By Rochelle Williams, Vice President of Strategy and Programs

Last year, our team at the Mary Black Foundation announced that we were evolving our grantmaking priorities to put children and their families at the center of everything that we do. We made this shift because improving the health and well-being of young people has a positive impact on the long-term health outcomes of the entire community. We also shared our commitment to using a multi-generational approach that supports families by intentionally investing in both children and the adults in their lives.

Over the past year, our program staff met with partners across the public, private, and social sectors; analyzed local health data; and reviewed academic research to gain a deeper understanding of the pressing needs facing Spartanburg’s children. This collaborative effort helped us identify effective interventions to build on our community’s strengths and address our biggest challenges. As a result, the Foundation’s board of trustees recently approved a plan that includes the following priority strategies to guide our efforts:

• Improve women’s access to prenatal and postpartum care and ensure access to contraception for effective pregnancy planning.

• Increase young children’s access to health care, developmental screenings, and early interventions.

• Improve access to high-quality, affordable childcare and early learning environments.

• Support initiatives that advance mental health and resilience for young children and their parents.

• Increase access to financial resources and affordable housing for families with young children.

If you are doing work to improve children’s health and well-being, we want to hear from you. Our next grant cycle opens on October 25. If you’re interested in applying, please complete our short inquiry form by October 18. Applications will be due on November 26 for organizations that submit an inquiry and receive a link to move on to phase two, completing the full application.

Together, we can create lasting change for children and families in our community. Thank you for your commitment to this vital work.