Maternal & Infant Health Initiative

Maternal & Infant Health Initiative is sponsored by The Health Fund. The Health Fund's Maternal & Infant Health Initiative supports community-driven, locally focused projects to improve birth and health outcomes for infants and their families in communities throughout Michigan.

Maternal & Infant Health - Michigan Health Endowment Fund Below you’ll find a list of grants from our most recent cohort. Details about all of our past grants are available in our searchable Grant Database .

2025 –2027 Gun Lake Tribe Maternal-Child Health Initiative Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Allegan, Barry, Kalamazoo, Kent, Ottawa To establish accessible and culturally relevant maternal health services for Indigenous families, the Gun Lake Tribe will launch a comprehensive program at the Gun Lake Tribal Health Center.

The initiative will train staff, develop referral systems and care protocols, and offer perinatal services, including doula support, home visits, and childbirth education, guided by community input and supported through partnerships with tribal health leaders.

Upper Peninsula Health Care Solutions Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Alger, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon, Schoolcraft To improve access to care for birthing individuals with substance use or opioid use disorders in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the CIRCLE UP program will integrate evidence-based pharmacotherapy, mental health services, and support for social determinants of health into pre- and postnatal care through a virtual recovery model.

The initiative will collaborate with local providers and partners to serve reduce treatment barriers, and train healthcare professionals, while establishing a replicable model for virtual recovery services to expand access across the region and state.

Community Health Doulas: Improving Birth Outcomes in Flint The Regents of the University of Michigan Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Genesee To address the significant impact of social determinants of health (SDOHs) on maternal health outcomes, this project will implement a Community Health Doula program, consisting of doulas training community health workers (CHWs) as doulas to provide support for both pregnancy and social needs.

The community health doulas will directly serve approximately 120 birthing people presenting for prenatal care at the Hurley OB/GYN Clinic, specifically low-income and Medicaid-elgibile patients.

Community-based Intervention to Reduce the Reliance on Cannabis Use Among Pregnant Individuals in MI Michigan State University Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Statewide To reduce prenatal cannabis use in Michigan, Michigan State University (MSU) will conduct a study and develop a cannabis education toolkit for health professionals.

The project will identify barriers to managing pregnancy-related symptoms without cannabis, train community health professionals on evidence-based harm-reduction strategies, and implement a pilot intervention through two local health partners to provide additional counseling and prenatal care for pregnant individuals using cannabis.

Comprehensive Maternal Health Advocacy Initiative Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Wayne To expand culturally competent maternal and infant health services for Arab American and Middle Eastern North African families in Dearborn, Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities will launch a community-based support program led by bilingual maternal health advocates and community advocates.

The initiative will provide personalized case management, prenatal and postpartum education, and referrals to local clinics and social service programs, while also partnering with faith-based organizations and healthcare providers to increase awareness and access to culturally and linguistically relevant care.

Continuum of Care Initiative Corewell Health Foundation Southwest Michigan Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Berrien To improve maternal and infant health outcomes for Black and Brown families in Benton Harbor, the Continuum of Care Initiative will deploy Maternal and Infant Health (MIH) Navigators to strengthen care coordination and support.

Through partnerships with local health providers and community organizations, navigators will help families navigate prenatal and postpartum care, access resources, and overcome barriers to consistent, culturally responsive care.

Cradle Kalamazoo Connect Care Doula Program Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Kalamazoo To reduce racial disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes in Kalamazoo, the Connect Care Doula Program will integrate doulas into clinical care teams and establish a sustainable, community-based doula workforce.

The program will create a culturally responsive, tiered doula registry linked to the state system, provide free training and mentorship to certify doulas, particularly those specializing in underserved populations, and connect them with families based on specific needs.

Cultural and Linguistic Support for Peripartum Patients Western Michigan University Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Kalamazoo To reduce disparities in maternity-related risks and health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum migrant and refugee individuals in Kalamazoo County, Western Michigan University aims to increase service accessibility through contracting translators and interpreters, training home visitors, and tailoring and translating educational materials to support culturally and linguistically diverse families, aiming to reach 200 families who previously lacked access to home visiting services.

