Birth Justice Initiative Grant Program

Overview

**Ms. Foundation for Women
**

The mission of the Ms. Foundation for Women is to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all. We achieve our mission by investing in, and strengthening, the capacity of women-led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural and economic change in the lives of women.

Birth Justice Initiative

In 2022, Ms. Foundation for Women launched our first national, open call request for proposals for our Birth Justice Initiative to support Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities in addressing racial based health disparities in birth experiences and birth outcomes. Through this initiative, Ms. will mobilize funding and capacity building resources nationally to organizations implementing birth justice strategies rooted in movement building and organizing.

The Birth Justice Initiative will build upon our decades of experience supporting grassroots leaders fighting for reproductive justice. The overall goals of our initiative are to:

* Build power within the birth justice movement
* Increase connectivity and collaboration between Birth Justice Organizations and movement leaders.
* Provide philanthropic advocacy, thought partnership, and thought leadership, to influence the movement of more resources to the Birth Justice movement.

We are committed to deepening our investment in grassroots Black, Indigenous and WGOC-led organizations working toward achieving birth justice. In our first round of grant making, we will invest over $1,000,000 in support of birth justice organizations across the spectrum of movement building and organizing, and supporting our communities to advance more equitable birth outcomes.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* To be considered for funding, applicants must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:
* At least 50% of your organization’s leadership must include trans women, cis women, and non-binary people who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC).
* An organization's leadership includes people with significant influence or decision-making power (i.e. the executive director, management staff, and advisory committee members or governing boards).
* Organization’s primary mission must center Black, Indigenous and Birthing People of Color.
* Organizations must be operating in the U.S. South, Midwest, Southwest, Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. territories.
* We consider the following states in each region:
* South: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia
* Midwest: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri
* Southwest: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah
* Noncontiguous States: Alaska and Hawaii
* U.S. Territories: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

* Organizations must have operating budgets no greater than $2,000,000.
* Organizations must be a 501(c)(3) organization or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization.
* These funds are available for general operating support.

Ineligibility

* What We Do Not Fund
* Organizations with a 501(c)(4) legal status.
* Individuals.
* Organizations currently receiving funding from Ms. through the Birth Justice Initiative.
* Separate communication will be sent to current grantees, particularly organizations up for renewal.
* Feel free to follow up with your Program Officer with questions.
* Organizations whose leadership is not composed of a majority (>50%) of cis women, trans women, and/or non-binary people who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC).
* Academic research.