Request for Proposals for 2023 Birth Justice Initiative

The Ms. Foundation for Women is excited to announce the second round of the Birth Justice Initiative.

Donor Name: Ms. Foundation for Women

State: Selected States

County: All Counties

U.S. Territories: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 10/30/2023

Size of the Grant: $50,000-$100,000

Grant Duration: 2 years

Details:

The foundation will provide two-year grants to birth justice organizations led by and for Black, Indigenous, and other women of color, including cis women, trans women, and non-binary people of color. Organizations eligible for funding must be implementing birth justice strategies that are rooted in movement building and organizing, and connected to the broader reproductive justice movement.

The Birth Justice Initiative aims to:

• advance equitable birth outcomes and experiences;
• strengthen the capacity, organizational infrastructure, and financial stability of grassroots Black, Indigenous and women of color-led birth justice organizations; and
• expand the frame of birth justice to support intersectional movements and strategies that recognize the full spectrum of experiences and identities in birthing, parenting, and family building.

The Foundation believes that Black, Indigenous, and women of color (including trans women and non-binary people) are key experts and should be decision-makers in shaping policy and culture change around birth justice. By investing directly into organizations led by and for women and girls of color, they are ensuring that the movement to address racial based disparities in healthcare, including birth outcomes and experiences, is led by those who are impacted most. Strengthening the collective power of communities of color is critical to addressing the root causes of these disparities and advancing birth justice for all.

Funding Information

Ms. will award grants ranging from $50,000-$100,000, distributed over two years.

Eligibility Criteria

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.
• 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.

For more information, visit Ms. Foundation for Women.