Sankofa Birth Foundation
Everyone deserves a midwife and your gift makes all the difference!
The Sankofa Birth Fund is a program of Sankofa Birth Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to advancing birth equity, community wellness, and sustainable care models.
Through our partnership with Aya Birth & Community Wellness, we support access to out-of-hospital birth, offset the costs of midwifery and doula care, and create pathways for BIPOC individuals to enter and thrive in the birth workforce.
Growing Demand for Birth Center Care
In recent years, birth centers across our region have experienced a continued rise in demand. Families are seeking culturally responsive, relationship-centered care outside of hospital settings, yet financial barriers, systemic inequities, and limited capacity still prevent many from accessing the care they desire.
Black, Indigenous, and other people of color continue to face disproportionate risks in hospital-based maternity care. According to the CDC and American Medical Association, Black women are 3–6 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. These realities have led many families to seek birth center care, where outcomes, autonomy, and continuity of care are often stronger, but affordability remains a challenge.
What Sankofa Birth Foundation Supports
Sankofa Birth Fund (Restricted Use)
The Sankofa Birth Fund provides restricted financial assistance to help reduce barriers to maternity care by supplementing the cost of birth center–based midwifery services for families experiencing financial hardship. Funds may also be used to support doula services for clients receiving care through our Open Access Maternity Clinic or through community partnerships. All contributions to the Sankofa Birth Fund are designated for direct client support and related program expenses.
Support for Aya Birth & Community Wellness (General Operating Expenses)
Contributions to support Aya Birth & Community Wellness’ general operating expenses provide unrestricted funding that sustains the organization’s core operations. These funds support staffing, clinical infrastructure, supplies, and administrative capacity necessary to deliver safe, high-quality, culturally affirming maternity and reproductive health care. Unrestricted support allows Aya to respond flexibly to community needs and maintain organizational stability.
Support for Legacy Birth Academy
Donations designated for Legacy Birth Academy are program-restricted and support workforce development initiatives for current and aspiring birth workers. Funds may be used for education and training programs, instructional materials, mentorship, and related operational costs that strengthen pathways into the birth workforce and promote long-term sustainability of community-based care.
We ask that you make midwifery care a possibility for a family that otherwise couldn’t afford it by making a one-time gift or becoming a monthly donor to sustain Sankofa’s impact on advocacy and birth equity in Durham and surrounding areas.
Donations can be made via the Donate Now button below or if you prefer to send a check or money order, make your check/money order payable to “Sankofa Birth and Women’s Care” and send to:
Sankofa Birth and Women’s Care
1412 Hudson Ave.
Durham, NC 27705
Applications to be a sustaining member are available by contacting our office via email.
