The Dallas Foundation pledges $2 million to support maternal healthcare initiatives in Dallas. The Dallas Foundation has pledged two equal grants of $1 million to Child Poverty Action Lab and the Parkland Health Foundation to strengthen maternal healthcare initiatives in North Texas. The pledge aligns with The Dallas Foundation's "Bold Steps, Bright Futures" strategic plan to engage partners, elevate the foundation's impact, and ensure its continued success. The Dallas Foundation has been committed to early childhood development for the past 20 years, said Dallas Foundation CEO and President Julie Diaz, and has been making strides to support family and economic stability. "We wanted to make a multi-year investment in the organizations that really provide some of the most meaningful support in Dallas County," said Diaz. "In 2025 there was a shift in federal support and state funding, and we felt that we needed our public plans to do what they do and to have continuity and support from us." In 2023, Dallas County had an infant mortality rate of 6.8 per 1,000 births, an increase from 6.3 two years prior, according to Texas Health Data. Though the rate lowered to 5.8 in 2024, it's clear that more support is needed for Texas mothers, especially Black and Hispanic populations who have the highest infant mortality rates for Texas. "Making sure that we really are laser focused, and mitigating the risk that exists for mothers, particularly those that are the most vulnerable, is a key challenge and opportunity for the hospital system," said Parkland Health Foundation's CEO Michael Horne. About 4.42 percent of births in Dallas have some level of severe obstetric complications (SOCs), and most challenges postpartum occur between the first 62 to 365 days. Horne said that many mothers at risk of SOCs also face challenges with accessing housing, mental health support, food or care for preexisting conditions. The Parkland Health Foundation plans to use the funds from The Dallas Foundation to expand the range of its extending Maternal Care After Pregnancy (eMCAP) program, which provides mothers in Dallas County with post-partum nurse home visits. The hospital system will also continue its distribution of iron supplements for mothers to prevent anemia, which Horne calls a "low tech, low cost, high reward outcome." CPAL founder, CEO, and president Alan Cohen's goal is to eventually eliminate preventable instances of maternal morbidity, which make up nearly 90 percent of cases. "This is a solvable problem," he said. "Our job is to connect the science and the procedures that we know with the actual implementation that is happening and the investment it's going to take." Founded in 2018, CPAL has been partnered with The Dallas Foundation for over five years. Trust Her is one of the nonprofit's initiatives, which provides free access to contraceptives and education in Dallas. However, the majority of CPAL's work is research and data collection to support the initiatives of partners like Children's Health and the North Texas Food Bank. Last year, CPAL also collaborated with Parkland Health, TCU, and UT Southwestern for the Maternal Health Accelerator, an initiative to create a nationwide model for maternal care and expand efforts to reduce severe obstetric complications in North Texas. Stay up to speed on the intersection of business and nonprofits in North Texas, delivered twice a month on Fridays. "When The Dallas Foundation makes seven-figure investments in an issue, that sends a signal that this is something that we need to be paying attention to as a priority in North Texas," Cohen said. As The Dallas Foundation approaches its centennial in 2029, Diaz aims to generate trust and partnership in public institutions like Parkland Health and private nonprofits like CPAL to align initiatives towards a common goal. "The Dallas Foundation's mission is around bringing together concepts and convening people so that we're all rowing in the right direction to take care of a pretty important population for our future," Diaz said.

The Dallas Foundation to invest $2M to advance Maternal Health in Dallas County. The funding consists of two $1 million grants to the Child Poverty Action Lab and to the Parkland Health Foundation. Each organization will receive $250,000 annually over the next four years to provide solutions and clinical care in underserved communities. The Parkland Health Foundation and the Child Poverty Action Lab will each get a $1 million grant under the program. [Photo: Andrew Smith] Built on the belief that a child's first years are critical to life-long health and thriving, The Dallas Foundation has announced a strategic $2 million investment to address what it calls "a maternal health crisis." The investment is part of The Dallas Foundation's Bold Steps, Bright Futures strategic plan, which identifies pediatric and maternal health as one of three cornerstone pillars and a commitment to creating the conditions "families need to thrive from the very start." The funding consists of two $1 million grants to the Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL) and to the Parkland Health Foundation. Each organization will receive $250,000 annually over the next four years to provide solutions and clinical care in underserved communities. "For nearly 100 years, we've been dedicated to helping improve the Dallas community and ensuring that all children are set up to succeed from the start, " Julie Diaz, president and CEO at The Dallas Foundation, said in a statement. "As we prepare for our Centennial in 2029, this $2 million investment represents a commitment to moving beyond short-term fixes toward long-term change. By partnering with CPAL and Parkland Health, we are uniting clinical excellence with data-driven support to meet mothers where they are." Rising infant mortality rate. The Dallas Foundation said that early childhood has been a critical part of its work for decades, founded in a strong belief that investing in children before kindergarten "yields the greatest returns for individuals, families, and communities alike." In the last five years, the foundation has invested more than $3.5 million to advance early childhood initiatives in Dallas. The region faces a maternal health crisis despite the area's growth. Between 2013 and 2023, the infant mortality rate in Dallas County increased by more than 6%. Black and Hispanic women experience disproportionately higher rates of mortality and complications, with severe obstetric complications occurring in 4.42% of births across the county. These challenges come with significant economic costs, impacting workforce productivity and the development of the next generation of workers, the foundation said. Child Poverty Action Lab. As the research and development partner, CPAL will use the $1 million grant to empower regional coordination and address drivers of maternal health disparities through core initiatives including: * Trust Her: Expanding equitable access to contraceptive care across North Texas * Maternal Health Accelerator: Leading a regional coalition to reduce severe complications through data-informed strategies * TeamBirth Implementation: Advancing the regional rollout of the TeamBirth platform designed to improve care coordination and improve the birthing experience at more than two dozen hospitals across North Texas. "On behalf of our entire organization, I thank The Dallas Foundation for its confidence in our mission," said Alan Cohen, founder, president, and CEO of CPAL. "Continued support at this significant level will continue to improve maternal outcomes and early childhood development in the Dallas community." Parkland Health Foundation. As the primary safety-net provider delivering nearly one-third of all babies born in Dallas County, the Parkland Health Foundation will use the $1 million grant to expand frontline medical and wraparound support. Goals for the next four years include: * Women and Infants Specialty Health (WISH): Providing a service line for prenatal, maternity, and postpartum care in 10 primary clinics across the county and Parkland's flagship hospital location * Scaling eMCAP: Extending the award-winning Maternal Care After Pregnancy (eMCAP) program, which provides postpartum nurse home visits to every ZIP code in Dallas County * Wraparound Services: Increasing access to mental health support, doula programs, and essential medical tools like blood pressure cuffs and iron supplements to prevent complications before they escalate. "We're grateful for The Dallas Foundation's investment which reflects the power of partnership in addressing complex health challenges," Michael Horne, EdD, MPP, President and CEO of Parkland Health Foundation, said in a statement. "With this support, Parkland Health is expanding access to high-quality care and strengthening wraparound supports that address health disparities and underlying barriers, leading to safer pregnancies, healthier births, and stronger, thriving communities across Dallas County." Track Dallas-Fort Worth's business and innovation landscape with its curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday. One quick signup, and you're done. Share via: