Organization Continues Investing in the health
of South Carolina’s Mothers and Babies

(COLUMBIA, SC – May 19, 2009)— The March of Dimes South Carolina Chapter is accepting applications for 2010 community grants. In 2009, the chapter awarded more than $500,000 in community grant funds to organizations in South Carolina to address unmet maternal and child health needs.

The Chapter Community Grants Program is designed to invest in projects that further the March of Dimes mission, support the National Prematurity Campaign objectives and further the strategic goal of reducing disparities in birth outcomes. These grants are one way the March of Dimes pursues its mission of preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

“Here in the South Carolina Chapter we found that we could help mothers and babies through partnerships with organizations whose missions directly align with the March of Dimes,” Lisa James, volunteer Program Services Chair said. “We are grateful that staff and volunteers have been successful in their fundraising efforts, such as March for Babies, which makes it possible for us to support innovative efforts to help more babies to be born healthy,” she said.

Priorities for 2010 include: (1) Providing or enhancing preconception health and health care education and/or services. (2) Providing or enhancing risk reduction education and/or services for pregnant women, such as the Centering Pregnancy program and smoking cessation programs. (3) Implementing disparity-related community programs that aim to decrease racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes.  (4) Increasing pregnant women’s participation in state or local maternal child health programs (e.g. Medicaid, SCHIP, WIC) through enhanced outreach, education and public awareness.  Projects may focus on consumers and/or health care providers. Priority will be given to projects that help reduce disparities in premature birth; are evidence-based; and include measurable outcomes. Proposals are expected to include at least one objective that seeks to increase knowledge, change behavior or improve birth outcomes. 

Organizations interested in applying can access the letter of intent application on the website Chapter Grants section at marchofdimes.com/southcarolina. Letters of intent are due by 4pm on June 30, 2009.   March of Dimes will mail invitations to submit a full proposal on July 15th. Full proposals are due on September 8th with notification of awards in January of 2010. Interested organizations are encouraged to contact Tojuana Prather, Associate Director of Program Services at (803) 252-5200 for additional information or technical assistance.

The South Carolina March of Dimes has invested millions of dollars in program services, including research grants and local community services.  Through these grants, the March of Dimes is seeking ways to prevent birth defects and infant death, reduce South Carolina’s increasing premature birth rate, increase access to prenatal care and educate men and women about having healthy babies.
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health.  With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit http://www.marchofdimes.com/ or http://www.nacersano.org/.