Grants ranging from $500 to $10,000 to Minnesota nonprofits, for-profits, and government agencies to improve pregnancy and birth outcomes for women. Funding will be provided for projects that improve access to and deliver quality care and education to pregnant women and women of childbearing age, or to provide education to health care providers, on one or more of the below-listed priority areas.
All grant proposals must address the March of Dimes mission of improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Priority will be given to projects that meet one or more of the following criteria: a) focused on prematurity prevention; b) evidence- based; c) include measurable outcomes; and d) promote equity in birth outcomes. Projects may focus on consumers and/or health care providers.
Organizations serving African American, American Indian, or other communities of color are highly encouraged to apply. Organizations serving pregnant women in Hennepin, Ramsey, St. Louis, Beltrami, and Olmstead Counties are highly encouraged to apply.
Priority Areas:
- Group Prenatal Care - Implementation, continuation, or expansion of group prenatal care: Group prenatal care reduces rates of preterm birth by combining prenatal care with group education and support services. The March of Dimes is looking to fund start-up/training costs and/or ongoing implementation/ expansion costs that might include training (e.g. initial, advanced, or train-the-trainer), materials, consultation support costs, meeting costs, etc.
- Birth Spacing - Encouraging women to space pregnancies at least 18 months apart: Fully one-third of all pregnancies in the USA occur less than 18 months after the birth of a child, which is a known risk factor for preterm birth. Appropriate birth spacing would measurably reduce national preterm birth rates. (Potential proposals may include quality improvement, utilizing programs such as IMPLICIT (Interventions to Minimize Preterm and Low Birthweight Infants through Continuous Improvement Techniques), One Key Question®, or other QI initiatives within OB, primary care, family medicine or pediatric providers that would increase discussion of, access to and patient education about birth spacing.)
- 17P for the Prevention of Recurrent Preterm Birth - Increasing use of progesterone for women with a history of prior preterm birth: Weekly progesterone injections for at-risk women are proven to reduce preterm birth in women with a prior preterm birth, but this therapy is dramatically under-utilized.
Allowable Costs Include:
- Salary - grant funds may be used to cover salaries for project-related employees, but cannot be used to pay salary costs for employees who are already employed full-time. Exceptions may be made in circumstances where a specified position is supported primarily by grant funds and the applicant can demonstrate that the requested funds would replace existing grant funds.
- Consultant fees.
- Materials and supplies (e.g. office supplies, health-related materials, refreshments, incentives) necessary to accomplish the specific objectives of the proposal that are usually "used up" in the course of the project. Incentives are items used to enable or ensure participants are able to take advantage of services provided by grantees, for example, metro or bus cards to assist women in attending prenatal care appointments or educational sessions.
- Printing and travel that are reasonable and necessary for project implementation. March of Dimes funds may not be used to pay for first class travel.
- Facilities - rental costs associated with using a physical location for an activity necessary to accomplish the specific objectives of the proposal are permitted.
- Indirect costs are allowable for grants of $25,000 or more only and cannot exceed 10% of total costs.
Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)
Additional Eligibility Criteria
In order to be eligible to receive a March of Dimes community grant, the applicant must provide services in Minnesota.
The applicant organization must be an incorporated nonprofit 501(c)(3) or for profit organization or government agency.
Applicants must disclose any conflict of interest due to representation by their organization on the chapter’s Program Services Committee or the Chapter or Division Board of Directors.
The March of Dimes does not award grants to individuals.
The March of Dimes does not fund billable health care provider services. The March of Dimes chapter community grants also do not fund scientific research projects.
All grantees must (i) certify that they are not presently listed on the Federal Excluded Party List, debarred or suspended from the award of any federal or state contracts, or excluded from participation in any governmental medical reimbursement programs; and must (ii) attest that they /will comply with all laws and regulations (to include federal, state and local laws and regulations). Additionally, March of Dimes grantees may be screened to ensure that they are not debarred or suspended by the Federal Government and/or local State agencies.
Audited financials may be required prior to grant approval.
Non-Allowable Costs Include:
- Salary costs for staff who are already employed full-time by their organization (see exceptions above).
- Construction, alteration, maintenance of buildings or building space.
- Dues for organizational membership in professional societies.
- Tuition, conference fees or awards for individuals.
- Cash stipends for individuals
- Billable services provided by physicians or other providers.
- Permanent equipment (e.g. computers, video monitors, software printers, furniture) unless essential to project implementation and not available from other sources.
- Educational materials that do not meet the quality or evidence-based standards provided by March of Dimes
- Indirect costs for grants under $25,000.
- Advertising materials and purchase of media time/space: Budget costs relating to these items may not be allowable depending on project specifics. Please consult with the chapter contact listed in this application regarding whether proposed items are allowable.
Pre-Application Information
Click on the link in the Supporting Documents section below to download the RFP.
Deadline: Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Notification of award: March 1, 2018
Note About Multi-Year Requests:
Multi-year project proposals must include a budget request and objectives for the two or three year time period under consideration, as well as a copy of the applicant's most recently audited financial statement.
Additional Funding Information
Estimated Total Program Funding:
$10,000
Number of Grants
It is anticipated that one to three projects will be funded.
Estimated Size of Grant
Grants ranging from $500 to $10,000 each will be awarded.
Term of Contract
The grant period will take place from March 1, 2018 to February 28, 2019.
All chapter community grants are approved for one year only. Applicants may choose to submit a proposal that covers a two or three year project period. However, March of Dimes only awards funds for one year at a time (maximum three consecutive years). Funding for years two and three is not guaranteed and will be based upon March of Dimes review of progress and expenditures and the availability of funds.
Contact Information
Proposals should be sent to:
Alicia Helion, Maternal Child Health Director March of Dimes
700 Main Avenue
Fargo, ND 58103
If you have questions regarding the March of Dimes community grants application or need additional application forms, please contact Alicia Helion at the above email address or phone number.
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