Written & Reviewed by
Last updated: 26 September 2026
Grandparents raising grandchildren in North Dakota may be able to get financial help and benefits for the child, including cash assistance, kinship or foster-care payments, guardianship subsidies, food benefits, health coverage, child-care help, and energy assistance. The best route depends on the child’s legal placement and on whether a child welfare agency is involved.
Bottom Line
Start with the child’s case type. If the child simply lives with you, ask about child-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), SNAP, Medicaid or CHIP, and other household benefits. If a Human Service Zone, tribal agency, or the Division of Juvenile Services has court-ordered custody, ask the case manager about TANF Kinship Care, foster-care licensing and payments, and later guardianship assistance. North Dakota’s Kinship-ND program can also screen kinship caregivers for navigation and limited financial assistance.
Start Here: 3 Financial-Benefit Actions
- Call 1-866-614-6005. Ask the North Dakota Customer Support Center to screen the child for child-only TANF, SNAP, Medicaid or CHIP, and LIHEAP. Say that you are a grandparent or relative caregiver.
- If child welfare is involved, call the case manager. Ask which payment path applies: TANF Kinship Care, licensed foster care, or a guardianship/adoption subsidy. These are different programs with different payment rules.
- Contact Kinship-ND. Ask about kinship navigation, reimbursement-based help, legal-fee help for guardianship, and what legal paperwork will unlock the benefits you need. For a national overview of the same money-and-benefits journey, use our grandfamily financial help guide.
| Benefit or help | What it can pay for | Key eligibility issue | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child-only TANF | Cash for the child’s basic needs | Child TANF rules; caretaker may be excluded from the eligible unit | North Dakota TANF |
| TANF Kinship Care | TANF plus $300 monthly maintenance and approved supportive costs | Court-ordered agency custody and qualifying relative placement | Child’s case manager |
| Foster care maintenance | Child’s room, board, clothing and incidentals | Eligible foster placement and provider licensing/approval | Foster care case manager |
| Guardianship assistance | Ongoing subsidy after qualifying foster-care guardianship | Must fit state or Title IV-E guardianship program before finalization | Custodial case manager |
| SNAP | Groceries | Food household, income and SNAP rules | North Dakota SNAP |
| Medicaid / CHIP | Medical, dental and other covered care | Child coverage group and income rules | Medicaid eligibility |
| Child Care Assistance | Part of approved child-care cost | Work/training rules; many new applicants face a waitlist | Child Care Assistance |
| LIHEAP | Part of heating, weatherization and some energy emergencies | Household income and energy-cost rules | North Dakota LIHEAP |
What Has Changed
- Child care: North Dakota still lists a Child Care Assistance Program waitlist for many new applicants. TANF households and Crossroads participants are not subject to that waitlist.
- Guardianship payments: the current child-welfare payment sheet lists the Title IV-E guardianship subsidy at $28 per day, while an older policy page still shows $27. This guide uses the newer state payment sheet.
- Energy help: LIHEAP now accepts applications year-round and uses annual reviews instead of requiring a new application every heating season.
Cash Assistance: Child-Only TANF
Child-only TANF is monthly cash assistance for an eligible child when the relative caregiver is not included in the TANF payment unit.
In a child-only case with a non-legally responsible relative caregiver, the grandparent’s own needs are not included in the TANF payment unit. North Dakota’s current TANF standard uses the zero-caretaker row. As of the October 1, 2025 standard, one eligible child has a basic standard of need of $366 per month; two children are $536; three are $697. These are benefit-calculation standards, not guaranteed checks. Countable income, start dates and other rules can change the final amount.
Use the state’s current TANF manual if you need the detailed rule. When applying, say: “I am a grandparent caring for a relative child. Please screen this as a child-only TANF case and tell me whose income and assets count.”
For help moving through North Dakota’s online and phone application routes, our North Dakota benefits portals guide explains the main entry points.
Kinship Care and Foster-Care Payments
TANF Kinship Care
TANF Kinship Care is not the same as ordinary child-only TANF. The child must be under court-ordered care, custody and control of a North Dakota Human Service Zone, the Division of Juvenile Services, or a North Dakota tribal agency, and must be placed with a qualifying relative. Background checks and a kinship placement process also apply.
