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Last updated: 23 September 2026
If you are a grandparent raising a grandchild in Virginia, financial help usually comes from several programs, not one special “grandparent grant.” The strongest routes can include cash assistance for the child, kinship or foster-care payments in qualifying cases, food benefits, no-cost child health coverage, child-care subsidies, child support, tax help, and housing or energy assistance.
This guide focuses on benefits, payments, subsidies, and cost-saving help. For the national picture, see our grandparent financial programs guide.
Bottom Line
Financial help can start before every legal issue is finished. Ask your local Department of Social Services (DSS) to screen the child for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and health coverage. If DSS helped place the child with you or helped keep the child out of foster care, also ask whether the Relative Maintenance Support Payment, kinship foster-care maintenance, or Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KinGAP) applies.
Child benefits can use different rules from your own senior benefits. Let each program make its own eligibility decision.
Start Here: 3 Financial-Benefit Actions
- Apply for cash, food, and health help. Use Virginia CommonHelp or call the Enterprise Call Center at 1-855-635-4370. Ask specifically for child-only or payee TANF, SNAP, and Medicaid/FAMIS screening.
- Ask what kind of kinship placement you have. If child welfare is involved, ask the worker to state in writing whether the child is in a Parental Child Safety Placement, foster care, a custody transfer, or another kinship arrangement. The placement type can change which payments are available.
- Call the kinship navigator. The Virginia Kinship Resource Guide lists a 24/7 support line at 1-888-593-1972 for benefit, legal, housing, and local referrals.
Quick Reference: Virginia Financial Help
| Help type | What it can pay for | Key eligibility issue | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child-only TANF | Basic monthly cash needs | Child and caretaker-relative rules; countable income | CommonHelp or local DSS |
| Relative Maintenance Support Payment | Extra monthly support in some foster-care-diversion cases | DSS Family Services must verify the qualifying kinship placement | Local DSS benefits and Family Services |
| Kinship foster-care maintenance | Food, clothing, shelter, supervision, school supplies, and other maintenance | Child must be in foster care and caregiver approved for the placement | Child welfare worker |
| KinGAP | Ongoing guardianship support after an eligible foster-care case | Must be arranged as part of the foster-care permanency process | Child welfare worker before custody transfer |
| SNAP | Groceries | Household and income rules | CommonHelp or local DSS |
| Medicaid/FAMIS | Medical, dental, behavioral health, prescriptions, vision, and more | Child income/household rules and other eligibility factors | Cover Virginia |
| Child Care Subsidy | Part of approved child-care costs paid to the provider | Caregiver activity, income, child age, and local availability | CommonHelp or local DSS |
What Has Changed
- Cover Virginia contact: the current children’s coverage page lists 1-855-242-8282, replacing the older number carried in this article.
- SUN Bucks: Virginia’s 2026 application period closed August 31. The state says applications received after that date are considered for the 2027 season.
- Foster-care payment figures: VDSS public materials now show different rate versions. This guide does not repeat a fixed base-rate chart. Ask the worker for the current written maintenance amount and any enhanced payment.
- Child care: Virginia continues to use local Child Care Subsidy waitlists when demand exceeds available slots.
Cash Assistance: Child-Only TANF
Virginia TANF provides monthly cash payments to qualifying families with children. The Virginia TANF program says an eligible child may live with a parent or a caretaker relative. For a grandparent who is caring for a child, ask the worker to screen the case as child-only or payee TANF when appropriate.
The amount depends on the assistance-unit size, locality group, and countable income. Virginia’s current public TANF payment manual lists a one-person standard of $262 in Group II and $366 in Group III. These are standards used in the payment calculation, not a promise that every child-only case receives that amount.
You can apply for TANF online, by phone, or through your local DSS. Do not delay the application only because custody paperwork is still pending. A worker may need proof that the child lives with you and may request information about the parents, income, child support, or other circumstances.
Reality check: “Child-only” does not mean that every fact about the grandparent is ignored. The agency still applies program rules to the assistance unit and caretaker situation. Ask what income is counted in your specific case instead of assuming your Social Security, pension, wages, or savings do or do not count.
Relative Maintenance Support Payment
Virginia also has a Relative Maintenance Support Payment for some children placed with relatives or fictive kin to prevent foster care. The TANF manual says DSS Family Services must verify the qualifying placement. For eligible TANF kinship cases, the payment can include the TANF standard plus $200 per eligible child. Virginia also describes an opt-out route in some verified cases that pays $200 per eligible child without the regular TANF payment.
