Star Legacy Foundation

About the Organization

Organization category

Public Charity

Country / State

United States / Minnesota

Mission

To increase awareness, support research, promote education, and encourage advocacy and family support regarding pregnancy loss, and infant death.

Programs or services

Extensive programs regarding family support, awareness, research and education

Detailed programs

Star Legacy Foundation delivers a comprehensive portfolio of programs designed to support families, strengthen healthcare practices, and advance stillbirth prevention through evidence‑based, scalable, and nationally replicable initiatives. Our core programs include Bereavement Support Services, offering peer support, resource navigation, and compassionate guidance for families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss; Professional Education & Training, which equips healthcare providers with standardized, evidence‑based curricula to improve the quality and consistency of care; and Stillbirth Prevention Initiatives that advance research partnerships, data‑driven public health strategies, and awareness campaigns aimed at reducing preventable losses. Additional programs include Community Outreach to expand public understanding and engagement, Advocacy & Policy Work to drive systemic improvements, and a robust suite of Implementation Toolkits that help hospitals and community partners adopt best‑practice standards with fidelity. Together, these programs form a cohesive, high‑impact framework that supports families, empowers professionals, and advances national change.

Target Audience

health professionals, families

Geographic Focus

United States, Canada

Current projects

Stillbirth Prevention Initiatives — Advancing research collaborations, analyzing public health data, and developing evidence‑based strategies to reduce preventable stillbirths nationwide.

Bereavement Support Expansion — Strengthening peer‑support models, enhancing digital resources, and improving family navigation tools to ensure consistent, compassionate care.

Professional Education Scaling — Updating curricula, increasing webinar capacity, and partnering with hospitals to elevate provider competency and standardize best practices.

Community Outreach Campaigns — Growing awareness initiatives, hosting public events, and expanding engagement to improve understanding of stillbirth and pregnancy loss.

Advocacy & Policy Advancement — Supporting legislative outreach, strengthening policy partnerships, and driving systemic improvements in prevention and bereavement care.

Implementation Toolkit Development — Creating and refining turnkey toolkits that help hospitals and community partners adopt evidence‑based standards with fidelity and replicability.

Advocacy & Policy Advancement — Supporting legislative outreach, strengthening policy partnerships, and driving systemic improvements in prevention and bereavement care.

Implementation Toolkit Development — Creating and refining turnkey toolkits that help hospitals and community partners adopt evidence‑based standards with fidelity and replicability.

International Partnership for Perinatal Excellence — Building a global networking and educational platform for health professionals committed to advancing stillbirth prevention, improving bereavement care, and promoting Star Legacy Foundation’s mission and vision worldwide.

Organization goals

Star Legacy Foundation’s organizational goals focus on expanding prevention, strengthening compassionate care, and building a sustainable national infrastructure that supports families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss. Our goals include advancing stillbirth prevention research and data‑driven public health strategies; enhancing and scaling bereavement support services to ensure families receive consistent, evidence‑based care; and broadening professional education to elevate provider competency across healthcare systems. We aim to deepen community outreach and advocacy efforts that increase awareness and drive systemic improvements, while strengthening organizational infrastructure to ensure long‑term sustainability, replicability, and national dissemination of best‑practice programs. Together, these goals guide our strategic direction and reinforce our commitment to reducing stillbirth and transforming the standard of care for grieving families nationwide.

Leadership

Lindsey Wimmer, DNP, CPNP, PHN, IPPE-C - Executive Director
Shauna Libsack - Operations Director
Shaylee Dave, DO - Board Chair
Barbara Toppin, MD - Medical Chair
Andrea Lang, JD - Board Member
Jared Ament, MD - Board Member
Jacqueline Grant, MD, MPH, MBA - Board Member
Steve Libsack - Board Member
Jenny Bender, MBA - Board Member

Strategic priorities

Star Legacy Foundation’s strategic priorities center on expanding impact, strengthening prevention, and ensuring every family experiencing pregnancy or infant loss receives compassionate, evidence‑based care. Our foremost priorities include advancing stillbirth prevention initiatives through research partnerships and data‑driven public health strategies; enhancing bereavement support services to improve emotional, informational, and practical care for grieving families; and scaling professional education to elevate provider competency nationwide. We are committed to broadening community outreach and advocacy efforts that increase awareness and drive systemic change, while investing in organizational infrastructure that ensures program sustainability, replicability, and national dissemination. These priorities guide our long‑term planning and reinforce our mission to reduce stillbirth and transform the standard of care for families across the country.

Organizational capacity

Star Legacy Foundation demonstrates strong organizational capacity through a well‑structured governance model, experienced leadership, and scalable program infrastructure that supports national impact. Our board provides strategic oversight and fiduciary stewardship, while our professional staff and trained volunteers deliver high‑quality, evidence‑based programs with consistency across diverse communities. We maintain robust operational systems—including program evaluation processes, standardized training curricula, and replicable implementation toolkits—that ensure fidelity, efficiency, and sustainability as initiatives grow. Strong partnerships with healthcare systems, researchers, and community organizations further expand our reach and reinforce our ability to disseminate best practices nationwide. Together, these elements demonstrate that Star Legacy Foundation has the organizational strength, infrastructure, and expertise required to manage resources responsibly and scale programs with measurable, lasting impact.

Funding Needs

Grant categories you're seeking

Health and Medical, Mental Health, Operating Support, Research and Evaluation, Science, Women, Youth and At-Risk Youth

Funding needs

Star Legacy Foundation’s funding needs center on sustaining and expanding the programs that directly support families, strengthen stillbirth prevention, and elevate national standards of bereavement care. Philanthropic investment allows us to broaden bereavement support services, enhance professional education for healthcare providers, and accelerate stillbirth prevention initiatives grounded in research and data‑driven public health strategies. Additional funding is needed to scale community outreach and advocacy efforts, expand our resource library, and strengthen organizational infrastructure to ensure long‑term sustainability, replicability, and national dissemination of best‑practice programs. These investments directly impact families’ experiences, improve provider competency, and advance systemic change—making donor support essential to fulfilling our mission and expanding our reach nationwide.

Impact & Recognition

Outcomes and impact

Star Legacy Foundation delivers measurable, nationally recognized outcomes that improve experiences, elevate standards of care, and strengthen prevention efforts across the perinatal loss landscape. Our programs consistently expand access to evidence‑based bereavement resources, increase provider competency through structured training, and improve family satisfaction with the support they receive during pregnancy and infant loss. We track impact through participation metrics, quality‑improvement feedback loops, and partnerships with hospitals and researchers, demonstrating year‑over‑year growth in reach and effectiveness. Families report greater emotional stabilization, clearer navigation of complex decisions, and reduced long‑term trauma when supported with our tools and trained professionals. Clinicians report increased confidence and adherence to best practices after completing our education modules. Community engagement continues to rise through our national webinars, peer‑support networks, and advocacy initiatives, strengthening public awareness and driving systemic improvements. Collectively, these outcomes show that Star Legacy Foundation’s programs not only transform individual experiences but also shift institutional culture toward compassionate, consistent, and data‑driven care.

Success stories

Our accomplishments in 2025 included:
Research
*Increased enrollment in the Pregnancy Research Project (PRP) by 6%.
*Provided more than $80,000 in research grants.
*Supported recruitment for 11 partner studies.
*Welcomed a new Research and Education Coordinator.

Family Support
*Supported 675 families through the Support Line (a 69% increase).
*Provided more than 250 hours of Support Groups with a 41% increase in attendance.
*Contacted 756 families referred to MNCSID and WICSID.
*Collected and distributed more than 5,500 baby items to newly bereaved families.

Continuing Education
*Continued the growth of the IPPE network, reaching 69 certified members and 39 partnering organizations.
*Hosted the Summit for Perinatal Excellence and published the proceedings.
*Launched Perinatal Grand Rounds and Beyond the Silent Stars podcasts.
*Launched 38 new online learning modules with a 140% increase in utilization.
*Hosted 18 live workshops, presented at 13 meetings, and exhibited at 27 conferences.
*Distributed nearly 150,000 family education materials to 450 health organizations.
*Offered monthly childbirth education classes for pregnancy after loss.
Building Awareness
*Hosted 20 Champion Events.
*Chapters hosted 27 family support/awareness events and 19 community events.
*Increased social media followers by 18%.
*Featured on NFL cleats and partnered with Mrs. Alabama and Moonpig greeting cards.

Volunteers
*Benefitted from more than 100 trained peers on the peer support team.
*Logged more than 5,000 volunteer hours.

Organizational Growth
*Added 8 new chapters to the organization.
*Hosted the Chapter Leadership Retreat in Victoria, MN.

Advocacy
*Supported 9 federal, state, and local initiatives supporting bereaved families.