The April 2026 TANF manual says TANF Kinship Care includes the TANF benefit, a maintenance payment and supportive services. The maintenance payment is $300 per month for each TANF Kinship Care household, regardless of household size. It is prorated from the application or eligibility date. The caregiver cannot receive TANF Kinship Care and foster-care payments for the same child for the same month.
The state’s TANF Kinship Care information also lists approved help that may include child care, clothing, school and activity costs, transportation, emergency needs and some guardianship legal fees. Reimbursement-based items generally need approval before purchase, so ask before spending your own money.
Licensed family foster care
A relative caregiver may choose or be asked to become a licensed foster provider. The current child-welfare payment rates list family foster-care maintenance at $900 per month for ages 0–4, $1,020 for ages 5–12, and $1,110 for ages 13 and older. HHS pays the provider under the foster-care arrangement.
Guardianship and Adoption Subsidies
The current state payment sheet lists $19 per day for state guardianship and $28 per day for Title IV-E guardianship. The state’s guardianship assistance guide explains that reunification and adoption must be ruled out and that the program is tied to a child’s foster-care history and case plan. For federal Title IV-E guardianship, the prospective guardian must have been a licensed relative foster parent and other federal rules apply.
Adoption assistance can also be available for some children adopted from foster care. North Dakota says eligibility is based on the child’s needs, and a relative adoption can qualify without a required unsuccessful search for another family. The adoption assistance rules should be discussed with the case manager before an adoption is finalized.
Do not finalize first and ask later. If the child is in foster care, ask the custodial case manager about guardianship or adoption assistance before the court order becomes final. Subsidy eligibility is tied to the child’s case history and required agreements.
Food Benefits: SNAP
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can lower the household grocery bill. North Dakota generally groups people who live together and buy and prepare food together as one SNAP household, with special rules for spouses and younger children. The amount depends on household size, income and deductions.
For October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, the official SNAP page lists maximum monthly SNAP allotments of $298 for one person, $546 for two, $785 for three and $994 for four. A household with income usually receives less than the maximum. Apply through the same state benefits system used for TANF, or use our North Dakota SNAP guide for older-adult application tips.
Health Coverage: Medicaid and CHIP
North Dakota CHIP covers qualifying uninsured children through the month they turn 19. The state says CHIP income must be above the Medicaid level but not over 205% of the federal poverty level. The April 1, 2026 chart lists a monthly income limit of $3,697 for a family of two, $4,668 for three and $5,638 for four. See the official CHIP income chart.
Children in foster care, children receiving adoption subsidies, and some children in guardianship assistance can have different Medicaid routes. If you are applying only for the child, ask the eligibility worker how the child’s case should be set up. The grandparent’s own age, disability or Medicare status does not automatically decide the child’s coverage.
Child-Care Help and the Current Waitlist
The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) helps eligible working families and people in approved education or training pay part of child-care costs. Payments go to the provider, and most families may have a copayment or a remaining balance if the provider charges more than the state maximum.
Current limit: North Dakota’s CCAP waitlist rules say new applicants may be placed on a waitlist. Families receiving TANF and families in the Crossroads program are not subject to the waitlist. Households experiencing homelessness and families at or below 30% of state median income receive priority. Payments are not backdated for time spent on the waitlist.
Tax Help and Other Child Benefits
The IRS specifically includes grandchildren in the qualifying-child rules for the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit. Use the IRS EITC guidance and, if you want hands-on help, find free VITA/TCE tax help. Do not assume that legal guardianship by itself decides who gets a tax credit.
Also ask whether the child has benefits in their own right. Social Security says some children can receive family or survivor benefits on a parent’s record, and in narrower circumstances a dependent grandchild can qualify on a grandparent’s record. Review Social Security child benefits if a parent has died, receives Social Security retirement or disability, or if the family situation fits the dependent-grandchild rules.
Housing, Utility and Emergency Cost Help
North Dakota’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps eligible households with part of heating costs, weatherization, furnace work and some energy emergencies. Applications are accepted year-round. Income and household rules change by program year, so confirm the current limits when you apply.
If housing itself is unstable, use our North Dakota housing help guide. If the problem is immediate—no food, a shutoff, eviction risk or another crisis—our North Dakota emergency help guide can help you build a backup plan. Community programs can fill gaps, but they are not substitutes for TANF, SNAP or Medicaid when the household is eligible.
