2026 Birth Justice RFP

Request for Proposals

Deadline to Apply: May 12, 2026

About the Foundation

The Horizon Foundation is the largest independent health philanthropy in Maryland. We are committed to a Howard County free from systemic inequities, where all people can live abundant and healthy lives. We fight for equitable and compassionate health and mental health care, access to affordable and safe homes, a community where healthy food is accessible and affordable and where all residents can generate and pass down wealth. Our mission is to work side by side with community to build power, power, advocate for policy change and dismantle structural racism to achieve better health for everyone in Howard County and greater Maryland.   

We also recognize that we can’t do this work alone. We value our community partners and believe that together we can make big change happen in Howard County and greater Maryland. We especially seek partners that:  

  • Value community leadership. Organizations that value community leadership and expertise are necessary to address health and racial inequities and are closest to both problems and solutions. Partners will demonstrate and use community wisdom, expertise and leadership.
  • Build power.  We recognize that building power within communities most impacted by systemic racial inequities will address a history of exclusion and marginalization. We aim to amplify the voice, leadership and engagement of African American, Asian American, Hispanic and Native American communities. 
  • Dismantle structural racism within organizations and institutions. We seek partners that will change the status quo and erase long-standing structural inequities that exist across our community institutions of power. 
  • Mobilize for policy change. We seek partners that advocate for policy change at the local, state, and regional levels. We recognize that this type of systemic change takes long-term solutions, and we seek to work with partners to build a base of supporters, create policy wins and catalyze sustained movements.
  • Embody effective stewardship. We seek partners who use disaggregated data and use internal systems to foster learning and accountability of racial equity outcomes. Partners can demonstrate policies and practices that reflect organizational and fiscal health. 

We recognize that each organization is on their own unique anti-racism journey and may not have experience in each area above. We seek to strengthen the capacity of organizations so they can more effectively change policies/systems that will eliminate structural racism throughout Howard County.

Please see the “How to Apply” section below to better understand how the above goals are assessed in the application process.

Equitable Co-creation is Key

The Foundation remains committed to equitable decision-making approaches to advance its priority goals in the County. Currently, grantees, alongside the Foundation, partner Coalitions and the community, are working together to co-create solutions to the complex challenges in Howard County.  

In 2024, the Horizon Foundation established a maternal health workgroup, which brought together OB/GYNs, perinatal mental health providers, doulas, midwives, researchers, mamas, grandmothers, public health professionals and advocates – all working to improve birth experiences for all in their community, Howard County and Maryland. During their time together, the group developed a vision which identified potential policy opportunities and strategic areas for investment in FY25 and beyond to address maternal health challenges in the county and greater Maryland. This RFP is reflective of the themes, experiences and co-created opportunities the Foundation seeks to advance as part of the Birth Justice Initiative.  

As we continue to implement our strategic plan, the Foundation remains committed to partnering with community to drive impact in areas of greatest need. Our work across all our strategic priority areas aims to ensure everyone in Howard County can live abundant and healthy lives. None of these priorities stand alone. They are interconnected and interrelated on every level and working on one inevitably touches each of the others. 

Persistent Perinatal Health Inequities

Nationwide, at least 80% of all maternal deaths are preventable. In Maryland, the leading causes of early postpartum death (0-42 days) was hemorrhage, non-cardiovascular medical conditions, pregnancy-induced hypertension and substance use disorder/unintentional overdose. The top two leading causes of death significantly impact Black and Latinx birthing people. The Maryland Department of Health reports that Maryland ranks 50th in the percentage of low-risk cesarean-sections at 30.3% in comparison to the U.S. average of 26.6%. Disaggregated by race, we see this disproportionately impacting Black and Asian American birthing people.  

In Howard County, the December 2023 Report Card of Community Health Indicators reports that low birth weight births and preterm births are higher than the state average at 9.4% and 11%, respectively. When we disaggregate these data by race, African Americans and Asian Americans give birth to babies with significantly lower birth weights at 13.9% and 9.8% in comparison to 7.2% of their white counterparts. In comparison, 7% of Hispanic mothers receive late to no prenatal care in comparison to 2.8% of their white counterparts.  Across key perinatal health indicators, there are persistent inequities, and gaps remain that are unacceptable.  

The Foundation remains committed to strengthening perinatal health and the continuum of care from preconception through postpartum. Though we continue to invest in prenatal care through community partnerships between Chase Brexton Health and Howard County General Hospital, coordination of community resources and supports, and doula and lactation consultant training, we still see disconnects, gaps and persistent racial disparities in maternal and infant health.  Between higher rates of late to no prenatal care, disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality and adverse birthing experiences, there are local opportunities to advocate for systemic change across our health care system, institutions and in community. By working together, we can strengthen perinatal health community supports locally, continue to support the pipeline of birth workers through training, education, and advocacy and examine institutional systems and processes to create and sustain a harmonious birthing environment.  

 

Strengthening Perinatal Health  

To build upon existing community resources and supports and outcomes from the Maternal Health Workgroup and current efforts in Howard County, Horizon Foundation is seeking to partner with community organizations to advance the following priorities:  

  • Foster collaborative advocacy efforts in Maryland among birth justice leaders and organizations.   
  • Strengthen perinatal health community supports in Howard County. 
  • Support the pipeline of birth workers through training, education, and advocacy. 
  • Examine institutional systems and processes to create and sustain a harmonious birthing environment 

We seek partners who are rooted in and serve Howard County residents. Additionally, we seek partners most connected to and those who serve lower-income and historically marginalized communities, including those who may not have previously engaged with the Foundation.  

