Dear friends,

Ten years ago, this group started with one goal in mind, to advance a midwifery model of care across the United States through philanthropic advising and connecting donors with CBO leaders and birthworkers. In the years since, we have expanded our focus, acknowledging the full spectrum of birth justice and how it is situated in reproductive justice and adjacent movements.

As we move ahead, we look to get back to our roots, mobilizing resources and shifting stewardship to those who know best.

We’re excited to share two opportunities to do this work. Registration for the Birth Equity Summit is now open. Join us in Detroit, October 20-22 where funders and field leaders will work together to strengthen birth justice infrastructure and the funding ecosystem. We’d love to see you there.

Additionally, our funder partner program is now open! In addition to a membership portal that houses the FBJE learning series, member messaging, and reports, all members will access priority registration and discounts to FBJE events, quarterly strategy calls and member-only events, leadership opportunities within the network, invitations to in-person meet-ups, and more. As an extra bonus, when you sign up for membership, you will receive a $150 discount on your summit registration.

If you’re a grantmaker and you’d like to join as an individual, please reach out and we will get you set up. We are grateful to be in community with you.

Sincerely,
Nakeenya Wilson + Kyndall Osibodu
Co-Directors, Funders for Birth Justice and Equity

 

What’s Happening at FBJE

Summit Registration is Now Open

OCTOBER 20-22 | DETROIT, MI

Community and philanthropy are building together in Detroit. Funding Forward for Birth Justice is a national summit focused on aligning capital with the infrastructure communities are already building.

Participants will:

✔ Engage a developing ecosystem map
✔ Learn from funder–field partnerships
✔ Shape coordinated investment opportunities
✔ Strengthen birth justice infrastructure nationwide

Register here. For information about sponsoring the summit, click here. 

Become a Member at FBJE

Join FBJE, a funder network shaped by CBO leaders, organizations, and movements working to advance birth justice and equity. As an FBJE Funder Partner, you’ll learn alongside movement leaders, connect with like-minded peers, and amplify your impact through co-investment and philanthropic organizing. Learn more here. 

 

Advancing Birth Equity Through Workplace Justice

THURSDAY, MAY 21 | 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT | ZOOM

Join the May Monthly Learning Series: Advancing Birth Equity Through Workplace Justice, featuring A Better Balance. Workplace justice policies like pregnancy and postpartum accommodations, paid family and medical leave, and paid sick time are not just overwhelmingly popular, they are among the most powerful tools we have to keep mothers and babies alive. A Better Balance has spent years turning research into reality, working in deep collaboration with federal and state partners across the country. We’ve won paid leave and paid sick time laws in more than 20 states, including across the South and in conservative-led states. Register here. 

April Monthly Learning Series Recap

Thank you for joining the April Monthly Learning Series featuring California Coalition for Black Birth Justice. They shared their report, The State of Black Birth Equity in California, which offers a thorough examination of the movement’s current needs and opportunities within today’s political and social climate. They also invite community members to check out Birth Equity Connect, their statewide database tracking movements and funding advancing birth justice.

At the Intersections: What’s Happening in the Field

• Congratulations to our partners at Every Mother Counts on the announcement of their US Maternal Health Press Fellows. The Every Mother Counts U.S. Maternal Health Press Fellowship is designed to deepen and expand U.S. media coverage of maternal health. This fellowship is a learning opportunity that will help journalists understand the challenges and solutions shaping maternal health in the U.S. and support more impactful reporting on the issue. Meet the fellows here.

• Georgia midwives are suing the state. The lawsuit is part of a growing trend of similar cases across the South. The plaintiffs argue that midwives are crucial to address maternity care deserts. Learn more here.

• The Abundant Birth Project is a guaranteed-income program providing unconditional monthly cash transfers to birthing people at the highest risk of adverse outcomes. In this Nonprofit Quarterly piece, the author shares how centering care, respect, and human dignity is foundational not just to birth equity, but to building thriving communities.

 

Do you have research, an initiative, or a funding opportunity you’d like us to uplift? We invite you to share updates and opportunities for collective learning here.