Preventing Maternal Deaths: Supporting Maternal Mortality Review Committees

This funding will support existing Maternal Mortality Review Committees to identify and characterize maternal deaths for identifying prevention opportunities. Awardees will identify pregnancy-associated deaths within one year of death; abstract and e

This funding will support Maternal Mortality Review Committees to identify and characterize maternal deaths to identify prevention opportunities.

This funding opportunity has special eligibility requirements of applicants. If evidence of these eligibility requirements are not included with the application, the application is deemed non-responsive. • AUTHORITIES AND PROTECTIONS. Applicants must submit evidence, by submitting copies or through reference to specific statutes, rules, or legislation that provides the MMRC: o Authority to access clinical and non-clinical records o Protection of data collected, proceedings, and activities o Immunity for committee members from subpoena related to maternal deaths they reviewed as members of the MMRC • HAVE AN EXISTING POPULATION-BASED MATERNAL MORTALITY REVIEW COMMITTEE ACTIVELY REVIEWING DEATHS AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support existing MMRCs rather than the establishment of new MMRCs. Applicants must submit evidence that they are an active MMRC. Examples of evidence include dated products of MMRC meetings, such as a meeting agenda, meeting notifications to committee members, or a schedule of meeting dates and locations from the preceding 12 months. • VITAL RECORDS ACCESS. Death certificates that can be matched with birth and fetal death certificates form the foundation for identifying pregnancy-associated deaths. The applicant must provide evidence that they have access to identified data from these three vital records files. Evidence includes a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), Data Use Agreement (DUA), or Letter of Support from the vital records registrar's office that confirms access to this data by the applicant. • ABILITY TO SHARE MMRIA DATA WITH CDC. There are 3 core purposes of the funding opportunity that are dependent on awardees sharing their MMRIA data with CDC: o Timely identification of data quality problems o Timely identification of awardee technical assistance needs o Analyses of data across awardees by CDC to characterize maternal deaths and to identify opportunities for prevention Evidence of the ability to share MMRIA data with CDC would be documentation of experience sharing similar limited identified data with CDC, or a letter from the applicant's legal authority documenting the ability of the applicant to share MMRIA data with CDC.

Funds can be used to support core MMRC functions (i.e. abstraction, analysis, coordination, meeting logistics, dissemination activities, and travel for annual reverse site visit). Funds can be used to pay for activities and supplies necessary to conduct the aims outlined here.

Financial assistance is provided for a 12-month budget period with a period of performance of up to five years subject to the availability of funds and satisfactory progress of the recipient.

Applications will be evaluated on the review criteria described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcements (NOFOs). In general, the review and selection process of complete and responsive applications to the NOFO consists of determination of the scientific and technical merit by objective or peer review, availability of funds, and relevance of program priorities and the priorities of CDC.

After review and approval, a Notice of Award (NoA) will be prepared and processed, along with appropriate notification to the public. Initial awards provide funds for the first budget period (usually 12 months) and the NoA will indicate support recommended for the remainder of the project period, allocation of Federal funds by budget categories, award requirements, and special conditions, if any.

Check Grants.gov for any relevant NOFO information regarding processes for applying for assistance.

Cooperative agreement period of performance is 1 to 5 years. After initial awards, and subject to availability of funds, projects may be continued non-competitively contingent upon satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required reports) and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal government.