Grant Opportunities

For over a century, United Way for Southeastern Michigan has been tackling the most pressing challenges faced by our community, including those related to children and families, health, and overall stability. SEMPQIC (Southeast Michigan Perinatal Quality Improvement Coalition) is a coalition that aims to reduce infant mortality and support the perinatal system of care in the region. They are developing strategies to address the life-course and social determinants of health. According to United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report, 39% of households across our region struggle to afford basic needs such as quality childcare, food, housing, and utilities. Persistent disparities for ALICE communities can also lead to communities of color being disproportionately impacted by infant and maternal deaths. Systemic injustices have greatly diminished the opportunities for healthy pregnancies, births, and perinatal health, particularly in Black and Brown communities. United Way is proud to partner with SEMPQIC as their fiduciary and join the fight against preventable infant and maternal deaths, working toward healthy moms and healthier starts for our community’s youngest and most vulnerable.

Improving equity, reducing disparate outcomes, and ensuring healthy births for Michigan families is at the center of all efforts supported by the Michigan Perinatal Quality Collaborative (MI PQC)* and the Region 10 PQC. Achieving these goals is not feasible without the input and feedback from families, nor without the efforts of community organizations and programs that address local needs and provide care and support for families in our respective region.

In October 2023, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released the newest version of its strategic plan for improving birth outcomes. This plan, Advancing Healthy Births: An Equity Plan for Michigan Families and Communities*, is written to be actionable and meant to be used by community partners, local stakeholders and all individuals working to improve birth outcomes for Michigan families.

To facilitate alignment with the Advancing Healthy Births plan and encourage collaborative efforts with the MI PQC and individual RPQCs, mini awards will be available through a request for proposal process. Community-based organizations and local programs within the Region whose efforts are focused on improving birth outcomes, reducing health disparities, and addressing root causes of these disparities, will be eligible to apply.

The Region 10 PQC is expecting to award an estimated 30 mini grants in an amount between $25,000 to $100,000 per award. Interested organizations and/or programs will need to complete the application to be considered for a mini grant. Mini grants will be awarded to successful applicants by February 29, 2024, and all funds will need to be spent by September 30, 2024. Additional information can be found below.

*For more information on the MI PQC, individual RPQCs, and the Advancing Healthy Births: An Equity Plan for Michigan Families and Communities, please visit the MDHHS Division of Maternal & Infant Health website: www.michigan.gov/MIH.

Applications are due no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23.

AWARD OVERVIEW

Through a request for proposal process, one-time funding received through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, will be available to local organizations and programs in Region 10 to support community-led efforts in improving disparate birthing outcomes and ensuring healthy births.

Interested entities must submit an application and budget, inclusive of items detailed below.

Examples of activities that may be eligible for funding include but are not limited to:

• Supporting efforts aimed at improving breastfeeding rates (initiation and duration) in the region.

• Providing infant safe sleep education and supplies to vulnerable populations.

• Outreach initiatives that increase access for people who face significant barriers to consistent healthcare (e.g., people experiencing homelessness, people affected by substance use disorder, people who are not U.S. citizens).

• Supporting efforts related to perinatal substance use disorder (e.g., implementing universal screening protocols at perinatal appointments; utilization of non-pharmacological care of infants born substance-exposed, as appropriate; support peer navigator program, etc.).

• Assuring care coordination and access to supportive services in prenatal and postpartum periods for the pregnant/birthing person and the infant (e.g., home visiting programs; substance use treatment; WIC, and etcetera).

• Implementation of recommendation or activity found within the Advancing Healthy Births plan or FIMR/MMMS Aligned Recommendations document.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible to receive a mini-award, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Represent a non-profit organization, local tribal organization, community-based organization, or local/county level agency. Other entrepreneurial organizations with a tax I.D. that fulfill the remaining eligibility criteria listed below are encouraged to apply for consideration.

• Service area is in Wayne, Macomb, or Oakland County.

• Provides activities or programs that address equity/disparities in maternal and infant health or that address the social determinants of health.

• Engage with the high-risk population or services to the population at risk for disparate birth outcomes.