Legal Help That Can Unlock Benefits
Legal custody is not required for every benefit, but legal authority can affect school enrollment, medical consent and some payments. Guardianship gives a caregiver legal authority to make decisions for a child without itself terminating parental rights.
The minor guardianship center has the current court paths and forms. A parent may instead give a caregiver a Power of Attorney for a minor child, but the court warns that it is not a court order, can last no more than six months, and may not be accepted by a school, medical provider, insurer or government agency. See the minor-child POA rules.
Kinship-ND says legal status is not required to use its navigation program. It can serve private family placements and child-welfare placements, and it may offer reimbursement-based help and assistance with attorney costs for guardianship. This makes Kinship-ND a useful first call when legal paperwork is blocking benefits.
If you need legal advice, Legal Services help may be available based on the case and eligibility. Caregivers age 60 or older can call 1-866-621-9886; callers under 60 can use 1-800-634-5263.
Cost-Saving Support for Older Kinship Caregivers
If you are 55 or older and caring for a relative child age 18 or younger, North Dakota’s Family Caregiver Support Program can provide navigation, counseling, training, respite and some supplemental services. It is not a monthly cash benefit.
Use the official caregiver support program or call Aging & Disability Resource-LINK at 1-855-462-5465. Our North Dakota aging agencies guide can help locate nearby aging-network support.
| Child’s situation | Money route to ask about | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Private family arrangement; no child-welfare custody | Child-only TANF, SNAP, Medicaid/CHIP, CCAP, LIHEAP | No automatic foster-care or guardianship subsidy |
| Court-ordered custody with zone, DJS or tribe; relative placement | TANF Kinship Care or licensed foster care | Case manager and background/licensing rules matter |
| Licensed relative foster home | Family foster-care maintenance | Cannot also receive TANF Kinship Care for same child/month |
| Foster child moving to approved guardianship | State or Title IV-E guardianship subsidy | Arrange eligibility before guardianship finalization |
| Foster child moving to adoption | Adoption assistance if eligible | Child-specific eligibility; private adoptions are limited |
The same child should not be assumed eligible for every route at once. Ask the responsible worker which program fits the current legal placement.
Where to Apply Without Wasting Time
- Apply for core benefits. Use North Dakota’s Apply for Help portal for TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP and family benefits. The Customer Support Center is 1-866-614-6005 or 701-328-1000; 711 (TTY).
- Name the case type. Say whether the child arrived through a private family arrangement, court order, Human Service Zone, tribal child welfare, or Division of Juvenile Services placement.
- Ask for separate screenings. A denial for one program does not mean the child fails every program. Ask separately about child-only TANF, SNAP, health coverage and child care.
- If foster care is involved, do not rely only on the benefits office. The child’s case manager controls key placement, licensing and permanency steps that affect kinship, foster, guardianship and adoption payments.
Documents to gather
- Child’s birth certificate and Social Security number if available.
- Proof the child lives with you, such as school or medical records.
- Any court order, custody order, placement agreement, guardianship order or Power of Attorney.
- Income records for the people the program tells you to include.
- Child support, Social Security, survivor, disability or veterans benefit records for the child.
- Child-care bills, rent or mortgage information, utility bills and heating costs when applying for those programs.
Reality Checks
- “Kinship care” does not guarantee foster payments. Private kinship, TANF Kinship Care and licensed foster care are different payment systems.
- Guardianship can change the payment route. TANF Kinship Care ends when agency custody ends. A qualifying child may instead move to a guardianship subsidy, but only if the case fits the program.
- Child care is not immediate for everyone. Many new CCAP applicants face a waitlist, and the state does not backdate payments for the waitlist period.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying for “family TANF” without explaining that you want the child screened for child-only TANF.
- Finalizing guardianship or adoption before asking the child-welfare team about subsidy eligibility.
- Calling every payment a grant. TANF is cash assistance; SNAP is a food benefit; foster and guardianship support are maintenance payments or subsidies.
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed
Ask for the reason in writing and identify the exact program that was denied. Then ask whether the problem is missing proof, household composition, income, custody, relationship, background checks, licensing or the wrong case type.
A TANF Kinship Care denial does not automatically rule out regular child-only TANF. A CCAP waitlist does not rule out TANF-related child-care support. A foster-care payment problem does not automatically rule out SNAP or Medicaid. Keep the routes separate.