  

Birth Justice Opportunity and Commitments  

We expect to fund at least 5 committed organizations up to $30,000 each to engage partners in advancing birth justice. Each grantee will be required to work on local and statewide advocacy efforts and identify one other priority from the following list:  

  • *Local and Statewide Advocacy: Partner with and support establishing a perinatal health coalition to help secure perinatal health resources and sustainable government funding. Help to identify future policy needs and join in advocacy work to push these needs forward.
  • Strengthen Community Supports: Co-create opportunities that will support birthing people and their families in Howard County. Identify and implement strategies and tactics that could support needs around transportation, food and nutrition, access to prenatal and postpartum care, lactation support, home visiting, mutual aid, etc.
  • Supporting our Birth Workforce: We seek to strengthen opportunities for additional training, education, and certification of our community birth workforce, which will provide greater access to home visiting, full-spectrum doulas, lactation support, perinatal mental health, etc. While many of these prenatal and postpartum services are available to those who are insured, some of these services are still out of reach for many in our community.
  • Improving Birthing Experiences: At a state level, there has been some work with hospitals to identify opportunities to strengthen systems of care and institutional processes to improve birthing experiences. As we build upon the work of Maryland’s Perinatal Quality Collaborative and the MDMOM Taskforce, we are seeking community partners who are interested in forging and improving community partnerships with hospitals that serve Howard County residents. Together, Horizon and grantees will co-create strategies and plans to address persistent concerns and elevate opportunities to better integrate community birth workers within the continuum of care.  

*Each grantee will be required to support local and statewide coalition efforts.  

 

Additional Grantee Support 

The Horizon Foundation is committed to practicing trust-centered philanthropy – a holistic approach to grantmaking that is rooted in shared values and true partnership with grantees, where grantees not only provide input but co-create programs and policy solutions that achieve our joint vision of social change.  

We also recognize that grant making has inherent power dynamics and we seek to change those dynamics and build more collaborative relationships with our grantees that allows for greater risk-taking, learning and ultimately is more impactful and equitable for our community.  

For this grant opportunity these principles show up in the following ways: 

  • Co-Creation: The Foundation is committed to equitable decision-making approaches to advance its priority goals in the County. Grantees, alongside the Foundation, partner Coalitions and the community, will work together to co-create solutions to the complex challenges in Howard County after grant funding has been awarded.  
  • Flexible Funding: All selected grantees will be awarded an operating grant to allow for more innovation, emergent action and sustainability.   
  • New Grantee Experience: Selected grantees will participate in a collaborative learning journey with other grantees to help foster a stronger sense of community and a deeper learning of racial equity and organizing advocacy principles. All grantees will be expected to participate in at least 3 convenings that will include the following:  
    • Racial equity & anti-racism coaching/activities  
    • Community organizing training/activities 

Each selected grantee will complete a racial equity and advocacy assessment to help determine organizational strengths and challenges.  

Additionally, technical assistance and coaching will be provided in areas uplifted by each grantee throughout the project period as needed.  

 

How to Apply: 

As stated above, the Foundation is seeking grantees that are excited to work alongside the Foundation and community to co-create solutions to complex health challenges in Howard County. This grant application is designed to better understand your organization by assessing passion, experience, capacity and commitment to working on the health challenges above. 

Listed below are examples of the type of questions you will see in the application: 

  • What does embedding racial equity into your organization’s work look like? (Provide examples)  
  • Describe your experience working with and/or serving communities of color?  
  • When it comes to building community power, what do you think your organization brings to the table?  
  • How do you define and exemplify birth justice in your work? 
  • What are your experiences in addressing perinatal health?  
  • List the top three organizations/groups/people you work with and describe your partnership.   

 

All applications must be submitted using our online grants system. Preview the grant application questions in this PDF. The deadline to submit the application is May 12, 2026 at 11:59:59 PM.  

 

Additional Eligibility Criteria: 

  • Proposals will be accepted from organizations that envision a Howard County free from systemic inequities, where all people can live abundant and healthy lives. 
  • Organizations must be: (a) tax-exempt under IRS Section 501(c)3 or (b) have a fiscal sponsor that is tax-exempt under IRS Section 501(c)3.  
  • The grant period for grantees is from June 15, 2026 through June 15, 2027.  

 

Selection Process and Timeline 

Please see below for the full timeline of the decision-making process. Communication from the Horizon Foundation will go out to all applicants about the status of their application on or before May 29, 2026.  

  • May 12, 2026: Application closes at 11:59:59 EST 
  • May 13– 27, 2026: Application Review Period 
  • May 29, 2026: Notification of Award Status 

 

Interested in learning more? Attend our info session.  

We will host an information session to explain the Request for Proposals and answer any questions you may have. Please participate in our upcoming virtual Zoom session: 

  • Please note, the session will be recorded and posted online once completed. 

 

For questions on the Birth Justice grant opportunity, please contact Policy & Community Engagement Director, Jennifer Holland: jholland@thehorizonfoundation.org.  

For assistance with the grant system, please contact Program Director, Kenitra Fokwa: kfokwa@thehorizonfoundation.org.