March 2023 Grants Awarded

Birth Equity

A grant of $100,000 to African American Babies Coalition (AABC) will support efforts to build the capacity of health systems in Minnesota to provide high-quality, culturally sensitive maternal and infant care to Black and Brown families, with the long-term goal of reducing racial disparities in infant and maternal health. AABC will do this in part by elevating the lived experiences of Black and Brown birthing families and healthcare workers and equipping healthcare and social service workers with tools and training resources to provide culturally sensitive care. They’ll also work to reduce barriers to accessing racially diverse doula services, and will continue connecting rural and urban stakeholders to advance policies that support birth equity.

A grant of $100,000 to Northwest Indian Community Development Center (NWICDC) will support Indigenous families in northwest and north-central Minnesota who participate in NWICDC’s Maskawizi Wayeshkad program. Maskawizi Wayeshkad is designed for, by, and with American Indian families, and emphasizes early prenatal care, cultural teachings, normalization of breastfeeding, data collection, and finding opportunities to build a better support network of ongoing care for families with infants. Program staff and participants co-create individualized health plans that include home visits and education about pregnancy, effective parenting strategies, and overcoming individual and environmental stressors.

A grant of $100,000 to Roots Community Birth Center will support its efforts to provide culturally centered reproductive health services, mental health services, screenings and immunizations to families who experience marginalization and poor health outcomes, with an emphasis on Black, Indigenous and communities of color in the Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park, and Brooklyn Center areas. With this funding, Roots will provide focused prenatal care for community members regardless of insurance type or ability to pay, while increasing midwife-provided postpartum care, offering clinical placement for BIPOC midwifery students, and documenting Roots’ methodology to scale its positive outcomes.

Oral Health

A grant of $100,000 to Apple Tree Dental Clinic will support their efforts to address the unmet dental needs of vulnerable families in Minnesota and reduce barriers to health. Specifically, funding will support the launch of a family-centered initiative that will deliver on-site dental services at targeted preschools and schools throughout the Twin Cities, serving children who are uninsured, underinsured, or insured through Medicaid. Funding will also support the expansion of Apple Tree’s pediatric team and deepen staff cultural competence to provide excellent care for children with complex needs.