BIRTH Fund
The BIRTH Fund (Building Independent Resilient Thriving Homes) is an unconditional cash-transfer program launched by the City of Indianapolis's Office of Equity, Belonging and Inclusion, in partnership with the national nonprofit The Bridge Project, to support pregnant residents in the city's highest-infant-mortality ZIP codes. It is funded by the Indianapolis Foundation and private donors, and delivered using the Bridge Project's standardized national cash-transfer model. The program provides an initial lump-sum payment followed by tapering monthly payments over three years. Indianapolis is one of roughly 14 states/cities where The Bridge Project, originally piloted in NYC in 2021, now operates.
Guaranteed Income, Pregnancy/Maternal Health, Infant Mortality, Bridge Project National Network, Unconditional Cash Transfer
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- The Bridge Project; Indianapolis Office of Equity, Belonging and Inclusion (City of Indianapolis, Mayor Joe Hogsett's administration)
- City
- Indianapolis
- State / Province
- Indiana
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Active
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 150
- Funding type
- Government, Nonprofit, Philanthropic
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 20,250 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 562.5 USD
- Payment frequency
- Variable
- How long the program lasts
- 36 months
- Benefit details
Participants receive a one-time payment of $1,125, followed by $750/month for the first 15 months after the baby's birth, then $375/month for the remaining 21 months, totaling roughly $20,000-$20,250 over three years. Payments are unconditional (no spending restrictions). In addition to cash, participants are connected with community health workers who help with access to doulas, health insurance, child care vouchers, transportation, and local hospital prenatal care, plus resources from the Marion County Public Health Department (safe sleep courses, emergency formula, diapers).
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Applicants must live in one of the following Indianapolis ZIP codes with the city's highest infant mortality rates: 46241, 46222, 46237, 46219, 46218, 46201, or 46235; be at least 18 years old; be at most 27 weeks pregnant; and have a household income of $39,000 or less. No SSN or ITIN is required under The Bridge Project's general program guidelines (not explicitly confirmed for the Indianapolis cohort specifically).
Demographics
- Minimum age
- 18
- Sex
- Female
- Gender
- Female
Family
- Family Status
- Expecting
Health
- Health conditions
- Pregnancy (up to 27 weeks gestation at application)
Financial
- Income limit (annual household)
- $39,000
Geography
- US states covered
- Indiana
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Indianapolis
- Counties covered
- Marion
- ZIP / postal codes covered
- 46241, 46222, 46237, 46219, 46218, 46201, 46235
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Optional
- Research / participation requirements
The Regenstrief Institute is conducting research on the program's impact on birth outcomes, including participant surveys and analysis of electronic health record data; participation in this evaluation component is not clearly stated as mandatory for receiving cash benefits.
Application Process
- How to apply
Apply through The Bridge Project's website (bridgeproject.org/apply) or by attending local outreach events; at launch (Nov 5 and 8, 2025) events were held at sites including Southeast Community Services, Edna Martin Christian Center, Hawthorne Community Center, International District, Daystar, Gleaners, Lords Pantry, and Frederick Douglass Park. Selected applicants are asked to verify due date, income, and location.
- Selection process
Applicants apply via The Bridge Project's intake process and must verify due date, household income, and ZIP-code residency; specific selection/ranking criteria beyond eligibility verification are not detailed in available sources.
