Merck for Mothers and the Pritzker Children’s Initiative is giving $1 million to Austin's Maternal Health Equity Collaborative to help improve the outcome of Black mothers before, during and after birth. The three-year grant is part of the pharmaceutical company's $500 million global program called Merck for Mothers and its Safer Childbirth Cities Initiative. Austin is the 20th city to have a nonprofit organization receive a grant and the first in Texas. Maternal Health Equity Collaborative is made up of Black Mamas ATX, Mama Sana Vibrant Woman, Giving Austin Labor Support and Healing Hands Community Doula Project, groups that provide pregnancy, labor and post-pregnancy support to women of color and other vulnerable populations. It also includes Hand to Hold, which focuses on supporting parents of premature and medically fragile children, and Partners in Parenting, which provides support groups for parents of newborns.