Open Call to Submit Letters of Interest (LOIs)

October 21, 2024 - Grants - Posted by

Open Call to Submit Letters of Interest (LOIs)

The Women’s Foundation is releasing its open call for funding opportunities to improve maternal and infant health outcomes in the Mississippi Delta. The Women’s Foundation of Mississippi’s (WFM) mission is to ensure economic security for women and girls throughout the state, particularly those facing significant social and economic barriers. 

Project Overview 

This year, the WFM is launching a Request for Proposals (RFP) focused on enhancing maternal and infant health and supporting healthy child development from birth to age three in the Mississippi Delta. This region has been identified as a medical desert, with the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality in the state. 

Project Focus: 

A wide range of projects will be eligible for funding that are focused on: 

1. Reduce Maternal Mortality: 

2. Reduce Infant Mortality: 

3. Identify Barriers to Care: 

Eligibility and Geographic Focus: 

This funding opportunity is open to 501(c)3 and fiscally sponsored nonprofit organizations operating within the Delta region of Mississippi. Grant sizes will range from $50,000 to $250,000, depending on the scope of the project, typically over a 12-month grant term. We anticipate awarding grants in December 2024. 

Grantee Engagement with the Women’s Foundation: 

This section outlines how we envision the organizations selected through this Open Call engaging with one another and with the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi. Funded organizations (grantees) will be part of a cohort and will be asked to participate in the activities outlined below. Details will be finalized in consultation with grantees. 

Submission Requirements: 

We seek letters of interest that align with our mission and demonstrate a commitment to addressing maternal and infant health disparities. We will accept letters of interest from organizations of all sizes, and we especially encourage smaller grassroots organizations to apply.  We expect to fund approximately five grants

Interested organizations are encouraged to submit a brief Letter of Interest (maximum 2 pages)  by October 31, 2024 to info@womensfoundationms.org that includes: 

Question & Answer Session: 

WFM will hold Q&A sessions on Friday, October 25th,and Monday, October 28th at noon via  Zoom. If you have any questions about whether your work or program is a fit for this Open Call, we encourage you to attend.  

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qdOuspjgpHNOWCdTH3oDsSVF7-Ji3Qc7k

Open Call and Funding Timeline: 

The Women’s Foundation team will review all Letters of Interest and select up to 10  organizations to submit full proposals. Organizations invited to submit proposals will be asked to  answer additional questions and submit additional documentation. The proposals will be reviewed and scored by the grant committee and three external reviewers who have expertise in  maternal and child health, community-based grantmaking, and knowledge of the community.  The review committee will identify five finalists whose proposals will be awarded grant funding.

Open Call for Statements of Interest Issued October 21, 2024
Question & Answer Session* October 25 & October 28 at Noon
Statements of Interest Due October 31, 2024
Invitation to submit proposals sent to selected organizations November 11, 2024
Foundation staff will hold office hours for support with proposal development Week of November 18, 2024
Proposals Due December 3, 2024
Finalists notified that their proposals will move forward for funding considerationDecember 10, 2024
Grants Awarded December 16, 2024
Grant Project Duration January – December 2025

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