IU Health awards grants to support infant and maternal health across Indiana

Applications are now open for the 2026 Community Impact Investment Fund grant cycle to advance infant and maternal health

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana University Health has awarded $3.7 million to four community organizations working to improve infant and maternal health outcomes in Indiana.

The grants come from the Community Impact Investment Fund (CIIF), which is administered by Indiana University Health Foundation, to address key social and environmental factors that impact people’s health outcomes. Yearly grants come from earnings on the fund’s invested capital.

Since the fund’s inception in 2018, IU Health has awarded more than $41.6 million in CIIF grants to dozens of organizations across Indiana. IU Health Foundation has also secured an additional $3.6 million in donations to support the contributions from IU Health.

This year’s grant awardees are focused on improving infant and maternal health outcomes by expanding access to quality care and resources, and strengthening community conditions to ensure all families, women and infants across the state have the support they need to be healthy and thrive. In the United States, Indiana ranks among the highest for infant and maternal mortality.

“At IU Health, our mission to improve the health of our communities extends far beyond our hospital walls—it reaches into neighborhoods, homes and community spaces where families need support most,” said IU Health President and CEO Dennis Murphy. “Every family in Indiana deserves access to the resources and support that give mothers and babies the healthiest possible start. These grants reflect our commitment to addressing maternal and infant health at the community level, empowering local organizations to deliver the care and resources that make a real difference for families they serve – saving lives and strengthening communities across the state.”

Applications open for 2026 CIIF grant cycle:

In addition to announcing grant awardees, the 2026 CIIF grant cycle is open, and community partners are invited to apply for funding for initiatives to help advance infant and maternal health. Details and application materials are available here. To maximize impact, the 2026 and 2027 grant cycles will prioritize sustained, multi-year funding for programs focused on infant and maternal health.

The following community-focused organizations have been awarded IU Health CIIF grants for the 2025 grant cycle:

• Healing Hands Outreach Center (Monroe County): $543,422 over three years to expand services in downtown Bloomington, directly supporting low-income, high-risk expectant and postpartum mothers – particularly those who struggle with substance use disorder – through offering recovery classes, support groups, life skills training, private medical service areas, a lactation room and a pantry stocked with food, diapers and formula.

• Transformed Birth Services (Tippecanoe and Clinton Counties): $720,826 over three years to expand maternal health services for low-income families, including women who are currently or formerly incarcerated, by training community doulas, facilitating postpartum support groups and addressing additional social determinants of health.

• United Day Care of Delaware County, Inc: $405,750 over three years to expand quality, affordable childcare in a low-income neighborhood by adding three new infant and toddler classrooms to the center’s existing early learning facility. Located in a high-need area, the center serves families experiencing significant barriers to health, education and economic stability.
  
  
• Cradle Indy: $2,000,000 to improve infant and maternal health outcomes by bringing together health systems, government entities, managed care organizations, community-based organizations, local philanthropy organizations and other community partners to reduce preterm birth and low birthweight, increase breastfeeding and safe sleep practices, and expand access to maternal care and resources. To be distributed over five years, this strategic investment supports IU Health’s long-term strategy to expand access to high-quality care and strengthen infant and maternal health. Project work will be focused within specific zip codes in Marion County with the highest rates of infant and maternal mortality.

To learn more about the Community Impact Investment Fund, click here.