The Patchwork Collective, ICONIQ Impact, and Lever for Change have announced the launch of the Maternal & Infant Health Award, a $10 million grant competition aimed at improving maternal and infant health outcomes around the world. 

Access to maternal and infant health care is often determined by location, socioeconomic status, and race. Inadequate maternal health care can result in undetected, severe complications for both the mother and child—that are mostly preventable through timely intervention, treatment, and adequate care.

The third in a series of grant competitions managed by Lever for Change in collaboration with ICONIQ Impact, the Maternal & Infant Health Award follows the Larsen Lam ICONIQ Impact Award, a grant competition launched in 2020 to help secure a brighter, more durable future for refugees worldwide, and the Stronger Democracy Award, a grant competition launched in 2021 to strengthen democratic institutions in the United States, improve political representation, and increase participation in the democratic process.

“This much-needed Maternal & Infant Health Award will provide communities around the world with the dedicated resources they need to prioritize the health of their mothers and children,” said Lever for Change CEO Cecilia Conrad. “We invite proposals from traditionally under-funded communities that drive equity by breaking down systemic barriers to improved maternal and infant health.”

“We’re thrilled to be launching this challenge in partnership with the Patchwork Collective in honor of the women and children across the globe who lack access to critical maternal and infant healthcare,” said Matti Navellou, head of ICONIQ Impact. “ICONIQ Impact was established to help our community tackle big problems and meaningfully drive social impact at scale. We’re inviting philanthropists to join this effort and increase the impact we can have in this underfunded space by elevating and funding interventions we know are working to improve maternal and infant health outcomes around the world.”

(Photo Credit: Getty Images/AsiaVision)