Draft:National Council For Adoption
National Council For Adoption is a nonprofit adoption advocacy organization based in the US.
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The National Council for Adoption (NCFA) is a nonprofit adoption advocacy organization based in the United States. Founded in 1980 as the National Committee on Adoption, the organization promotes adoption through research, education, public policy, and adherence to ethical best practices. It supports all forms of adoption, including private domestic adoption, intercountry (international) adoption, and adoption from foster care. Their headquarters are in Alexandria, VA.
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History
NCFA was established in 1980 by adoption advocates, such as Ruby Lee Piester, seeking to raise the profile of adoption as an option for children in need of permanent families. As of 2022, the organization is led by Ryan Hanlon, Ph.D., who serves as President and CEO.[1]
Mission and Activities
The organization's website lists their mission statement as: Passionately committed to the belief that every child deserves to thrive in a nurturing, permanent family, National Council For Adoption's mission is to meet the diverse needs of children, birth parents, adoptees, adoptive families, and all those touched by adoption through global advocacy, education, research, legislative action, and collaboration.[2]
NCFA participates in federal adoption advocacy,[3] including testimony before the U.S. Congress.[4] Their staff have been featured in media outlets related to adoption,[5] and they are consulted by government agencies on adoption-related matters.[6]
Among the organization's past work, they promoted the original introduction of the adoption tax credit, which began in 1996.[7] The organization continued to advocate for the credit when it was threatened in the 2018 tax reform package[8] and has promoted making the adoption tax credit fully refundable.
NCFA hosts the National Adoption Conference each year for adoption professionals. The conference location varies each year, with recent years being in Minneapolis[9] (2025), Fort Worth[10] (2024), and St. Louis[11] (2023). The next conference is scheduled for Washington, DC, in June 2026.[12]
NCFA has been involved in legal actions. For example, the organization filed a lawsuit against the U.S. State Department[13] regarding a policy that restricts certain adoption referrals. NCFA argued that the policy was detrimental to international adoptions, especially for children with medical special needs. In 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals, DC Circuit ruled in favor of National Council For Adoption's lawsuit against the Department of State, finding that the Department of State violated the Administrative Procedures Act.[14]
Adoption Research
NCFA's Profiles in Adoption three-part research series has been used to help train prospective parents and others in the adoption community about adoption experiences.[15] Part one was about adoptive parents and adoptive households. Part two focused on birth mothers. The final part of the research series surveyed adoptees.
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