This payment is not automatic just because a grandchild moved into your home. Ask the Family Services worker whether the Relative Maintenance Verification Form was completed and ask the Benefits worker whether current funding and eligibility rules allow the payment.
Kinship Care, Foster-Care, and Guardianship Payments
Virginia uses several different kinship arrangements. The current Foster Virginia kinship page lists Parental Child Safety Placement, custody transfer, kinship resource parent placement, adoption, and KinGAP. These are not interchangeable. The arrangement can affect legal authority and whether a monthly caregiver payment exists.
| Placement | Possible payment | Who receives it | Important question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informal kinship care | Usually TANF/SNAP/health coverage rather than foster maintenance | Caregiver or household, depending on program | “Can you screen the child for every benefit available without foster status?” |
| Foster-care diversion | Relative Maintenance Support Payment may apply | Eligible kinship assistance unit | “Was this placement verified to prevent foster care?” |
| Kinship foster care | Basic and possibly enhanced foster-care maintenance | Approved foster parent | “What is the current written monthly rate for this child?” |
| KinGAP | Monthly guardianship financial support | Approved relative guardian | “Can KinGAP be completed before custody changes?” |
Virginia’s current foster payment page confirms that maintenance is paid monthly to foster parents and can be increased through the Virginia Enhanced Maintenance Assessment Tool when a child has higher supervision or care needs. Because the state’s public base-rate documents are not fully consistent right now, get the current base amount and any enhanced amount in writing from the child-placing agency.
KinGAP is different from informal custody. Foster Virginia describes it as a permanency route in which an approved guardian receives monthly financial support. A Virginia legal-aid resource for relative caregivers warns that KinGAP must be arranged before the child leaves foster care. If foster care is involved, ask about KinGAP before signing a custody-transfer agreement.
Food Benefits: SNAP and SUN Bucks
Virginia SNAP provides monthly grocery benefits on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. The amount is based on SNAP household and income rules, not on whether the caregiver is called a grandparent, guardian, or kinship caregiver. Apply even if a TANF decision is still pending.
If you are age 60 or older, some SNAP rules may treat medical expenses differently than for younger households. Our Virginia SNAP for seniors guide explains the older-adult side of the process. The child and the grandparent still need to be placed in the correct SNAP household under program rules.
For summer food costs, Virginia SUN Bucks paid a one-time $120 per eligible child for the 2026 season. The 2026 application period is now closed. The state says applications received after August 31, 2026 are considered for 2027. Do not treat SUN Bucks as a year-round payment.
Health Coverage: Medicaid and FAMIS
Virginia Medicaid and Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) can remove a major household cost. The current children’s coverage page says eligible children receive no-cost coverage for services such as doctor visits, dental care, prescriptions, behavioral health care, hospital care, vision care, and more.
For covered services, the state says children enrolled in Medicaid or FAMIS have no monthly premiums, copayments, or deductibles. The page also publishes 2026 income guidelines and explains that household size often follows federal tax-filing rules. Grandfamily tax arrangements can be unusual, so apply and let Cover Virginia determine the child’s correct household rather than trying to decide from a chart alone.
Call Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282. Your own Medicare, Social Security, disability benefits, or retiree coverage do not by themselves decide whether the child can qualify.
Child-Care Help
Virginia’s Child Care Subsidy Program can pay part of approved child-care costs directly to a participating provider. It generally covers children under 13, and some children with special needs under 18.
This is not a cash payment simply for being a grandparent caregiver. The applicant must meet program rules, including Virginia residency, income limits, and a qualifying activity such as work, job search, education or training, certain child protective services involvement, VIEW, or SNAP Employment and Training. Local DSS offices may also use waitlists when demand exceeds available slots.
If you are retired and not working, ask whether your child-welfare situation creates another qualifying route. CommonHelp can screen the case.
Child Support
Child support is not a public benefit, but it can be an important source of money for a grandchild’s expenses. Virginia’s Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) serves parents and caregivers. You can apply for child support online or by paper, and the current customer-service number is 1-800-468-8894.
If you receive TANF, ask the TANF worker how child support cooperation and collections affect the cash case before making a decision. Safety exceptions can matter when family violence is involved.