Daddy as a Doula (DAD) Initiative Genesee County Health Department Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Genesee To improve maternal and infant health outcomes in Genesee County, the Daddy as a Doula (DAD) program will train fathers to serve as non-professional doulas for their partners.

Through a culturally relevant, doula-adjacent model led by InvolvedDad and other partners, the initiative will teach comfort techniques, advocacy, and postnatal care to 50 fathers over two years, strengthening family support systems in underserved communities.

Enhancing Maternal Mental Health & Birth Outcomes at CHASS Community Health and Social Services Center, Inc. Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Wayne To address the significant risk of postpartum depression and anxiety among low-income and minority women, CHASS is enhancing existing programs and introducing new initiatives in Southwest Detroit.

CHASS plans to expand their evidence-based ROSE Program (an intervention to prevent postpartum depression) and enhance their Doula Program by utilizing dual bilingual CHW doulas to improve birth outcomes and target Black and Latina women in the community.

Equity in Birth: Transforming Care for Survivors of Domestic & Sexual Violence Michigan Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Statewide To improve maternal health and support survivors of domestic and sexual violence, this project will train doulas, birthing professionals, and survivor advocates across Michigan.

The training will focus on addressing the intersection of domestic and sexual violence with maternal health, specifically targeting perinatal survivors from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, as well as those in rural areas, to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

The project will also leverage sustainable training models to equip professionals with the tools needed to deliver trauma-informed, survivor-centered care and ensure lasting impact across the state.

Establishing an Integrated Care Clinic Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Macomb, Oakland, Wayne To address the significant risk of maternal mortality and associated with substance use disorders during pregnancy, the Family Medicine Department at Henry Ford Health proposes the first integrated prenatal clinic in the Detroit metro area.

This holistic approach aims to provide comprehensive care to pregnant individuals with substance use disorders and their families, leveraging addiction medicine and obstetric care clinicians, training providers, and managing policies and procedures to improve patient outcomes and reduce stigma, potentially serving as a model for healthcare facilities statewide.

Family Wellness Promotion Berrien County Health Department Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Berrien To address critical issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Family Wellness Promotion project will directly target family systems in Berrien County, focusing on strengthening support networks and promoting maternal and infant health.

Through initiatives like safe sleep practices and mental health first aid training, Berrien County Health Department aims to mitigate risks associated with infant mortality and adverse birth outcomes, particularly in high-risk areas like Benton Harbor, thereby improving community health outcomes.

GLOW with YOLO: Serving Families in the Postpartum Period Michigan Breastfeeding Network Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Genesee To address critical postpartum care needs, particularly among families of color, this project will expand YOLO Clinic’s services to identify and mitigate risks such as hypertension and maternal mental health issues, building on the foundation of trust established by the existing clinic in Flint, Michigan.

This initiative, supported by a previous Michigan Health Endowment Fund planning grant, will provide prenatal and postpartum nutrition education, mental health sessions, doula services, and educational materials, fill gaps in care and potentially offer a replicable model for equitable healthcare statewide.

Improving access to care for pregnant women with SUDs District Health Department #10 Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Wexford To improve maternal and infant health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum people with substance use disorders (SUDs) in Northwest Michigan, this project will provide equitable access to evidence-based treatment and services.

By integrating a community health worker (CHW) into the Grand Traverse Women’s Clinic, the project will address barriers such as transportation and stigma, and develop methods such as telehealth and in-home services to ensure comprehensive, holistic support for 200 women and 100 infants.

Improving Maternal Health Outcomes for Former Foster Youth Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Macomb, Oakland, Wayne To improve maternal and infant health outcomes for youth impacted by or aging out of foster care, The New Foster Care (TNFC) will provide comprehensive doula services, mental health care, and engage in systems advocacy.

TNFC will integrate pre- and post-partum doula services into its programs, train staff on therapeutic practices, and collaborate with partners to create and share a manual for maternal health tailored to youth in foster care, with the goal of creating a replicable model for systemic change.