• Organization has the infrastructure (personnel, financial resources, and other relevant factors) to support the grant requirements and dollars. The Organization’s current operating budget will need to be identified with supporting documentation.

Note: The application includes questions to determine eligibility as identified above. All complete applications submitted by the deadline will be initially reviewed against the eligibility criteria listed above. Any application that is ineligible based on responses to the eligibility questions will receive a review score of zero. All eligible applications will be reviewed, scored, and considered for award.

AWARD AMOUNT

Successful applicants will receive mini- grant awards in an amount between $25,000 to $100,000 for efforts focused on reducing disparate birth outcomes and ensuring healthy births families in their respective region. An estimated up to 30 awards may be given to community organizations serving Region 10.

GRANT TIMELINE

Dec. 22: Email notice of funding opportunities/post to United Way for Southeastern Michigan active grant opportunities website

Jan. 3: Application opens

Jan. 10: Applicant webinar

Jan. 23: Application closes

Between Feb. 12-29: Award notification

May 3: Report 1

July 8: Report 2

Oct. 15: Report 3

GRANT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Awardees will be required to submit reports on the schedule dictated in the final contract. Information required may include grant related activities, outcomes, metrics, financial spend down, and any other information or data that is required to support use of funds.

CLICK HERE FOR: GRANT RESOURCES

A Girl Like Me, Inc.

Alph Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. - Alpha Rho Omega Chapter

All Things Women, Inc.

Alternatives For Girls

Avalon Village Inc.

Black Marriage Movement fiduciary for HerSheKissis

Brilliant Detroit fiduciary for Because of His Love Outreach

Burning Bush International Ministries

Cass Community Social Services

Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan

Chaldean American Ladies of Charity (CALC) DBA United Community Family Services (UCFS)

Childs Play Foundation, Inc

Coming Up Roses / WVTC Detroit

Conquerors Church

Covenant Community Care, Inc.

Detroit Association of Black Organizations, Inc.

Detroit Horse Power

Development Centers dba MiEarlyYears

Family Assistance for Renaissance Men (FARM)

Feonix - Mobility Rising

Focus: HOPE

FRANKLIN-WRIGHT SETTLEMENTS, INC

Furniture Bank of Southeastern Michigan

Gianna House

Hands Across The Water, Inc.

Hitha Healing House, Inc

InterFaith Leadership Council of Metro Detroit

Islamic Center of Detroit, Inc.

Journey to Healing

LAHC-Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities

LINC UP Nonprofit Housing Corporation - fiduciary for Coffective, LLC.

Macomb County Health Department

Macomb Foster Closet

Matrix Human Services

MEN LLC.

Mothering Justice

Nature's Playhouse Ferndale

Nia Purpose For Life Agency

Nonprofit Enterprise at Work Inc. fiduciary for Mommies in the D

Oakland Family Services

Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency - Pontiac, MI fiduciary for Oakland County Health Division

Payton Harvey Cheer EmpowHer Camp

Pearls of Service Foundation

Perfecting Church

Piast Institute

Public Owned Property Solutions fiduciary for World Mental Health Organization

Qpid's Passion: Reproductive and Sexual Health, LLC

Remembering Cherubs

Second Ebenezer Church

Southeastern Michigan Health Association fiduciary for Detroit Health Department

Southeastern Michigan Health Association

Starfish Family Services

The Kind Therapy

Wayne State University School of Medicine

Womens Health Associates

Youth Community Agency

Click the links below to view the Applicant Webinar recording and the presentation.

• Video Recording

• PowerPoint

2025 Advancing Healthy Births: Funding Opportunity Announcement 

The Southeast Michigan Perinatal Quality Improvement Coalition (SEMPQIC) and its fiduciary partner, Metro Solutions*, are pleased to announce their plans to award mini-grants to address disparities in maternal and infant birth outcomes. SEMPQIC is funded by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to improve birth outcomes in the state's Region 10, covering Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. 

Proposals  must align with the recommendations in the MDHHS Advancing Healthy Births strategic plan released in October 2023. Community-based organizations and local programs within the region whose efforts are focused on improving birth outcomes, reducing health disparities, and addressing the root causes of these disparities will be eligible to apply.