Organization achievements

Star Legacy Foundation’s organizational achievements reflect sustained national leadership in perinatal bereavement support, education, and advocacy. We have built a comprehensive suite of evidence‑based programs that elevate standards of care in hospitals and communities, expanded professional training that measurably improves provider competency, and developed widely used family‑support resources that reduce trauma and strengthen long‑term wellbeing. Our collaborations with healthcare systems, researchers, and policy partners have advanced data‑driven approaches to stillbirth prevention and bereavement care, while our national webinars, peer networks, and outreach campaigns have significantly increased public awareness and engagement. These achievements demonstrate our capacity to innovate, scale, and maintain high‑impact initiatives that transform both individual experiences and institutional practices across the country.

Major funders

Schultze Family Foundation
Murphy Family Foundation
Minnesota Department of Health
Wisconsin Department of Health
Memorials and Donations

Partnerships & Collaborations

Star Legacy Foundation eagerly works with organizations who share our mission and vision and regularly collaborates on projects including education and research.

Sustainability, dissemination & replicability

Star Legacy Foundation’s programs are built for long‑term sustainability, supported by diversified funding, strong clinical and community partnerships, and standardized, evidence‑based frameworks that remain effective across changing environments. Our national dissemination strategy leverages accredited clinician education, a robust digital resource library, and an active chapter network to ensure rapid, wide‑reaching impact. Because each initiative uses modular curricula, implementation guides, and a train‑the‑trainer model, our programs are highly replicable in hospitals, public health agencies, and community organizations nationwide—allowing every funded project to scale well beyond its initial grant period.

Internal checks & balances to prevent fraud

Star Legacy Foundation maintains rigorous internal controls to ensure financial integrity and prevent fraud, including segregation of duties, dual authorization for all expenditures, independent board‑level financial oversight, and an annual external audit conducted by a certified accounting firm. All grant‑restricted funds are tracked in separate cost centers with detailed reporting, supported by documented financial policies covering procurement, reimbursement, conflicts of interest, whistleblower protections, and record retention. Our secure financial systems use role‑based access controls and audit logs to prevent unauthorized activity. Together, these safeguards create a transparent, accountable structure that protects donor resources and ensures responsible stewardship of all grant funds.

Get Involved

How can volunteers get involved?

Star Legacy Foundation engages volunteers in ways that directly strengthen program sustainability, expand community reach, and enhance the quality of support offered to families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss. Volunteers contribute through family support roles, community outreach, education and training assistance, and event and fundraising support—all of which help disseminate best‑practice resources, increase organizational capacity, and ensure consistent, compassionate services nationwide. Their involvement strengthens peer‑support networks, boosts public awareness, and reinforces the replicability of our programs across diverse communities, making volunteers an essential driver of the Foundation’s mission and long‑term impact.

How can donors support your mission?

Donors play a vital role in advancing Star Legacy Foundation’s mission by providing the resources that sustain high‑quality bereavement support, expand prevention initiatives, and strengthen national awareness of stillbirth and pregnancy loss. Their contributions enable the development and dissemination of evidence‑based family resources, the delivery of professional education that improves standards of care, and the growth of community outreach and advocacy efforts that drive systemic change. Donor support also fuels research partnerships, program innovation, and the creation of replicable toolkits that help hospitals and communities adopt best practices nationwide. By investing in these initiatives, donors directly impact families’ experiences, empower healthcare providers, and accelerate progress toward reducing stillbirth and improving compassionate care across the country.

Do you accept partnerships?

Star Legacy Foundation actively welcomes partnerships that strengthen our mission, expand program reach, and enhance the quality of care provided to families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss. We collaborate with healthcare systems, research institutions, community organizations, and advocacy groups to advance evidence‑based practices, improve provider education, and broaden access to compassionate bereavement resources. These partnerships support program sustainability, facilitate national dissemination of best‑practice tools, and ensure replicability across diverse settings. By working collaboratively, we amplify impact, accelerate innovation, and build a stronger, more responsive network of support for families nationwide.

Are you seeking board members?

Star Legacy Foundation is actively open to welcoming new board members who can strengthen governance, expand strategic capacity, and help advance our mission to improve stillbirth prevention and compassionate bereavement care nationwide. We seek individuals committed to evidence‑based practice, community engagement, and organizational sustainability—especially those with expertise in healthcare leadership, public health, nonprofit governance, fundraising, or advocacy. New board members help guide long‑term strategy, strengthen partnerships, and ensure our programs remain scalable, replicable, and responsive to families’ needs. We welcome inquiries from candidates who share our commitment to reducing stillbirth and improving care for grieving families.

Website & Social Media