In-Home Maternal Infant Health Partnership Mid Michigan Community Action Agency, Inc Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Midland To improve access to maternal and infant health services in Midland County, this project will expand in-home visits to provide both Early Head Start (EHS) and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) for families encountering service access obstacles.

By hiring a WIC Nutrition Counselor and Breastfeeding Coordinator, identifying eligible families, and ensuring continuous monitoring, this project aims to demonstrate the benefits of combining these services in rural communities, leading to improved maternal and infant health outcomes and informing future sustainability endeavors.

Increasing Utilization in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan Hospitality House of the Upper Peninsula Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Alger, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon, Schoolcraft To improve access to prenatal healthcare and accommodations for high-risk pregnancies and for families of infants in the NICU in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the Hospitality House of the Upper Peninsula (HHUP) aims to raise awareness of their no-cost overnight and specialized accommodations by creating a comprehensive network connecting healthcare providers across the Upper Peninsula.

This initiative will collaborate with regional partners to implement tailored tracking systems, conduct surveys, and liaise with healthcare providers, aiming to address barriers for pregnant individuals attempting to receive care at the only birthing-hospital in the U. P, minutes away from HHUP.

Ingham County Black Doula Cohort: Next Steps Ingham County Health Department Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Ingham To expand access to culturally responsive maternal care, the Ingham County Health Department will strengthen and support a network of Black doulas through training, peer support, and systems integration.

Building on prior efforts, the project will offer postpartum doula training, establish a Black Doula Collective, and collaborate with healthcare providers and hospitals to increase referrals, improve reimbursement, and institutionalize doulas as part of the maternal care team.

LCP (Lactation Consultant Program) Expand Henry Ford College Foundation Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Statewide expand access to lactation support and improve breastfeeding outcomes across Michigan, the Lactation Consultant Program expansion will enhance Henry Ford College Foundation’s existing training through virtual education and local mentoring.

This initiative will expand access to culturally congruent lactation care by providing online courses, hands-on clinical rotations with local mentors, and a specialized Breastfeeding Masterclass for Doulas, aimed at increasing the number of qualified lactation consultants and addressing workforce gaps in areas with high population density.

Michigan Young Parents Initiative (MYPI) Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Berrien To address systemic barriers to breastfeeding among marginalized communities, particularly young parents and Black individuals in Berrien County, the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH) and its partners propose a multi-tiered youth engagement program, the Michigan Young Parents Initiative (MYPI).

This initiative will leverage youth parent leadership and advocacy in conducting trainings, developing educational materials, and arranging youth-led trainings for adults, ultimately aiming to reduce poor health outcomes for young birthing parents and infants in Berrien County. Additionally, doula training will be offered for any young parent who wishes to become a supporting birth worker.

Multi-Pronged Intervention to Decrease Maternal Nicotine Use Western U. P. Health Department Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw, Ontonagon To improve maternal smoking cessation rates and encourage implementation of The Smoking Cessation and Reduction in Pregnancy Treatment (SCRIPT) in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.

P.) , this project will assign each participant a community health worker (CHW) to provide active encouragement and reduce capacity burdens of providers. This initiative involves collaboration with stakeholders to identify barriers and involve prenatal care practices in implementing this multi-pronged intervention.

Neighborhood-Specific CHW for Southern Macomb County Southeastern Michigan Health Association Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Macomb To address the concerning trend of sleep-related infant deaths in Macomb County, this project focuses on reducing infant mortality rates through community health workers (CHWs) recruited from target communities, who will provide holistic education, mental health support, and client-centered care plans particularly for individuals experiencing a lack of prenatal care.

The neighborhood-specific CHWs supported by a professional development center will focus on high-risk birthing parent-baby dyads and provide connections to necessary follow-up care in collaboration with birthing center social workers.

Michigan State University Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Genesee, Wayne To address high maternal mortality rates among Black mothers, this project will develop and pilot the Patient Advocate app to amplify patient concerns, improve patient-provider communication, and enhance the exchange of vital health information.

