Resources to Guide Your Journey
Helpful tools, insights, and guidance to support you through every stage of the surrogacy process. Surrogacy involves many moving parts — medical, legal, financial, and emotional. Having the right information can make all the difference. We've created resources to help you feel informed, prepared, and confident as you move forward in your journey.
Sample Independent Surrogacy Compensation Guide
| Compensation Category | Estimated Range |
|---|---|
| Base Compensation – 1st Time GCs | $50,000 – $70,000+ |
| Experienced GC Compensation | $60,000 – $85,000+ |
| Monthly Allowance | $300 – $500/month |
| Clean Food Allowance | $100/month |
| Mock Cycle Fee | $500 – $1,000 |
| Medication Start Fee | $500 – $1,000 |
| Embryo Transfer Fee | $500 – $1,500 |
| Maternity Clothing Allowance | $500 – $1,000 |
| Childcare Reimbursement | As needed |
| Housekeeping Assistance | If medically required |
| Lost Wages | Varies by employment |
| Multiples Compensation (Twins+) | $5,000 – $10,000+ |
| Invasive Procedure Fee | $500 – $2,500 |
| Loss of Organs | $5,000 – $10,000 |
| C-Section Compensation | $5,000 – $10,000 |
| Breastmilk Compensation | $300+ / week |
| Travel Reimbursement | Covered as incurred |
| Health Insurance Deductibles & Co-Pays | Covered by IPs |
| Life Insurance Policy | Covered by IPs |
| Attorneys for both parties | Covered by IPs |
| Escrow account fees | Covered by IPs |
| Fertility clinic and embryo-transfer procedure fees | Covered by IPs |
Important Note
Compensation varies based on experience, location, insurance needs, clinic requirements, and the overall journey agreement. Independent surrogacy journeys are highly customizable, and every contract should be reviewed by independent legal counsel for both parties.
Heart to Home Philosophy
We believe compensation should reflect the time, commitment, physical demands, and emotional investment involved in a surrogacy journey — while still creating a respectful and collaborative partnership between Intended Parents and Gestational Carriers.
Funding Your Journey
There are multiple ways to finance your journey—including loans, grants, and creative funding options. Many families use a combination of these resources.
Fertility and Surrogacy Financing Options
There are several ways to finance a surrogacy journey. Some lenders specialize in fertility and family-building expenses, while others offer more traditional borrowing options. Loan availability, rates, terms, and eligibility vary, so review each lender's current information carefully before applying.
Specialized Fertility Lenders
CapexMD
- Financing amount: $3,000–$55,000
- May cover: IVF, medications, genetic testing, surrogacy fees, and donor-related costs
- Application: Applying may not affect your credit score
- Decision time: Same-day or 24-hour decisions may be available
- Repayment terms: Approximately 6–84 months
Prosper Healthcare Lending
- Financing amount: Typically $2,000–$50,000
- May cover: IVF and other fertility-related expenses
- Application: Applicants may check their rate without affecting their credit score
- Additional information: Frequently used by fertility clinics and surrogacy organizations
New Life Fertility Finance
- Financing amount: Varies by lender and applicant
- May cover: IVF, surrogacy, and donor-related services
- Application: Financing may be provided through participating banks and lending partners
- Additional information: Options may be available through fertility clinics or surrogacy-service referrals
Sunfish
- Financing amount: Up to approximately $100,000
- May cover: Fertility and family-building expenses
- Application: Financing options may be available through multiple lending partners
- Repayment: Monthly payments may begin at approximately $200
- Additional information: Financial-planning support may be included
Future Family
- Financing amount: Up to $50,000
- May cover: Fertility treatment and related family-building expenses
- Application: Prequalification may not affect your credit score
- Decision time: Decisions may be available within 24 hours
- Repayment: Monthly plans may begin at approximately $300
- Additional information: Fertility nurse coaching and clinic support may be included
Other Financing Options
Personal Loans
Personal loans may be available through banks, credit unions, and online lenders. Rates and repayment terms depend on the borrower's credit, income, and lender requirements.
Home Equity Loans or Lines of Credit
Homeowners may be able to borrow against the equity in their property. These options may offer lower interest rates, but the home serves as collateral and could be at risk if payments are not made.
401(k) Loans
Some employer retirement plans allow participants to borrow from their 401(k). Consider the potential effect on retirement savings, taxes, repayment obligations, and employment changes before choosing this option.
Employer Fertility Benefits
Some employers provide fertility and family-building benefits through programs such as Carrot, Progyny, or Maven. Contact your employer or benefits administrator to learn what services and expenses may be covered.
Surrogacy and Fertility Grants
Grants can help offset some of the expenses associated with surrogacy and fertility treatment. Unlike loans, grants generally do not need to be repaid; however, they are competitive, may have application fees, and often have specific eligibility requirements.
Grant programs, application periods, award amounts, and eligibility rules can change. Review the current information on each organization's website before applying.
Baby Quest Foundation
- Provides financial assistance for assisted reproduction, including gestational surrogacy
- May help cover future expenses such as escrow, legal services, insurance, embryo-transfer fees, and medications
- Surrogacy applicants must have embryos created and be ready to proceed with a Gestational Carrier
- Grants do not reimburse expenses already paid
- Additional surrogacy-specific eligibility requirements apply
Tinina Q. Cade Foundation
- Offers Family Building Grants for infertility treatment and domestic adoption
- Eligible fertility treatments may include IVF, donor eggs, and the use of a Gestational Carrier
- Applicants must have a physician's diagnosis of infertility
- Applicants must be United States citizens or legal permanent residents
- Grants do not cover egg or embryo freezing
The Surrogacy Foundation
- Provides financial assistance for gestational-surrogacy journeys
- Designed to help Intended Parents who cannot afford the full cost of surrogacy
- Offers surrogacy-focused grant opportunities
- Eligibility requirements, available funding, and application periods vary
Hope for Fertility Foundation
- Provides grants for infertility treatment, surrogacy, and adoption
- Applicants must meet the organization's citizenship, residency, marital-status, and infertility-diagnosis requirements
- Applicants must work with a United States-based clinic or agency
- Funding is generally paid directly to the approved clinic or agency
- Grants do not cover medications, legal fees, consulting services, insurance, or other third-party expenses
Donating Dreams
- Provides family-building assistance for donor-egg IVF and donor-embryo journeys
- The donor-egg IVF grant may help cover the donor cycle, donor-agency fees, clinic monitoring, embryo-transfer fees, medications, travel, and legal expenses
- Donor-embryo assistance may also be available
- Applicants must meet the organization's eligibility requirements
- The number and type of grants available depend on donations and sponsorships
Donating Dreams does not currently describe this as a grant for surrogate compensation or general surrogacy expenses. It may be relevant to Intended Parents who need donor-egg IVF or donor-embryo support as part of their family-building journey.
Learn more — Donating DreamsAdditional Grant and Scholarship Resources
- RESOLVE maintains a broader list of nonprofit organizations offering fertility-treatment grants and scholarships. Each program has its own requirements, application process, deadlines, covered expenses, and available funding.
Ready to Take the First Step?
Wherever you are in your surrogacy journey, you don't have to walk it alone. We're here to help you take the next step with confidence and compassion.