If cash or benefits will not arrive soon enough, use our North Dakota community help guide for food, clothing and emergency gaps. For broader state help that may apply to the grandparent’s own income, housing or healthcare, see our North Dakota senior benefits guide.
Phone Scripts
Child-only TANF
“I am a grandparent raising a grandchild who lives in my home. I want the child screened for child-only TANF. Please tell me whose income and assets count, what the estimated benefit is, and which documents you need.”
Kinship or foster payment
“Is this child in a TANF Kinship Care placement or a foster-care placement? What payment applies now, what licensing or background checks are still needed, and what costs can be reimbursed?”
Guardianship subsidy
“Before guardianship is finalized, please tell me whether the child qualifies for state or Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance, what the current payment rate is, what agreement must be signed, and whether legal expenses can be covered.”
Benefits office
“Please screen our household for SNAP, Medicaid or CHIP, child-care help and LIHEAP. I am the grandparent caregiver. Tell me how the child should be listed in each program and what proof is still missing.”
Resumen en Español
Los abuelos que crían a sus nietos en Dakota del Norte pueden tener acceso a ayuda económica y beneficios. Las rutas principales incluyen TANF solo para el niño, TANF Kinship Care, pagos de foster care, subsidios de tutela para algunos niños, SNAP, Medicaid o CHIP, ayuda de cuidado infantil y LIHEAP.
Empiece llamando al Customer Support Center al 1-866-614-6005. Diga que es abuelo o abuela cuidadora y pida una evaluación por separado para cada beneficio. Si bienestar infantil tiene custodia del niño, consulte al trabajador del caso antes de finalizar una tutela o adopción.
CCAP mantiene una lista de espera para muchas solicitudes nuevas, pero los hogares que reciben TANF no están sujetos a esa lista. Si recibe una negativa, pida la razón por escrito.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get TANF for a grandchild in North Dakota?
Possibly. North Dakota allows child-only TANF cases when a non-legally responsible relative caregiver is not included as an eligible caretaker. The child must still meet TANF rules. Ask the Customer Support Center to screen the case as child-only TANF and explain whose income and assets count.
Is TANF Kinship Care the same as child-only TANF?
No. TANF Kinship Care is for certain children in court-ordered custody of a North Dakota Human Service Zone, the Division of Juvenile Services, or a tribal agency and placed with a qualifying relative. It can include TANF, a $300 monthly kinship maintenance payment, and approved supportive services.
Can a grandparent receive foster care payments?
Yes, in some eligible foster-care placements. North Dakota uses age-based family foster-care maintenance rates, but the relative home must meet the required licensing or approval rules. Ask the child’s case manager before assuming foster rates apply.
Does North Dakota pay guardians after foster care?
For some children. North Dakota has state and federal Title IV-E guardianship subsidies for qualifying children leaving foster care. The current payment sheet lists $19 per day for state guardianship and $28 per day for Title IV-E guardianship. Arrange eligibility before guardianship is finalized.
Can I get SNAP or Medicaid for a grandchild?
Possibly. SNAP uses food-household and income rules. Medicaid and CHIP use child coverage rules. Apply through North Dakota’s benefits system and ask how the child should be listed; the grandparent’s age or coverage does not automatically decide the child’s eligibility.
Is child care assistance available in North Dakota?
Yes, but many new Child Care Assistance Program applicants currently face a waitlist. Families receiving TANF and Crossroads participants are not subject to it. Apply so the state can determine eligibility and waitlist status.
Do I need legal custody to get benefits for my grandchild?
Not for every program. Child-only TANF, SNAP, health coverage, Kinship-ND, foster payments, and guardianship subsidies have different legal-status rules. Ask each program which custody or placement document it requires.
Can a grandparent claim tax credits for a grandchild?
Sometimes. A grandchild can be a qualifying child for federal tax credits when IRS relationship, residency, age, Social Security number, income, and other tests are met. Tie-breaker rules can apply if another person could claim the child. Use IRS guidance or free VITA/TCE help.
About This Guide
Sources
This guide uses official North Dakota Health and Human Services, North Dakota Court System, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, and other high-trust sources linked in the article.
Editorial note
This guide is produced under the GFS Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources. GFS is not affiliated with a government agency and is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Corrections
Despite careful verification, errors may occur. Readers may email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, funding, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the responsible official program before acting.
Last updated: 26 September 2026 · Next review: 26 January 2027
About the Authors