National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC): General Operating Support

The National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC) is a nationally recognized organization addressing maternal health inequities for Black women and birthing people. Founded in 2015, NBEC was created to combat the increasing rates of infant mortality and maternal mortality within Black and Brown communities. NBEC recognized the need to engage multidisciplinary stakeholders and, as a result, NBEC’s work has evolved to include advocacy, policy, research, training, and technical assistance to accomplish its mission. NBEC is focused on shifting the culture within public health and health care to create an equitable and respectful environment of care for all women, birthing people, and their babies. With a focus on racism as a root cause of health and birth inequities for Black women, NBEC works in partnership with communities and providers, equipping them with thoughtful tools to catalyze change. NBEC has engaged in training and technical assistance with thousands of public health professionals, clinicians, and multisectoral stakeholders. Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, a physician OB/GYN, policy expert, advocate, and thought leader around racism as a root cause of health inequities, is the president and founder of NBEC. The Foundation for Louisiana (FFL) serves as NBEC’s fiscal sponsor. This grant will provide general operating support to NBEC to continue their current work, focusing on eliminating racism and its impact on adverse maternal health outcomes.