The Maternal Health Equity Collaborative was formed in Austin, TX during the 2020 Covid 19 lockdown when hospitals stopped allowing Doulas to attend births. These leaders came together to create a solution in which Doulas could again support birthing people in the hospital setting. From there they advocated for the unique needs of pregnant people, especially Black and brown people, during Covid, by partnering to release the Maternal Health Equity Report in September 2020. The Maternal Health Equity Collaborative then achieved a Safer Childbirth City grant from Merck for Mothers and Pritzker Children’s Initiative and released The Spirit of Possibility, a report identifying the equity gaps in care across Central Texas and providing recommendations to fix them. The presenters will talk about the community-based leadership and strengths that, combined with philanthropic support, went into the creation of this impactful community-based Collaborative.

There is increasing interest on the part of funders and donors in addressing the systemic inequities in birth outcomes and causes of the increasing maternal mortality and morbidity rates. To better understand the funder landscape Funders for Birth Justice and Equity engaged Afton Bloom to conduct the first Birth Equity Funders Landscape report. The Landscape sought to answer these three questions: Who is funding, what are they funding, and how are they funding. Fifty-seven funders and donors responded to the survey and in this session Funders for Birth Justice and Equity will present on the findings.