Indianapolis Launches BIRTH Fund to Aid Pregnant Women in Need

Indianapolis is set to launch the BIRTH Fund, a new initiative aimed at providing financial support to pregnant women living in areas with high infant mortality rates. The program, initiated by Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration, is designed to assist approximately 100 mothers in designated ZIP codes where the infant mortality rate significantly exceeds the national average.

Under the BIRTH Fund, eligible participants will receive an initial payment of $1,125 to be used for essential needs such as prenatal care, transportation to medical appointments, or purchasing items for their newborns. Following birth, mothers will continue to receive monthly payments of $750 for the first 15 months and $375 for the next 21 months, totaling around $20,000 over three years.

Eligibility and Community Impact

To qualify for the program, applicants must be 18 years or older, be no more than 27 weeks pregnant, have a family income of $39,000 or less, and reside within specific Indianapolis ZIP codes: 46241, 46222, 46237, 46219, 46218, 46201, and 46235. Benjamin Tapper, who leads the city’s Office of Equity, Belonging and Inclusion, emphasized the necessity of this financial support, stating that it aims to help mothers and their children maintain good health.

The BIRTH Fund is a collaborative effort involving the Indianapolis Foundation and various private donors. It addresses systemic issues contributing to high infant mortality, such as inadequate nutrition, limited access to healthcare, and the socioeconomic challenges faced by many families in the region. In Indiana, Black infants are about twice as likely to die during birth or within the first year of life compared to their white counterparts.

“We have ZIP codes here where infant mortality is 200% higher than the national average,” Tapper remarked. “About 1 in 5 children in Marion County are already living in poverty. It makes sense to put cash in the pockets of families that need it most.”

Learning from Successful Models

The BIRTH Fund is inspired by a national model from The Bridge Project, a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to low-income mothers across the United States. The program has already found success in several Midwestern states, including Kentucky, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Research indicates that mothers who participate in these initiatives experience improved outcomes, such as stable housing, increased employment, and better mental health.

“We are filling the gap between what public assistance covers and what people actually need to survive,” said Suzanna Fritzberg, executive director of The Bridge Project. “When you resource families without strings attached, children grow up healthier.”

Current participants in similar programs report using their stipends for critical expenses like rent, groceries, medical care, and childcare. A case in point is Jasmine Porter, a participant from Milwaukee who joined a similar initiative in 2024. Porter stated that the financial support allowed her to take maternity leave and pursue further education, saying, “Those funds definitely kept me afloat.”

In addition to financial assistance, the Indianapolis program will connect participants with community health workers who can provide access to doulas, health insurance, childcare vouchers, and transportation services. Participants will also receive support from local hospitals for prenatal care and the Marion County Public Health Department, which offers courses on safe sleep practices, emergency formula, and free diapers.

Tapper concluded by highlighting the resilience of families facing economic challenges. “If you are surviving and making ends meet, you are already a creative and inventive person,” he noted. “We trust that people know what they need. Our job is to connect them with resources.”