Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge: Research Capacity Building in Maternity Care Deserts (CCMH 2.0)

Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge: Research Capacity Building in Maternity Care Deserts (CCMH 2.0) is sponsored by National Institutes of Health (NIH). This challenge is open to non-academic organizations to build research infrastructure and conduct research projects related to maternal health in maternity care deserts.

Connecting the Community for Maternal Health 2. 0 | HeroX Connect with talented problem solvers Join our community and win prizes Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Connecting the Community for Maternal Health 2.

0 U.S. nonprofits and Tribes building research capacity in maternity care deserts Non-Profit & Social Impact Non-Profit & Social Impact Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge: Research Capacity Building in Maternity Care Deserts (CCMH 2. 0) Maternal mortality remains a serious public health challenge in the United States, with rural and under-resourced communities facing disproportionately high rates.

Many of these communities are located in "maternity care deserts," areas lacking hospitals, birth centers, or obstetric providers, and community-based organizations working in these areas often lack the research infrastructure needed to fully participate in and lead maternal health research. Building on the success of the original 2022 Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge , CCMH 2.

0 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) prize competition under the IMPROVE initiative that rewards non-academic 501(c)(3) organizations, advocacy groups, and state or federally recognized Tribes for building the research capacity and infrastructure needed to lead or partner in maternal health research, with special emphasis on maternity care deserts and, newly, research into fathers' role in maternal health outcomes.

Through this multi-phase competition, participating organizations will strengthen their ability to lead or partner in future NIH- and HHS-funded maternal health research, ensuring the communities most affected by poor maternal health outcomes have a central role in shaping the research that serves them.

The Challenge is open to U.S.-based non-academic 501(c)(3) organizations and state or federally recognized Tribes; academic partnerships are welcomed but not required. Maternal mortality in the U.S. remains high relative to peer nations, with 649 women dying of maternal causes in 2024 (a rate of 17. 9 deaths per 100,000 live births).

Over 5. 5 million U.S. women live in areas with no or limited access to obstetric care, and more than 35% of U.S. counties are considered maternity care deserts, meaning they have no hospitals, birth centers, or obstetric providers. Rural maternal mortality rates run as much as 65% higher than urban rates, and closures of rural obstetric units are likely to widen this gap further.

In 2019, NIH launched the IMPROVE initiative to reduce preventable maternal deaths and improve outcomes before, during, and after delivery, with community engagement as a core priority. The Recruitment Phase is 6 weeks long and is open to all community-based or advocacy organizations and Tribes that meet the eligibility criteria stated below in the Rules section of this announcement.

Informational webinars during this period will introduce the challenge sponsors at NICHD, provide general guidance on proposal submission, and share the opportunities that participation in this challenge will provide. There will be question and answer sessions at the end of every webinar.

We recognize that many organizations may be unfamiliar with the process of working with the NIH and with developing and articulating their research ideas. Introductory materials will be provided during the Recruitment Phase to orient them to the research process and to the Challenge process.

At the end of the Recruitment Phase, organizations that are interested in continuing in this Challenge will be asked to complete a very short Training Phase Entry Application to participate in the Training Phase. Organizations do not need to participate in the Recruitment Phase to submit a Training Phase Entry Application.

Training Phase Entry Applications will be evaluated based on the Training Phase Entry Application Evaluation Criteria stated below. Up to 50 organizations will be accepted to participate in the Training Phase. Up to 50 Training Phase participants will receive deeper and more customized training for six weeks.

Training services will include online training and other forms of educational guidance to help organizations create a complete and competitive Training Phase Final Submission that organizations must complete to be considered for participation in the Proposal Phase of the competition.

The Training Phase participants will have access to training webinars, join weekly workshops, and receive feedback on one draft of their Training Phase Final Submission. The Training Phase Final Submission will consist of a brief, one-page proposal describing their organization and the research idea they wish to implement if selected to participate in the later phases of the challenge.