Tax Help for Grandparent Caregivers
A grandchild living with you may affect federal and Virginia taxes, but tax rules differ from custody and benefit rules. The IRS treats a grandchild as a qualifying relationship for several child-related tax provisions when the other tests are met. If more than one person could claim the child, special tiebreaker rules can apply.
Virginia’s refundable Earned Income Tax Credit is equal to 20% of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit for tax year 2026 if you qualify. Virginia also warns that this refundable credit cannot be combined with certain state age-related exemptions or deductions. That matters for older grandparents.
Virginia also allows a child-care expense deduction when you were eligible for the federal child and dependent care credit. A custody order or public benefit does not automatically make the child your tax dependent.
Housing, Utility, and Emergency Cost Help
There is no special statewide Virginia housing voucher only for grandparents raising grandchildren. If adding a child strains your rent or housing budget, see our Virginia housing assistance guide and, for lower-cost units, our Virginia income-based apartments guide.
CommonHelp also screens for energy assistance. If you face a shutoff, eviction risk, or no food, our Virginia emergency help guide can help you organize the fastest local calls. These programs usually depend on household income, crisis status, funding, and local rules rather than grandparent status alone.
Legal Help That Unlocks Benefits
Legal custody is not always required before a relative caregiver can ask for benefits, but stronger legal authority can make school enrollment, medical consent, child support, and some payment routes easier. Virginia legal aid explains that a grandparent or other relative caring for a child may be able to file for custody as a person with a legitimate interest.
Do not change custody only because someone says it will automatically produce a payment. If the child is in foster care, ask about KinGAP and foster-maintenance consequences first. A custody transfer can change the payment path.
Use the Virginia legal-aid finder to locate help by area. If you need broader senior navigation, our Virginia aging agencies guide can help you find local benefits counseling and caregiver referrals.
Child Benefits vs. Grandparent Benefits
| Program | Main focus | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Child-only TANF | Child assistance unit and caretaker rules | Do not assume your full senior-benefit profile decides the case |
| Medicaid/FAMIS | Child’s health-coverage eligibility | Your Medicare status does not determine the child’s case |
| SNAP | Food household | Who buys and prepares food together and other household rules matter |
| Child Care Subsidy | Child, household, caregiver activity, and local program rules | Payment goes to an approved provider, not as caregiver cash |
| Virginia senior help | Your age, income, disability, housing, Medicare, or other senior circumstances | These can help your household even when they are not benefits for the child |
For your own benefits and cost reductions, use our Virginia senior benefits guide and our Virginia benefits portals guide. Keep separate notes for each program.
Where to Apply Without Wasting Time
- CommonHelp: start TANF, SNAP, child care, energy assistance, and other benefit applications.
- Local DSS: use the local DSS finder when you need a caseworker, paper application, Family Services verification, or local answer.
- Cover Virginia: call 1-855-242-8282 for Medicaid/FAMIS questions.
- Kinship navigator: use Virginia Kinship Resources or call 1-888-593-1972.
- Child support: call DCSE at 1-800-468-8894.
Documents to Gather
- Your photo ID and Virginia address.
- Child’s birth certificate and Social Security number, if available.
- Proof the child lives with you.
- Any custody order, safety plan, foster-care paper, or DSS placement document.
- Income and benefit records requested for the program you are applying for.
- Parent names, contact information, and child-support information if known.
- Child-care schedule and provider information if applying for subsidy.
- Every notice, case number, upload receipt, and worker name.
Phone Scripts
TANF and kinship payment
“I am a grandparent raising my grandchild in Virginia. Please screen the child for child-only or payee TANF. If DSS helped place the child with me or prevented foster care, please also check the Relative Maintenance Support Payment. What income counts, what amount could apply, and what documents do you need?”
Foster care or KinGAP
“Please tell me the child’s exact legal placement status. If this is kinship foster care, what is the current written base maintenance payment and is enhanced maintenance available? If permanency is being discussed, can KinGAP be arranged before custody changes?”
Health and child care
“My grandchild lives with me. I need the child screened for Medicaid or FAMIS and I also want to know whether child-care subsidy rules can fit my situation. Please tell me which household information, income records, and caregiver-activity proof you need.”
Legal help
“I am caring for my grandchild and need legal authority that will not accidentally end a benefit or kinship payment. Can you help me compare custody, guardianship, and the child’s current DSS placement before I file anything?”
