
This belief inspired the creation of the Santa Fe Baby Fund of the Santa Fe Community Foundation, established with an initial $1.1 million gift from the Brindle Foundation. The first three years of life, when most brain development occurs, represent a small and crucial window of opportunity to nurture and support babies and their families. The future prosperity of Santa Fe depends on its ability to produce strong, healthy children who will lead our community. Helping babies thrive is both social justice and smart economic development.
The Baby Fund seeks to ensure that each of the approximately 1,400 babies born every year in Santa Fe County gets access to a great start. To support this goal, it plans programs and activities such as community-wide forums, seminars and the publication of issue guides to promote the healthy development of babies and toddlers in Santa Fe County, prenatal through age 4, and to raise awareness of the critical importance of investing in early childhood.
The Santa Fe Baby Fund is now accepting applications for the Fall 2014 grant cycle for programs and activities focusing on three priority areas:
* Drug- and alcohol-exposed babies and their mothers struggling with addiction
* Teen pregnancy prevention and services for teen parents
* Access to quality, affordable infant and toddler care
Within these priority areas, the Baby Fund will fund projects that focus on:
* Public awareness
• Collaboration and coordination
• Large scale social change
Applications are due by Monday, September 1, 2014. Click here for the application and instructions. Late applications will not be accepted. Decisions will be announced by early November. For more information, please contact Katie Dry, Director, Santa Fe Baby Fund, kdry@santafecf.org or 505-988-9715 x 7016.