Why the city of Raleigh won’t be giving money to a nonprofit that helps Black moms
Black women die during child birth more often than other women, but Raleigh will not be giving a group that works on the issue city money because of concerns about whom the group serves.
On June 6, Raleigh City Council member Jane Harrison asked the council to consider giving $15,000 to Equity Before Birth, a Durham-based nonprofit that helps Black moms and others giving birth.
But on Tuesday Harrison withdrew the request after a legal concern was raised about “the targeted nature of who they serve.”
“I do want to note their target audience are those who, I would say, are in the most need of these services,” Harrison said. “So it absolutely makes sense that this is their mission. And, at the same time, because we are controlling public funds ... I am aware that we cannot be exclusive in how we distribute such public money.”
There are limits on public funding, and the nonprofit doesn’t meet the requirements, said Interim City Attorney Dottie Leapley. Donating would also violate the city’s nondiscriminatory policy.
“Talking to the agency about expanded services (to other groups) may resolve the problem,” she said.
The City Council has used contingency funds in recent years to give money to various nonprofits and has a process to fund nonprofits through grants in its budget.
Black maternal mortality
Black women in the United States are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, according to a 2023 article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Multiple factors contribute to these disparities, such as variation in quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism and implicit bias,” according to the article. “Social determinants of health prevent many people from racial and ethnic minority groups from having fair opportunities for economic, physical, and emotional health.”
Equity Before Birth focuses on Black women because they are most likely to die from childbirth, Council member Mary Black said during Tuesday’s meeting.
“We are living in a state right now where we have politicians who are actively working to force birth on to people,” she said. “And I just want to be thoughtful as a council about how we are representing people who are continuously at harm.”
It is systemic racism that is continuously putting people at risk, Black said.
“I know we have a duty to make sure we are being nondiscriminatory but the systems that are in place are continuously discriminating, so it just a little difficult to hear,” she said.
Harrison agreed with Black, and said while she pulled her request, she is going to look for other ways to support the nonprofit.
Director responds
Joy Spencer, executive director of Equity Before Birth, said she regretted not having the opportunity to clear up any questions or misunderstanding about their work.
The nearly 3-year-old nonprofit provides money to Black families to eliminate financial barriers during pregnancy. It provides paid leave for families who do not get it at work; covers the cost of perinatal services and education, including doula services, therapy and transportation; and provides cash assistance for baby needs including feeding supplies.
The group has never turned a family away because of race, she said.
“There are many reasons why we may not be able to serve a particular family directly or immediately — in those instances we ALWAYS consult with our partner organizations in order to find and refer the family to resources,” Spencer said. “Although our mission is to save the lives of Black birthing people (those most impacted by the maternal health crisis in the United States) our work is deeply rooted in compassion and we will always uphold our core values and do what we can to serve families.”
The nonprofit has never been able to secure government funding at any level because of the “same concerns.” A Raleigh staff member asked how the nonprofit serves white families, Spencer said and asked if the city asks other nonprofits how they serve Black families.
“How can we address a national maternal mortality crisis without targeting and prioritizing service to those most impacted?,” Spencer said. “It is BLACK and Indigenous women who bear the brunt of the disparity and poor birth outcomes. We must increase their access to pregnancy related services in order to save their lives.”
Equity Before Birth will not broaden its mission, she said.
“We are very intentional about our work,” Spencer said. “Would it not be better to address the laws and regulations that categorize culturally affirming services as discriminatory? How did this become OUR burden? Why must WE change? We did not create racism or the system, we are just here to address and eradicate it.
Council Contingency
The $15,000 would have come from the Raleigh City Council’s contingency fund, which the council has used to donate to other nonprofits or cover unexpected costs, like the vigil after the Hedingham mass shooting. The council started the fiscal year with $150,000 in the fund.
Here’s where the money has gone so far:
$1,500 Justice Served
$30,000 Raleigh Police Department Gun Buy Back Program
$11,000 Healing Raleigh Together Vigil
$25,000 Temporary Emergency Assistance Fund
$7,000 Kemetic Cultural Science & System of Unity
$10,000 United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County
$5,000 to Consult your Community Small Business Fair Sponsorship
$5,000 to Enloe Magnet High School for the Sensible InvenTeam
$5,000 to the Friends of the City of Raleigh Museum (50 years of Hip Hop Celebration)
That leaves $45,000 for the council to allocate before the end of June, when the fiscal year ends. Several council members made requests on behalf of other nonprofits; a vote will take place at the next meeting on July 5.
