Healthy Births, Healthy Communities

The Healthy Births, Healthy Communities funding opportunity is administered by St. David’s Foundation, a private health-focused philanthropic organization based in Central Texas. With a longstanding commitment to maternal health equity, the Foundation has invested in initiatives like the Focus on the Fourth and the Perinatal Safe Zone, aimed at supporting women before, during, and after childbirth. This funding opportunity continues that commitment, emphasizing community-driven, culturally responsive care to address the stark racial and ethnic disparities in birth and maternal health outcomes observed throughout Central Texas. The goal of this open call is to increase regional capacity to provide perinatal health support that extends beyond clinical settings. By resourcing community-based organizations and networks, the Foundation seeks to support pregnant women—particularly women of color—who face systemic barriers to safe, quality care. The grant encourages projects that improve maternal health outcomes by strengthening local collaborations among healthcare providers, advocacy groups, and community-led organizations. It prioritizes culturally competent approaches and the inclusion of lived experience in program design and evaluation. Funding provided through this opportunity is flexible and unrestricted, allowing recipients the autonomy to allocate resources as needed to best support their initiatives. Each grant is issued for a 24-month period and will be paid in two equal installments. Proposals should clearly demonstrate their alignment with the funder's mission, especially in addressing disparities affecting historically marginalized populations. All selected grantees will participate in a cohort that meets quarterly to facilitate collaboration, peer learning, and joint action in strengthening the maternal health ecosystem in the region. To be eligible, applicants must operate within one or more of the following Texas counties: Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, or Williamson. Eligible entities include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public or government entities such as municipalities, county health departments, public schools, and public universities. Applicants may also use a fiscal sponsor that holds 501(c)(3) status. Organizations must demonstrate a history of collaborative practice and a commitment to serving historically marginalized populations, with an emphasis on women of color. Existing St. David’s Foundation grantees are eligible to apply. The submission process begins with a required Letter of Intent (LOI), which includes a short eligibility screening and a high-level summary of the proposed project. The LOI portal opens on July 1, 2025, and LOIs must be submitted no later than July 28, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. Applicants whose LOIs align with the Foundation's priorities will be invited to submit a full application by August 15, 2025, also due by 5:00 p.m. Central Time. Final funding decisions will be announced in October 2025, with the grant term running from October 2025 through September 2027. Applicants are assessed using a rubric totaling 55 points, evaluating equity focus, potential for impact, community leadership, organizational capacity, innovation, and collaborative strength. Specific inquiries about the programmatic content should be directed to questions@stdavidsfoundation.org, while technical application support questions should be sent to grantsinfo@stdavidsfoundation.org. All submissions must be made through the Foundation’s online Grants Portal, and paper or emailed applications will not be accepted.

Applicants are encouraged to submit LOIs early to maximize application preparation time.