Deadline: 30-Jun-22

Nominations are now open for the Kenneth C. Frazier Award for Maternal Health Equity.

Though maternal mortality has declined globally over the past decade, there are many communities around the world that continue to be disproportionately affected. In many countries, unacceptable and inequitable maternal health outcomes persist. A long history of structural discrimination and unequal access to health care, as well as the underlying social determinants of health, are some of the key factors that contribute to these inequities.

Around the world, visionary leaders and community-based organizations are creating a path to a better world where maternal health outcomes are equitable, and pregnancy and childbirth are safe for all. They are helping to create a world where every prenatal visit, every labor and delivery and every postpartum encounter for the first year after childbirth will result in the healthiest possible outcomes. From providing practical support to women during childbirth to connecting families to health and social services to raising awareness of birth equity, they believe the solutions to advance maternal health equity exist within the communities most impacted.

Prize

• MSD for Mothers, MSD’s $500 million global initiative to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life, is pleased to announce the Kenneth C. Frazier Award for Maternal Health Equity. This annual prize, awarded through the MSD for Mothers initiative, will provide a grant to an organization in recognition of its commitment to and progress towards more equitable, more respectful, higher quality maternal health for all. They are honored to name this award after Kenneth C. Frazier as a testament to his unwavering commitment to social justice and leveraging the private sector for public good.
• The Kenneth C. Frazier Award for Maternal Health Equity will provide one eligible organization per year with a one-time grant of up to $250,000 to support its work to advance maternal health equity. Nominated organizations may be located anywhere in the world, must have made a demonstrated and distinctive impact in advancing maternal health equity and must be led by a person of color and/or representative of the marginalized group being served.
• Process for MSD for Mothers Nominations is now inviting nominations for the annual Kenneth C. Frazier Award for Maternal Health Equity. An individual may nominate more than one organization for consideration; self-nominations are encouraged.

Eligibility Criteria

• An organization is eligible to receive the Kenneth C. Frazier Award for Maternal Health Equity only once. Only organizations led by individuals representative of the focus population served (lead executive and/or board) are eligible to receive the grant.
• MSD for Mothers is only able to fund non-profit organizations through this grant award. MSD for Mothers cannot provide funding to city or state health departments, other government entities, hospitals or health systems. MSD for Mothers also cannot provide funding to political organizations, campaigns and activities or to organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, national origin, veteran’s status or disability.

For more information, visit https://www.msdformothers.com/