By connecting patients with advocates, integrating processes into Henry Ford Health’s care workflows, and gathering community feedback, the app aims to reduce disparities in care, combat the dismissal of concerns, and enhance maternal health outcomes in Metro Detroit and Flint, Michigan.

Promoting Health Outcomes for Birthing People Through Doulas Genesee County Legal Aid Society d/b/a Center for Civil Justice Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Arenac, Bay, Clare, Genesee, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Lapeer, Midland, Saginaw, St.

Clair, Sanilac, Tuscola To improve birth outcomes and reduce maternal mortality among Black and Hispanic birthing people, Genesee County Legal Aid Society will raise awareness of the new Medicaid doula reimbursement policy to over 4,0000 Medicaid-eligible individuals in order to educate birthing persons on the options available through doula services.

Rural Access to Breastfeeding Support Marlette Regional Hospital Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Huron, Lapeer, Sanilac, Tuscola To address the severe lack of breastfeeding support available in Michigan’s Thumb region, Marlette Regional Hospital will initiate a breastfeeding access program led by a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, offering individual consultations and community classes at primary care facilities and community classes.

This initiative will provide comprehensive support, including assessments, education, and expression techniques to approximately 200 mother-infant pairs throughout the grant period.

Rx Kids – Eastern Upper Peninsula Michigan State University Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Alger, Chippewa, Luce, Mackinac, Schoolcraft The purpose of the project is to advance health equity by proactively addressing maternal and infant economic instability.

To do this, Michigan State University’s Pediatric Public Health Initiative will work with the University of Michigan Poverty Solutions, GiveDirectly, and with health care providers and maternal/infant partners in the Eastern Upper Peninsula to pilot an unconditional cash transfer program where care providers “prescribe” all expectant mothers a one-time prenatal allowance and all infants (0-1 year) monthly allowances for one year.

Smoking Cessation Among Perinatal Medicaid Recipients The Regents of the University of Michigan Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Alpena, Allegan, Antrim, Arenac, Barry, Bay, Benzie, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Clinton, Crawford, Eaton, Emmet, Genesee, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Huron, Ingham, Ionia, Iosco, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Kent, Lake, Lapeer, Leelanau, Lenawee, Livingston, Mackinac, Macomb, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Monroe, Montcalm, Montmorency, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oakland, Oceana, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Ottawa, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, St.

Clair, St. Joseph, Sanilac, Shiawassee, Tuscola, Van Buren, Washtenaw, Wayne, Wexford, Alcona To tackle the health concern of smoking during pregnancy, a collaborative effort led by the University of Michigan, Michigan Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), and MDHHS, has initiated the implementation of a technology-driven tobacco recovery program called Incentives2Quit.

The program aims to increase successful quit attempts among pregnant smokers through motivational interviewing and incentive-based treatment, paving the way for broader implementation and potential sustainable coverage for pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries statewide.

Using AI to Target Maternal SDoH Needs for CHW Intervention Program: Maternal & Infant Health Geography: Oakland, Wayne To create more equitable screening and enhance community health worker (CHW) impact that leverages the CHW Medicaid reimbursement policy, this program will utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to identify social determinants of health (SDOH) associated with adverse outcomes for all pregnant women served by Corewell Health East and help target CHW outreach.

Oakland University’s AI technology, integrated with Corewell Health East’s electronic medical record (EMR) system, will identify top SDOH categories impacting maternal and infant health outcomes, allowing CHWs to conduct individualized outreach using an SDOH scorecard without requiring open access to patient EMR records.

View all Maternal & Infant Health grants As of 2026, we are incorporating our grantmaking in maternal and infant health into our new Healthy Kids Initiative . We will continue to support projects that impact infants, mothers, and families, as well as maintain our focus on reducing disparities, increasing access to care, and improving birth and health outcomes. To learn more, view our 2026-2031 Strategic Framework .

Details on our Healthy Kids grantmaking priorities will be shared ahead of the launch of our RFP in spring 2026.