Direct Relief, Birth Center Equity Award $250k to Expand Care

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<h1>Direct Relief Invests in Community Birth Centers to Improve Maternal and Newborn Health</h1> <p>By Brea Burkholz</p> <p>Direct Relief is expanding its support for maternal and newborn health in the United States through new investments in nonprofit community birth centers providing care in medically underserved communities.</p> <p>Through a new partnership with <a href="https://birthcenterequity.org/" data-type="link" data-id="https://birthcenterequity.org/">Birth Center Equity</a>, or BCE, Direct Relief has awarded five grants totaling $250,000 to nonprofit birth centers in Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Washington. The funding will support expanded prenatal, birth, postpartum, and preventive services tailored to the communities each organization serves.</p> <p>"Every mother and every baby deserves the opportunity for a healthy start, and that begins with access to quality care from people they trust," said Amy Weaver, Chief Executive Officer of Direct Relief. "Around the world and here in the United States, Direct Relief is investing in the healthcare providers who care for women and babies at some of life's most important moments. The partnership with Birth Center Equity reflects that commitment by putting resources directly into the hands of organizations that know their communities and are there for families before, during, and after birth."</p> <p>The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income countries, with significant disparities in outcomes for Black and Indigenous mothers. Nearly seven million women live in maternity care ‘deserts’, where access to obstetric services is severely limited or nonexistent, and communities across the country continue to experience shortages of maternity care providers and postpartum support.</p> <p>Community birth centers are one part of the maternal healthcare landscape. Led primarily by certified nurse-midwives, certified professional midwives, and certified midwives, they provide care throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, as well as preventive health services. Research has associated midwifery-led models of care with positive maternal and newborn outcomes, including lower rates of cesarean birth, fewer low-birth-weight infants, increased breastfeeding, and higher patient satisfaction.</p> <p>The grants are part of the inaugural Community Health Awards: Improving Family Wellbeing Through Community Birth Centers, a collaborative initiative developed by Direct Relief and Birth Center Equity.</p> <p>Birth Center Equity is a national organization working to strengthen community birth infrastructure through a network of more than 70 birth centers led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color across 26 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. BCE builds with and supports birth centers and their leaders with resources designed to strengthen their capacity and expand access to safe midwifery care.</p> <p>"Every person deserves to bring life into this world wrapped in safety, dignity, and love," said Leseliey Welch, Co-Founder of Birth Center Equity. "Community birth centers are built in response to the hopes, dreams, and needs of the communities they call home. We're honored to partner with Direct Relief to invest in five Birth Center Equity network organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and people of colorâstrengthening essential community birth infrastructure and moving us toward a future where every community has access to safe, culturally reverent midwifery care."</p> <p>The inaugural award recipients are:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Mujeres Ayudando Madres (San Juan, Puerto Rico)</strong> will expand community partnerships that increase access to maternity care and strengthen support for families across Puerto Rico, including rural communities.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Birth Detroit (Detroit, Michigan)</strong> will expand midwifery-led services and introduce well-person care to meet growing community demand and support long-term sustainability.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Breath of My Heart Birthplace (EspaÃ±ola, New Mexico)</strong> will expand maternity care for rural families through culturally responsive services and partnerships supporting Indigenous communities.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Aya Birth and Community Wellness (North Carolina) </strong>will increase the capacity of its freestanding birth center while expanding outreach through a community volunteer network.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>S<strong>outh Seattle Women's Health Foundation (Seattle, Washington) </strong>will extend continuity of care beyond the traditional postpartum period, supporting families through a child's first five years while improving access for multilingual communities.</li> </ul> <p>Together, the five organizations represent communities across the country and provide care spanning pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and longer-term family health.</p> <p>In addition to grant funding, all five organizations will be eligible to receive donated medicines and medical supplies through Direct Relief's U.S. safety-net healthcare program.</p> <p>A second round of Community Health Awards is planned for 2027.</p> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.directrelief.org/2026/10/direct-relief-bce-maternal-health-grants/"><meta rel="syndication-source" href="https://www.directrelief.org/2026/10/direct-relief-bce-maternal-health-grants/"><script type="application/ld+json">
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Direct Relief is expanding its support for maternal and newborn health in the United States through new investments in nonprofit community birth centers providing care in medically underserved communities.

