In July 2025, St. David’s Foundation launched the Healthy Births, Healthy Communities funding opportunity, focused on strengthening the maternal health ecosystem in Central Texas. Centered on the belief that healthy births are a cornerstone of healthy communities, this open call awarded $7.3 million in grants to support culturally responsive, community-informed perinatal care that improves maternal health and birth outcomes.

A total of 11 grants were awarded to:

• Support pregnant and parenting women to achieve better maternal health outcomes.
• Formalize existing collaboratives to build momentum and shared capacity.
• Advance a stronger, more equitable maternal health ecosystem across the region.

Together, these grantees will work in close partnership to address systemic gaps that prevent marginalized Central Texans—particularly women of color—from accessing perinatal services and supports that are culturally responsive, community-driven, and designed to their unique needs.

Overview

Healthy births are an essential element of advancing health equity in Central Texas. 

For too many Central Texans, systemic barriers have resulted in significant disparities in birth and maternal health outcomes. These stark disparities are especially pronounced by race/ethnicity. In Texas, Black mothers experience serious, unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery at twice the rate of their white counterparts. These outcomes can lead to significant short- and long-term negative impacts. In Central Texas specifically, rates of severe maternal morbidity have risen sharply over the past five years. 

The goal of the Healthy Births, Healthy Communities funding opportunity is to increase regional capacity in Central Texas to provide culturally responsive, community-informed perinatal health support within and beyond clinics to improve maternal health and birth outcomes. We aim to resource trusted, community-based organizations and networks that are advancing culturally relevant, community-led solutions that serve pregnant women, especially pregnant women of color, who face systemic barriers to quality care and healthy birth outcomes. 

Grant recipients received a flexible, one-time, 24-month grant. 

Grant Recipients

• Any Baby Can of Austin
• Black Mamas ATX
• Black Mamas Village
• Giving Austin Labor Support
• Luz de Atabey Midwifery Project
• Mama Sana Vibrant Woman*
• Partners in Parenting
• The Maternal Health Equity Collaborative*
• UpTogether

*Organization received two grants for this funding opportunity

Data Snapshot

A look at the Healthy Births, Healthy Communities grant recipients

We believe that data can serve as an instrument for accountability regarding who we are and who we serve through our investments and programs. Through this data snapshot, we invite you to learn more about the grant recipients of the Healthy Births, Healthy Communities open call and our commitment to health equity.

Note: Organizational demographic data is not a component of the Foundation’s grantmaking rubric and is not used in determining grant eligibility or selection.