As the region’s largest local funder, The Community Foundation is proud to partner with and support thousands of nonprofits working to make our communities more equitable, just, and thriving places to live and work. We are now accepting proposals for grant opportunities from the following funds at The Community Foundation:
The Developing Families Maternal Health Fund is pleased to announce a grant opportunity for nonprofit organizations focused on addressing the structural factors impacting infant and maternal health across Greater Washington – specifically in Washington, DC; Prince George’s County, MD; Montgomery County, MD; and the cities of Alexandria and Fairfax, the town of Vienna, Arlington County, and the areas of Fairfax and Prince William counties in Virginia east of Route 123.
The goals of this funding opportunity are to:
Address structural barriers to maternal and infant health, including those related to healthcare access, economic stability, housing, and social support systems.
Promote health equity by supporting community-driven solutions that tackle the root causes of disparities.
Enhance collaboration between healthcare providers, community-based organizations, policymakers, and residents to create sustainable, impactful solutions.
Support long-term systemic change by building capacity within local organizations and advocating for policies that improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
Proposals that focus on the following priority areas will be considered:
Access to Care: Addressing issues such as healthcare access, quality, and equity in maternal care, prenatal care, and postpartum support.
Economic Stability: Reducing economic barriers that negatively affect maternal health, such as low wages, lack of paid family leave, or limited access to childcare.
Mental Health and Social Support: Supporting programs that address mental health issues (e.g., postpartum depression) and enhance social support systems for mothers, particularly in underserved communities.
Improving Access to Prenatal and Postpartum Care: Expanding access to care for underserved populations through mobile health clinics, telehealth options, and community health workers.
Addressing Social Determinants of Health: Working with local organizations to provide resources that address housing instability, food insecurity, and lack of transportation, all of which have a significant impact on maternal and infant health.
Community Education and Outreach: Engaging community members through educational campaigns about prenatal care, mental health during pregnancy, and the importance of early and regular check-ups for both mother and child.
Policy Advocacy: Collaborating with local policymakers to address the structural barriers that contribute to health disparities and working towards legislative changes to ensure long-term improvements.
Awards will range from $150,000 to $200,000 over a two-year grant period. The total amount available through this fund is $2 million. Grant Funds may be used for Program development and implementation, Capacity building and training, Community engagement and outreach, Policy advocacy and research, Evaluation and impact assessment or Operational costs directly related to the proposed project
The Community Foundation is looking to support respondents who successfully address the following requests:
Demonstrate a commitment to addressing structural inequities impacting maternal and infant health, particularly in communities that are disproportionately affected by health disparities.
Be able to demonstrate measurable outcomes and sustainability of their proposed interventions.
Provide a logic model that shows how the funding supports will address structural inequities impacting maternal and infant health that would lead to improved health outcomes.
The applicant (defined as the organization that will sign the grant agreement and receive the funds, if awarded) must have current status as a 501(c)(3) public charity designation.
Organizations that have not yet received a 501(c)(3) designation must have a fiscal sponsor that serves as the respondent (an entity will need to have an EIN or the EIN of their fiscal sponsor in order to access the application in the online portal). The fiscal sponsor must meet all eligibility requirements at the time of submission.
For profit entities such as LLCs and sole proprietorships are not eligible to apply for funding.
The organization must not be listed on the Office of Foreign Assets Control Specially Designated Nationals or the Southern Poverty Law Center Hate Group lists.
The organization must be both based in and primarily implementing in the Greater Washington region – specifically in Washington, DC; Prince George’s County, MD; Montgomery County, MD; and the cities of Alexandria and Fairfax, the town of Vienna, Arlington County, and the areas of Fairfax and Prince William counties in Virginia east of Route 123.
If previous funding has been received from The Community Foundation, the applicant must be current in meeting reporting or other requirements to The Community Foundation as specified in the grant agreement.
Applicants must submit their completed request and required documentation by Monday, June 30, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. using the link provided below.
Please review the instructions in advance of the deadline in order to be familiar with The Community Foundation’s online application system. Incomplete, emailed, hard copy, and faxed proposals will NOT be accepted. Proposals that do not include all the elements as stated will not be considered for funding. Proposals that are incomplete or illegible will not be reviewed or considered for funding.
Applicants will receive an update on the status of their LOI in early August. Selected respondents will be invited to submit an RFP with a budget proposal and sustainability plan for their request.
If you have any programmatic questions, please contact Dr. Marla M. Dean, Senior Director for Health Equity at mdean@thecommunityfoundation.org and CC Isabel Spake at ispake@thecommunityfoundation.org
If you have any technical questions about submitting an application, please contact Alex Cahill-Sanidas at acahill-sanidas@thecommunityfoundation.org.
Those interested in submitting a Letter of Intent are encouraged to watch a recording from the informational webinar held on Thursday, May 22. Contact Isabel Spake for access to the link.
If you have any programmatic questions, please contact Dr. Marla M. Dean, Senior Director for Health Equity at mdean@thecommunityfoundation.org and CC Isabel Spake at ispake@thecommunityfoundation.org
If you have any technical questions about submitting an application, please contact Alex Cahill-Sanidas at acahill-sanidas@thecommunityfoundation.org.