Through a new partnership with Birth Center Equity, or BCE, Direct Relief has awarded five grants totaling $250,000 to nonprofit birth centers in Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Washington. The funding will support expanded prenatal, birth, postpartum, and preventive services tailored to the communities each organization serves.

“Every mother and every baby deserves the opportunity for a healthy start, and that begins with access to quality care from people they trust,” said Amy Weaver, Chief Executive Officer of Direct Relief. “Around the world and here in the United States, Direct Relief is investing in the healthcare providers who care for women and babies at some of life’s most important moments. The partnership with Birth Center Equity reflects that commitment by putting resources directly into the hands of organizations that know their communities and are there for families before, during, and after birth.”

The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income countries, with significant disparities in outcomes for Black and Indigenous mothers. Nearly seven million women live in maternity care ‘deserts’, where access to obstetric services is severely limited or nonexistent, and communities across the country continue to experience shortages of maternity care providers and postpartum support.

Community birth centers are one part of the maternal healthcare landscape. Led primarily by certified nurse-midwives, certified professional midwives, and certified midwives, they provide care throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, as well as preventive health services. Research has associated midwifery-led models of care with positive maternal and newborn outcomes, including lower rates of cesarean birth, fewer low-birth-weight infants, increased breastfeeding, and higher patient satisfaction.

The grants are part of the inaugural Community Health Awards: Improving Family Wellbeing Through Community Birth Centers, a collaborative initiative developed by Direct Relief and Birth Center Equity.

Birth Center Equity is a national organization working to strengthen community birth infrastructure through a network of more than 70 birth centers led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color across 26 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. BCE builds with and supports birth centers and their leaders with resources designed to strengthen their capacity and expand access to safe midwifery care.

“Every person deserves to bring life into this world wrapped in safety, dignity, and love,” said Leseliey Welch, Co-Founder of Birth Center Equity. “Community birth centers are built in response to the hopes, dreams, and needs of the communities they call home. We’re honored to partner with Direct Relief to invest in five Birth Center Equity network organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color—strengthening essential community birth infrastructure and moving us toward a future where every community has access to safe, culturally reverent midwifery care.”

A family is photographed here after a birth, supported by Mujeres Ayudando Madres, a Direct Relief grant recipient. (Photo by Nathalee Hernandez)

The inaugural award recipients are:

Mujeres Ayudando Madres (San Juan, Puerto Rico) will expand community partnerships that increase access to maternity care and strengthen support for families across Puerto Rico, including rural communities.

Birth Detroit (Detroit, Michigan) will expand midwifery-led services and introduce well-person care to meet growing community demand and support long-term sustainability.

Breath of My Heart Birthplace (Española, New Mexico) will expand maternity care for rural families through culturally responsive services and partnerships supporting Indigenous communities.

Aya Birth and Community Wellness (North Carolina) will increase the capacity of its freestanding birth center while expanding outreach through a community volunteer network.

South Seattle Women’s Health Foundation (Seattle, Washington) will extend continuity of care beyond the traditional postpartum period, supporting families through a child’s first five years while improving access for multilingual communities.

Together, the five organizations represent communities across the country and provide care spanning pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and longer-term family health.

In addition to grant funding, all five organizations will be eligible to receive donated medicines and medical supplies through Direct Relief’s U.S. safety-net healthcare program.

A second round of Community Health Awards is planned for 2027.

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Direct Relief Invests in Community Birth Centers to Improve Maternal and Newborn Health

In partnership with Birth Center Equity, five nonprofit organizations receive funding to expand maternity care in underserved communities across the United States.

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