreement to every PBC non-member they are asking support from and ensure the donor agreement is included with the donor’s first donation.

Fund Administration
The elders will administer the PBC Adoption Fund. The applications are confidential and shall be kept in a secured location in the PBC office. After reviewing the application, the elders will arrange for a meeting. The purpose of the meeting will be to get to know the couple, to arrange for them to engage with other adoptive families at PBC for support and to pray for the couple and the adoption.

The deadline for applying is Sept 1. This will allow the elders enough time to shepherd the applicants through the process. Applications received after Sept 1 will be considered for the following calendar year.
At the end of the calendar year, the elders will gather all the applications and compute the gift amounts based on this policy.

The funds will be disbursed on behalf of the applicants as soon as possible in the following calendar year provided a successful homestudy has been completed (official approval for adoption to move forward). Ordinarily, funds will be paid directly for specific expenses (for example to the adoption agency) rather than paid to the applicants (exceptions by elders’ unanimous agreement). In the event a planned adoption is cancelled, any unspent funds will be returned to the designated fund by the recipient.

Funds donated to the PBC Adoption Fund may not be earmarked to any particular family except a pass through gift (Per the Donor Agreement). Donor suggestions will be considered by the elders in distribution of funds however PBC is autonomous in distribution decisions.

Fund Disbursement
We attempt to disburse the fund to each family according to their need. The following factors are considered when computing the amount of the funds distributed.
1. Adjusted gross income
2. Projected adoption cost (including travel expenses if applicable)
3. Employer benefits, if any.
4. Amount of the current federal adoption tax credit.

The net cost of the adoption is the projected cost minus the employer benefit (if any) minus the current federal adoption tax credit. The gift shall not exceed the net cost of the adoption nor shall it exceed $5000 unless the elders unanimously decide circumstances warrant a larger distribution.

The cost to income ratio is the net cost of the adoption divided by adjusted gross income. The denominator is the sum of the cost to income ratios of all the families that apply by the deadline. The weighting factor is the cost to income ratio divided by the denominator. The amount of the gift is the weighting factor X the year-end balance of the adoption fund.

If the calculated amount of the gift is greater than $5000, the amount in excess of $5000 will be rolled over into the next year unless the cap is changed by the elders based on case circumstances, number of applicants, and donor fund balance.

These criteria for the disbursement of the adoption fund provide for an objective and consistent method of disbursement. However, unforeseen circumstances may lead the elders to the conviction that applicants should receive more or less than the formula indicates and on a different schedule. If this happens, the elders have the discretion to alter the policy for individual cases. A member of the elders will oversee and approve in writing the final disbursement calculations. In the event that an elder is applying for assistance from the PBC Adoption Fund, they may not participate in the review of applications or the disbursement calculations.

Example 1.
Couple #1: Net cost of adoption is $10,000. Gross income is $60,000
Cost to income ratio: $10,000 divided by $60,000 = 0.167
Couple #2: Net cost of adoption is $12,000. Gross income is $52,000
Cost to income ratio: $12,000 divided by $52,000 = 0.231
Couple #3: Net cost of adoption is $15,000. Gross income is $85,000
Cost to income ratio: $15,000 divided by $85,000 = 0.176
Sum of cost to income ratio of all couples applying (denominator): 0.574
Couple #1 weighting factor: 0.167 divided by 0.574 = 0.291
Couple #2 weighting factor: 0.231 divided by 0.574 = 0.402
Couple #3 weighting factor: 0.176 divided by 0.574 = 0.307
The balance in adoption fund is $12,000.
Couple #1: $12,000 x 0.291 = $3492
Couple #2: $12,000 x 0.402 = $4824
Couple #3: $12,000 x 0.307 = $3684

Example 2
Couple #1: Net cost of adoption is $30,000. Gross income is $60,000
Cost to income ratio: $30,000 divided by $60,000 = 0.5
Couple #2: Net cost of adoption is $12,000. Gross income is $52,000
Cost to income ratio: $12,000 divided by $52,000 = 0.231
Couple #3: Net cost of adoption is $15,000. Gross income is $85,000
Cost to income ratio: $15,000 divided by $85,000 = 0.176

Sum of cost to income ratio of all couples applying (denominator): 0.907
Couple #1 weighting factor: 0.5 divided by 0.907 = 0.551
Couple #2 weighting factor: 0.231 divided by 0.907 = 0.255
Couple #3 weighting factor: 0.176 divided by 0.907 = 0.194
The balance in adoption fund is $14,000.
Couple #1: $14,000 x 0.551 = $7714 but this is capped to $5,000
Couple #2: $14,000 x 0.255 = $3570
Couple #3: $14,000 x 0.194 = $2716
Since the first gift is capped at $5,000, the remaining funds ($2714) will be rolled over to the next calendar year.
Policy Revisions
This policy may be changed upon a majority vote by the elders.

Questions & Answers

Here are some answers to common questions.

As interest in adoption has increased among PBC members, so have questions about adoption costs, which sometimes seem prohibitive to couples who would otherwise consider this way of adding children to their families. (See costs of adoption) Additionally, some PBC members and family and friends of members adopting have asked about the possibility of creating a fund to offset the costs of adoption. Others have asked about the possibility of contributing to such a fund. We desire that couples called to adopt children would not turn aside because of a substantial short term financial burden. We also desire that couples who are not called to adopt have multiple ways within the life of the church, including financial giving, to participate in the blessing that comes through caring for vulnerable children.

The adoption of children often includes significant strain and stress. An adoption fund brings increased opportunity for conversation between PBC elders, PBC members, and potential adoptive families. Those who are considering adoption will find themselves supported by the congregation in ways that will help them step out boldly in faith for the sake of orphans and the church will share in the blessing of seeing orphans brought into safe, loving, godly families in the name of our Lord. Thus an adoption fund can help strengthen PBC both in inward community and outward mission.

Historically, family size has not been a factor when determining the compensation for PBC staff. The PBC Adoption Fund has followed this precedent. Each family decides upon a target family size in light of their sense of God's call on their lives. The purpose of the PBC Adoption Fund is to defray the costs of adoption, but the fund is not intended to help families have more children than they otherwise would consider having.

The PBC church family is committed to nurturing and supporting unmarried PBC members in as many ways as possible. While we do not think it is generally wise to encourage unmarried members to make a commitment to single parenting, a single member of PBC who feels strongly called to adopt a child is encouraged to talk to elders for prayer and help with discernment..

Although there are many worthy couples outside the PBC family that could potentially benefit from the PBC Adoption Fund, we seek primarily to help those who seek to adopt within the context of our covenant community. Membership vows are important to establishing a Christian community where commitment to the fellowship of believers in Christ is taken seriously. We encourage non-members to first discern whether they can commit themselves to PBC by becoming members before asking PBC for a financial commitment to their adoption process.