 Women of the Mountains Birth Initiative, known as WOMB, is a motherhood resource center serving Coos and northern Grafton counties in New Hampshire, as well as northern Vermont. Founded in July 2021, the organization was inspired by families who had experienced the continuity of care, information and support offered through midwifery care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those families wanted all parents—regardless of where they gave birth—to have access to that kind of trusted support. WOMB was created to offer childbirth education, postpartum groups, evidence-based birth information and community connection throughout pregnancy, postpartum and early parenthood.
As a grassroots organization led by the community it serves, WOMB has grown quickly. The organization is now moving from a primarily volunteer-led model toward more sustainable staffing and infrastructure. Its $30,000 Emergent Need grant is helping make that transition possible while preserving the programming families already depend on.
The funding helped support contracted staff capacity, allowing WOMB to pursue sustainable funding and prepare to hire an experienced executive director. That behind-the-scenes support is essential to sustaining the organization’s community circles, outreach and family-centered programming.
For Kailene Jones, MPH, the grant process reflected the purpose of the funding itself. She described the application as “self-explanatory and user-friendly,” and said the review and award turnaround was timely. For a growing organization in a pivotal transition, that responsiveness matters.
“It’s a great opportunity to stabilize current programming and take your organization to the next level if that’s what you’re ready for,” Jones said. “It’s been a great support for WOMB in this transitional period.”
Flexible Help for Families in Crisis
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 Black Lives Matter New Hampshire brings together the former Seacoast, Nashua and Manchester chapters to build collective power, share resources and address the systemic racism and marginalization experienced by the communities it serves. Its work spans grassroots organizing, advocacy, maternal health, youth and young adult programming, early care and education, and mutual aid.
Black Lives Matter New Hampshire received a $30,000 Emergent Need grant to expand staff capacity to support its Mutual Aid Program, which provides urgent, family-centered support for Black, Brown and Indigenous communities across the state.
That mutual aid is increasingly vital. Executive Director Tanisha Johnson said the organization receives nearly $15,000 in requests each month. Families and young adults caring for siblings reach out for assistance with child care tuition balances, transportation, utilities, food, housing and legal needs related to immigration status. About half of the 15 to 20 monthly requests involve eviction notices. The grant enabled BLM NH to respond more fully and more quickly to these urgent requests.
The funds also supported immigration-related legal resources for families, including people whose parents had been taken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Johnson said the organization’s use of the grant funds reflects the scale and urgency of children, young children and family needs,” she said.
She found the grant application approachable. “The process was very simple,” Johnson said. “Probably one of the simpler grants I’ve ever applied for.” Her message to other eligible organizations is direct: do not be intimidated by the opportunity. “The process is simple, and the one-time funds come very quickly.” |
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Building a Stronger Network for Manchester’s Children
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Manchester Proud received a $50,000 Emergent Need grant to support a dedicated staff position focused on family engagement and early childhood coordination. The organization serves as a backbone for more than 80 community partners working to support youth outcomes and celebrate public education in Manchester.
Rather than providing direct services itself, Manchester Proud convenes and strengthens the work of partners such as the Granite YMCA, Amoskeag Health, Waypoint, Boys & Girls Club, Girls Inc., Girls at Work and many others. Its role is to help organizations collaborate, reduce duplication and make sure families can connect with the resources that feel right for them.
The grant was a “game changer,” according to Executive Director Aimee Kereage. It enabled Manchester Proud to hire a director of community initiatives and to take on leadership of Project LAUNCH in Manchester, an early childhood initiative focused on positive outcomes for children from birth through age 8.
The organization recently demonstrated the power of community partnership at Celebrate Ed, its back-to-school celebration. Eighty-three community partners hosted tables, 1,000 backpacks were distributed to students from preschool through high school, and families could access free clothing and hair services, including 150 haircuts and braiding appointments.
For Manchester Proud, the Emergent Need funding provided the confidence and capacity to act on a pressing opportunity. Kereage said the Foundation made the process accessible She did not find the application burdensome, and she especially valued the decision timeline.
Because Manchester Proud applied for a higher-level Emergent Need award, it received an answer from the Foundation within six weeks. “Given the amount, that’s nearly a right-away answer,” Kereage said. That timeline allowed the organization to bring information to its board and move forward with hiring staff. “We’re in a very different spot than we were four months ago because of this grant,” she said. |
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A Timely Investment in Children and Families
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| The needs facing New Hampshire families are complex and they vary from one community to the next.
When an urgent need arises, children and families cannot always wait for the next grant cycle. By providing timely, flexible support, New Hampshire Children’s Health Foundation is helping trusted local organizations meet the moment and build a stronger foundation for children across the state. |
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