FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date – April 10, 2025
Washington Area Women’s Foundation Launches Maternal Health & Birth Equity Initiative
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, Washington Area Women’s Foundation proudly announces the launch of its Maternal Health & Birth Equity Program, a bold, community-driven effort to eliminate racial disparities in maternal health outcomes.
Every birthing person in the Washington, D.C. region—especially Black women and women of color—deserves access to high-quality care and support. Yet systemic barriers continue to jeopardize their lives. This initiative will ensure that resources are directed toward solutions that confront these inequities head-on and foster lasting change.
Despite being home to some of the nation’s leading healthcare institutions, the region continues to experience significant maternal health inequities:
- In Washington, D.C., 1 in 4 birthing people lack adequate prenatal care.
- In Prince George’s County, Maryland, that number rises to 1 in 2.
- Black D.C. residents account for half of all births but 90% of pregnancy-related deaths.
“Our region is failing Black and brown birthing people,” said Dr. Tamara Wilds Lawson, President and CEO of The Women’s Foundation. “These disparities are not new—but they are unacceptable. This initiative is about action. It’s about shifting resources to trusted, community-rooted birth workers and solutions that we know will save lives.
In 2024, WAWF conducted an in-depth landscape analysis in collaboration with Boldly Go Philanthropy, engaging midwives and doulas to better understand the region’s maternal health crisis. The findings reinforced what birth maternal health advocates to workers and families have long recognized: systemic barriers, including inadequate prenatal care, economic insecurity, and a lack of culturally competent providers, are driving preventable maternal and infant deaths.
In response, the Maternal Health & Birth Equity Initiative will advance solutions that put women and families at the center:
- Expanding and sustaining the birth workforce by investing in Black and Brown midwives, doulas, and perinatal health professionals.
- Addressing social determinants of health by improving access to stable housing, nutritious food, and financial security.
- Enhancing maternal mental health support through culturally responsive, trauma-informed care.
- Reducing maternal and infant mortality by funding community-led solutions and amplifying advocacy efforts for systemic change.
This initiative is made possible by the generous support of partners, including the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, Boldly Go Philanthropy, Greater Washington Community Foundation, and the Meyer Foundation.
To learn more about the Maternal Health & Birth Equity Initiative or explore funding opportunities, visit thewomensfoundation.org or contact us at info@wawf.org.
About Washington Area Women’s Foundation
Washington Area Women’s Foundation is the only community-supported foundation dedicated to advancing the economic security of women and girls of color in the Washington, D.C. region. For 27 years, The Women’s Foundation has worked to break down structural barriers to economic stability, investing more than $17 million in over 215 local organizations and individuals through strategic grantmaking and advocacy. To learn more or contribute to our mission, visit thewomensfoundation.org.
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