Research ideas must be relevant to maternal health, address community-identified needs, and specifically align with the objectives of the IMPROVE initiative (see specific requirements in evaluation/judging criteria below). Only organizations that participated in the Training Phase can submit a proposal to advance to the next phase of the Challenge, the Proposal Phase.

Up to 20 organizations will be selected to advance to the Proposal Phase of the challenge based upon the Training Phase Final Submission Judging Criteria described below. Each of the 20 advancing organizations will receive a $10,000 award. In this third phase, each of the 20 participating organizations selected to advance from the Training Phase will develop a comprehensive research proposal over the course of 10 weeks.

Each organization will be custom matched with a mentor and will be invited to participate in regular workshops and webinars on relevant topics. Interactions with mentor(s) and one another will help each organization develop a fully realized research proposal that is well-aligned with the objectives of the IMPROVE initiative .

For many non-profit organizations with limited resources, this kind of sustained effort is extremely difficult to undertake. The $10,000 prizes awarded in the Training Phase could be used to help support their continued participation in this phase.

Up to 10 organizations will be selected to advance to the Research Phase based on the Proposal Phase Judging Criteria and will receive a $150,000 award that could be used to stand up their research infrastructures and pursue their proposed research activities.

In this fourth and final phase, the 10 organizations selected to advance from the Proposal Phase will have approximately 18 months to implement their project plans, conduct the proposed research, and report results.

During this phase, each organization will continue to meet regularly with their respective mentors for specific advice and guidance, and all finalists will also be invited to participate in workshops and webinars to hear from different subject matter experts on topics related to maternal health and more broadly towards sustaining their research activities.

For the Research Phase, services of an Institutional Review Board will be provided if needed. At the end of this phase, each organization will present in a research showcase and later submit a report that summarizes their activities, research findings, and conclusions. This report will also include a project plan outlining the next steps resulting from the initial findings and a proposed supporting budget.

Organizations that are judged to have met the minimum criteria and satisfactorily provided the required information in their final research report will be eligible to receive one of up to eight 3 rd Place prizes of $100,000 each.

Those organizations who are judged to have exceeded the minimum criteria and demonstrated successful completion of their proposed research projects will be considered for the 1 st Place prize of $350,000 and the 2 nd Place prize of $250,000. Any prize purse funds that remain un-awarded following the completion of the Research Phase may be added to each of the prize amounts awarded to the winners of the Research Phase.

The 1 st Place, 2 nd Place, and up to eight 3 rd Place prizes will be awarded based on several factors, including reported outcomes from this phase and performance during the Research Phase. Those specific factors will be announced at the conclusion of the Proposal Phase and prior to the start of the Research Phase.

Recruitment Phase Open Aug 12, 2026 9AM EDT Recruitment Phase Close Sep 23, 2026 5PM EDT Judging (Recruitment Phase) Open Sep 24, 2026 Judging (Recruitment Phase) Close Oct 20, 2026 Training Phase Open Oct 21, 2026 9AM ET Training Phase Close Dec 2, 2026 5PM ET Judging (Training Phase) Open Dec 3, 2026 Judging (Training Phase) Close Jan 17, 2027 Proposal Phase Open Jan 18, 2027 9AM ET Proposal Phase Close Mar 29, 2027 5PM ET Judging (Proposal Phase) Open Mar 30, 2027 Judging (Proposal Phase) Close May 10, 2027 Research Phase Open May 11, 2027 9AM ET Research Phase Close Nov 8, 2028 5PM ET Judging (Research→Winners) Open Nov 9, 2028 Judging (Research→Winners) Close Dec 6, 2028 The total prize purse for the Connecting Community for Maternal Health Challenge is $3,100,000.

Prizes will be awarded across the multiple phases of this challenge as described in the table below. In addition to cash prizes, participating organizations in this challenge will be provided with substantial education, training, and mentoring opportunities.

Phase # of Participants # of Awards Award Amounts Recruitment Unlimited N/A N/A Training Up to 50 Up to 20 $10,000 Proposal Up to 20 Up to 10 $150,000 Research Up to 10 Up to 10 winners share $1. 4M* $1,400,000 Total Prize Purse $3,100,000 *Amounts will be awarded based on several factors, including reported outcomes from this phase and performance during the Research Phase.

