About this archived opportunity

SUMMARY Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge: Research Capacity Building in Maternity Care Deserts (CCMH 2.0)Maternal mortality remains a serious public health challenge in the United States, with rural and under-resourced communities facing disproportionately high rates. Many of these communities are located in "maternity care deserts," areas lacking hospitals, birth centers, or obstetric providers, and community-based organizations working in these areas often lack the research infrastructure needed to fully participate in and lead maternal health research.Building on the success of the original 2022 Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge, CCMH 2.0 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) prize competition under the IMPROVE initiative that rewards non-academic 501(c)(3) organizations, advocacy groups, and state or federally recognized Tribes for building the research capacity and infrastructure needed to lead or partner in maternal health research, with special emphasis on maternity care deserts and, newly, research into fathers' role in maternal health outcomes.Through this multi-phase competition, participating organizations will strengthen their ability to lead or partner in future NIH- and HHS-funded maternal health research, ensuring the communities most affected by poor maternal health outcomes have a central role in shaping the research that serves them. The Challenge is open to U.S.-based non-academic 501(c)(3) organizations and state or federally recognized Tribes; academic partnerships are welcomed but not required. Background Maternal mortality in the U.S. remains high relative to peer nations, with 649 women dying of maternal causes in 2024 (a rate of 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births). Over 5.5 million U.S. women live in areas with no or limited access to obstetric care, and more than 35% of U.S. counties are considered maternity care deserts, meaning they have no hospitals, birth centers, or obstetric providers. Ru

Related opportunities

• Leveraging Network Infrastructure to Conduct Innovative Research for Women, Children, Pregnant and Lactating Women, and Persons with Disabilities (UG3/UH3 - Clinical Trial Optional)National Institutes of Health·Closes Nov 2027·Up to $6.3M
• MCH Strategic Initiatives FundingIndiana Department of Health