Maternal mortality mini-grants

 Colorado Maternal Health and Maternal Mortality Prevention Program

The mission of the Colorado Maternal Health and Maternal Mortality Prevention Program is to ensure all birthing people of Colorado have perinatal experiences where they feel connected and get the care they want and need. 

In Colorado, unintentional overdose is one of the top three leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths. This mini-grant opportunity will support organizations working to reduce maternal mortality, morbidity, and maternal overdoses. Organizations may apply for funding between $5,000 and $25,000. 

MMRC recommendations

The Colorado Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) has proposed multiple recommendations to reduce maternal overdoses based on a comprehensive review of maternal deaths coupled with surveillance data and relevant peer-reviewed research. 

In 2024, these recommendations were prioritized by committee members with expertise in perinatal substance use disorders. Community members with lived experience in perinatal substance use also prioritized recommendations based on which actions would have had the biggest positive impact on them had they been implemented during their perinatal experience. 
Prioritized recommendations and a more comprehensive list of the top recommendations related to preventing maternal overdose are available:

• Prioritized Overdose Recommendations. (PDF)

A comprehensive set of maternal mortality prevention recommendations from the 2023 legislative report is also available:

• Colorado Maternal Mortality Review Committee Recommendations to Prevent Maternal Deaths. (PDF)

The root causes of maternal mortality are complex, and solutions to reduce maternal mortality may include changes or interventions at a variety of levels, ranging from the individual, family, provider, facility, community, and systems level. Projects funded through this mini-grant opportunity may address a one-time need, pilot an innovation, build capacity for future work, and/or support current programmatic needs.

• At this time, projects should be considered one-time grants. Applicants are encouraged to address project feasibility and sustainability under these circumstances in their application. 
• Organizations that wish to apply for a mini-grant are encouraged to consider how their proposal will support the implementation of MMRC recommendations specifically related to preventing maternal overdose in their application materials. 
   

The project funding minimum is $5,000, and the maximum is $25,000. We highly encourage you to think strategically about your projects and request an amount that meets the project's needs. The CDPHE review team may consider partially funding projects. 

• Please Note: CDPHE will not be able to pay for services upfront. Grantees will invoice monthly for work that has been completed. Reimbursements are processed as quickly as possible but may take up to 45 days to receive payment.

Applicants must be an incorporated business entity, such as an LLC, 501(c)(3), sole proprietorship, or other corporate designation, or have the ability to partner with an entity that meets the above designations as a fiscal sponsor. Applicants must serve Colorado residents.

• If CDPHE has previously funded your organization, this project must be different in scope to be eligible. 
• Applicants must complete a W9 to process payments. 

Requirements Associated with Funding

Recipients will be required to provide bi-monthly narrative reporting on project progress. Funding recipients will be invited to join up to three meetings to discuss their project successes and challenges. These meetings will provide a chance to work together on ways to improve systems and care for individuals affected by substance use during pregnancy. Awardees will also be asked to attend up to two awardee meetings to share project successes and barriers and to collaborate on opportunities for alignment and improving systems and care delivery for individuals impacted by perinatal substance use.   

Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

• Financial viability of the proposal
• Relevant experience/ability to achieve proposed tasks
• Connection to MMRC recommendations
• Understanding of population(s) served by the project
• Understanding of desired results/outcomes