Amounts will range between a 1 st Place prize of $350,000, a 2 nd Place prize of $250,000, and up to eight 3 rd Place prizes of $100,000. Prize amounts may increase if there are prize purse dollars that were not awarded during previous phases of this Challenge. Participation in the CCMH 2.

0 is open to organizations that qualify for tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or are state or federally recognized Tribes, have a primary place of business in the United States, are not institutions of higher learning, and (at the time of submission) are not listed as the primary awardee on a NIH grant, cooperative agreement, or contract award.

Examples of eligible organizations include but are not limited to federal or state recognized Tribes, advocacy, local community, faith-based, and other similar groups with a demonstrated interest in conducting maternal health research. Eligible organizations may choose to partner with other groups, but the lead organization submitting to this challenge must meet the criteria stated below.

Organizations listed as the secondary or sub-awardee on a NIH grant, cooperative agreement, or contract are eligible to compete. Participating organizations may add or change partners as they successfully advance through the different phases of the challenge, so long all eligibility criteria and participation rules continue to be met.

(1) To be eligible to win a prize under this Challenge, a Participant Organization— Shall have registered to participate in the Challenge under the rules promulgated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as published in this announcement.

Shall have complied with all the requirements set forth in this announcement; Shall be incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United States; Shall be a registered tax-exempt organization and meet the criteria as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and/or a state or federally recognized Tribe; Shall not be an institution of higher learning as defined at 38 USC § 3452(f); Shall not, at the time of submission, be listed as the primary awardee on an active grant, cooperative agreement, or contract award issued by the National Institutes of Health; Shall not be a federal entity or federal employee acting within the scope of their employment; Shall not be an employee of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, or any other component of HHS) acting in their personal capacity; Who is employed by a federal agency or entity other than HHS (or any component of HHS), should consult with an agency ethics official to determine whether the federal ethics rules will limit or prohibit the acceptance of a prize under this Challenge; Shall not be a judge of the Challenge, or any other party involved with the design, production, execution, or distribution of the Challenge or the immediate family of such a party (i.e., spouse, parent, step-parent, child, or step-child).

In the case of any individuals participating on behalf of a Participant Organization, they shall be 18 years of age or older at the time of submission. (1) A Participant Organization may not use federal funds from a grant award or cooperative agreement to develop their Challenge submissions or to fund efforts in support of their Challenge submissions.

2) Federal contractors may not use federal funds from a contract to develop their Challenge submissions or to fund efforts in support of their Challenge submissions.

(3) By participating in this Challenge, each Participant Organization agrees to assume any and all risks and waive claims against the federal government and its related entities, except in the case of willful misconduct, for any injury, death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from participation in this Challenge, whether the injury, death, damage, or loss arises through negligence or otherwise.

(4) Based on the subject matter of the Challenge, the type of work that it will possibly require, as well as an analysis of the likelihood of any claims for death, bodily injury, property damage, or loss potentially resulting from Challenge participation, no Participant Organization participating in the Challenge is required to obtain liability insurance, or demonstrate financial responsibility in order to participate in this Challenge, or agree to indemnify the federal government against third party claims for damages arising from or related to Challenge activities in order to participate in this Challenge.

(5) A Participant Organization shall not be deemed ineligible because the Participant Organization used federal facilities or consulted with federal employees during the Challenge if the facilities and employees are made available to all Participant Organizations participating in the Challenge on an equitable basis.

(7) By participating in this Challenge, each Participant Organization grants to the NIH an irrevocable, paid-up, royalty-free nonexclusive worldwide license to reproduce, publish, post, link to, share, and display publicly the submission on the web or elsewhere, and a nonexclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable, paid-up license to practice, or have practiced for or on its behalf, the solution throughout the world.

Each Participant Organization will retain all other intellectual property rights in their submissions, as applicable. To participate in the Challenge, each Participant Organization must warrant that there are no legal obstacles to providing the above-referenced nonexclusive licenses of the Participant Organization’s rights to the federal government.