Reality Checks
- Informal kinship care does not automatically create a foster-care payment.
- A grandparent’s age does not automatically qualify the child for TANF, SNAP, Medicaid/FAMIS, or child care.
- A child’s benefit can use different household and income rules from the grandparent’s senior benefits.
- Child-care subsidy slots can be waitlisted locally.
- Housing assistance can take much longer than TANF, SNAP, or health coverage.
- Tax dependency rules can differ from benefit-program and custody rules.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Calling every form of assistance a grant.
- Waiting for a final custody order before asking DSS what benefits can start now.
- Assuming a child placed by relatives is automatically in foster care.
- Transferring custody out of foster care without first asking how KinGAP or foster payments would be affected.
- Using your own Medicare rules to judge a grandchild’s Medicaid/FAMIS case.
- Missing written notices. A denial letter usually tells you what was denied and how to challenge the decision.
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed
Ask for the decision in writing. For TANF or SNAP, request the rule used, missing-verification list, and appeal information. For Medicaid/FAMIS, call Cover Virginia and ask about the appeal route on your notice. If a child-welfare payment is disputed, ask the worker and supervisor to identify the placement type and payment rule in writing.
If one route fails, keep the others moving. A TANF denial does not automatically decide SNAP, Medicaid/FAMIS, child support, tax eligibility, housing help, or child-care subsidy.
Resumen en Español
En Virginia, los abuelos que crían a sus nietos pueden tener varias rutas de ayuda financiera. Pregunte por TANF para el niño, SNAP para alimentos, Medicaid o FAMIS para cobertura médica, subsidio de cuidado infantil y manutención infantil. Si Servicios Sociales participó en la colocación del menor, pregunte también por pagos de kinship, foster care o KinGAP.
Use CommonHelp o llame al 1-855-635-4370. Para Medicaid/FAMIS llame a Cover Virginia al 1-855-242-8282. Para recursos de kinship llame al 1-888-593-1972. No cambie la custodia solo para buscar un pago sin preguntar primero cómo afectaría los beneficios actuales.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get TANF for my grandchild without legal custody?
Possibly. Virginia TANF allows an eligible child to live with a caretaker relative, and formal custody is not always required just to ask for benefit screening. DSS will decide what proof is needed in your case. Apply rather than waiting for a final custody order.
Does my income count for child-only TANF?
It depends on the case structure and TANF rules. Child-only does not mean every fact about the caregiver is ignored. Ask the worker to explain which income is counted and how the payment was calculated.
Are kinship or foster-care payments automatic?
No. Informal care does not automatically create a foster-care payment. Foster maintenance generally depends on a foster-care placement and an approved caregiver. The Relative Maintenance Support Payment also requires a qualifying DSS-verified kinship situation.
Can grandparents get SNAP for a grandchild?
Possibly. SNAP uses household and income rules. Apply through CommonHelp or local DSS and let the agency determine who belongs in the SNAP household and what deductions apply.
Can my grandchild get Medicaid or FAMIS if I have Medicare?
Yes, possibly. The child is reviewed under children’s coverage rules. Your Medicare status does not by itself decide the child’s eligibility. Cover Virginia can review the child’s household and income information.
Can child-care subsidy help a retired grandparent?
Sometimes, but not simply because the caregiver is a grandparent. Virginia requires a qualifying activity or situation, income eligibility, and other rules. Child protective services involvement can matter. Ask local DSS to screen your exact situation.
Can I claim my grandchild for tax credits?
Possibly. Federal and Virginia tax rules use relationship, residency, age, support, income, and other tests. Only one taxpayer may use the same child for some credits. Tax rules are separate from TANF, SNAP, custody, and foster-care rules.
Do I need legal custody to get every benefit?
No. Some benefits can be screened without a final custody order, but legal authority may make medical, school, child-support, and long-term benefit issues easier. If the child is in foster care, get advice before changing custody because it may affect foster or KinGAP payments.
About This Guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
Editorial note
This guide is produced based on our Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources, regularly updated and monitored, but not affiliated with any government agency and not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Corrections
Please note that despite our careful verification process, errors may still occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections and we will respond within 72 hours.
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, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the official program before acting.
Last updated: 23 September 2026 · Next review: 23 January 2027
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