The Region 10 RPQC, (SEMPQIC), is expecting to award mini grants in an amount between $25,000 to $100,000 per award. Interested organizations will need to submit a proposal to be considered for a mini grant.

Proposals can be submitted electronically through an application process and are due no later than Tuesday, December 31, 2024, at 5:00 PM.  Mini grants will be awarded to successful applicants by February 1, 2025 , and all funds will need to be spent by September 30, 2025. Additional information can be found below.

 A forthcoming The Call for Proposal Submission will be issued on or around November 14, 2024.  

*Since 2003, Metro Solutions, Inc (Metro) has served as fiscal intermediary, providing operational and organizational support to a wide variety of diverse not-for-profit organizations, both large and small, with the goal of linking funds to the community.  Metro’s mission is to serve and support community service providers in acquiring and maximizing their funding and resources so they can focus on advancing community well-being. As fiscal intermediary for the Southeast Michigan Perinatal Quality Improvement Coalition, Metro is pleased to support the coalition in reducing disparities in the maternal/ infant health field.

Applicant Information

Eligible Activities

Examples of activities that may be eligible for funding include but are not limited to:

• Childbirth education classes through implementation or expansion of evidence-based curriculum.

• Activities that address the priority areas found within the Advancing Healthy Births plan or FIMR/MMMS Aligned Recommendations document.

• Efforts aimed at improving breastfeeding rates (initiation and duration) in the region.

• Providing infant safe sleep education and supplies to vulnerable populations.

• Outreach initiatives that increase access for pregnant/postpartum people who face significant barriers to consistent healthcare.

• Supporting efforts related to perinatal behavioral health disorders such as substance use disorder and perinatal mood disorders (e.g., implementing universal screening protocols).

• Assuring care coordination and access to supportive services in the prenatal period (includes prenatal,  postpartum and  up to infants 1st year of life). 

Ineligible Activities

Funding will not be awarded for the following

• Capital expenses and/or construction cost

• Purchase of real estate

Applicant Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to receive a mini award, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria.

• Provides activities or programs that address disparities in maternal and infant health.

• Represent a community-based or an entrepreneurial organization with a tax I.D.

• Service area is within Region 10 -- Wayne, Macomb, or Oakland County.

• Currently engages with or provides services to the population at risk for disparate birth outcomes or affected by the outcomes.

• Organization has the infrastructure to support the management of grant dollars. The organization will need to provide documentation of its current operational budget.

• Represent a non-profit organization, local tribal organization, community-based organization, or local/county level agency

• A pre-application webinar will be held on or around November 20, 2024, to ensure understanding of the application process. Date confirmation and registration details will be included in the forthcoming call for proposal submission announcement. 

Award Amount

Successful applicants will receive one time mini- grant awards in an amount between $25,000 to $100,000. The funds allocated with each mini grant will need to be fully expended by September 30, 2025. SEMPQIC expects to award up to 45 applicant organizations serving Region 10.

NOTE: additional detail will be provided when proposals are open for electronic submission on or around November 14 with a due date of December 31, 2024. It will include registration information for a preapplication webinar to be held on or near November 20, 2025.

The Southeast Michigan Perinatal Quality Improvement Coalition (SEMPQIC) and our fiduciary, Metro Solutions, are excited to announce that the 2025 Advancing Healthy Births Mini-Grants application is now live!

We encourage eligible community-based organizations and local programs dedicated to improving maternal and infant health outcomes in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties to apply for this funding opportunity. Mini-grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 will support initiatives that address disparities in birth outcomes.

Key Details:

• Application Deadline: December 31, 2024, by 11:59 PM

• Funding Use Deadline: September 30, 2025

• Pre-Application Webinar: December 3, 2024, at 10:00 AM (registration required – see registration details in the attachment)

All applications must be submitted electronically through the Metro Solutions Grant Portal. You can access the application portal by clicking the link in the attachment. New users will need to create an account to access the application. 

Click Here to Register for the Applicant Webinar on Tuesday, December 3, 2024.

Click Here to access the SEMPQIC 2025 AHB Application.