To receive an award, Participant Organizations will not be required to transfer their intellectual property rights to NIH, but Participant Organizations must grant to the federal government the nonexclusive licenses recited herein. (8) Each Participant Organization agrees to follow all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies.

(9) Each Participant Organization participating in this Challenge must comply with all terms and conditions of these rules, and participation in this Challenge constitutes each such Participant Organization’s full and unconditional agreement to abide by these rules. Winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements herein.

(10) As a condition for winning a cash prize in this Challenge, each Participant Organization that has been selected as a winner must complete and submit all requested winner verification and payment documents to NIH within 10 business days of formal notification. Failure to return all required verification documents by the date specified in the notification may be a basis for disqualification of a cash prize winning submission.

Basis Upon Which a Winner Will be Selected.

Submissions will be evaluated based upon the following Judging Criteria across each phase of the challenge: Training Phase Entry Application Evaluation Criteria Section Description Weight Eligibility This organization meets Challenge Eligibility Criteria Y/N Organization The organization is likely to use the learning acquired from this challenge and the mentoring support to help them be successful in future endeavors to decrease maternal morbidity and mortality in maternity care deserts and/or areas with barriers to care.

65% Motivation The organization’s potential to continue this work or other similar efforts that lead to reducing maternal morbidity and mortality because of this experience. They have some experience in running projects or initiatives.

25% Research idea The research project proposed is: Relevant to improving maternal health Feasible to accomplish or make meaningful progress within the Research Phase timeframe Will contribute to narrowing the gap in maternal mortality and morbidity rates Training Phase Final Submission Judging Criteria Section Description Weight Organization The organization is likely to use the learning acquired from this challenge and mentoring support to help them be successful in future endeavors.

The organization has sufficient relevant experience in running projects or initiatives, and their mission is aligned with the challenge’s goal of reducing the gap between the overall US maternal morbidity and mortality rates in maternity care deserts and/or areas with barriers to care.

40% Motivation The organization is likely to continue this work or other similar efforts related to reducing maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States because of this experience.

20% Research idea The research project proposed is: Relevant to improving maternal health and aligned with the IMPROVE initiative objectives Will contribute to narrowing the gap in maternal morbidity, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal mortality and morbidity rates in maternity care deserts and/or areas with barriers to care.

Feasible to accomplish or make meaningful progress on within the Research Phase timeframe Proposal Phase Judging Criteria Section Description Weight Research Quality The research idea is novel, feasible, and relevant. It is presented in a manner that is clear, concise, and compelling.

20 80 Rationale The underlying rationale for the proposed research and research capacity building is clearly communicated and supported with evidence or reasoning. 20 Activities The proposed research and research capacity building activities are feasible, well-thought out, and aligned with the presented timeline, budget, and resource sections.

10 Outcomes and impact The likely outcomes and possible impact of this work may address maternal morbidity and mortality rates in maternity care deserts and/or areas with barriers to care and is aligned with IMPROVE objectives. 10 Risk Key risks are identified, and mitigation strategies are provided.

Expertise and resources The proposal demonstrates a clear understanding of the resources needed to successfully execute the proposed research and research capacity building. A plan is provided for how the team plans to acquire all needed assets. 10 Project plan Timeline The proposed timeline is realistic and fits within the Research Phase period.

10 20 Budget The proposed budget is realistic and well-aligned with the expertise and resource section. 10 Research Phase Judging Criteria At the end of the Research Phase each organization will submit a report that summarizes their activities, research findings, conclusions, and developments in their research capacity.

This report will also include a project plan outlining next steps resulting from the initial findings and a supporting budget. Specific evaluation criteria for the research report submission will be announced at the conclusion of the Proposal Phase and prior to the start of the Research Phase.

In general, these reports are anticipated to be evaluated based on the following categories of criteria: Analysis of results and conclusions drawn from analysis Project plan and budget to support proposed next steps Other Challenges You May Be Interested In Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Join Connecting the Community for Maternal Health 2.

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