Introduction

Maternal and child health sits at the moral and technical heart of global development. When mothers survive and infants thrive, communities prosper: school attendance rises, long-term cognitive and economic outcomes improve, and health systems become resilient.

Yet progress is fragile. After decades of steady improvements, recent data show decline or stagnation in some areas, and global shocks (pandemics, conflicts, funding shortfalls) can quickly reverse gains. In 2023, about 260,000 women died from pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes, and the vast majority of those deaths occurred in low- and lower-middle-income countries. These deaths are largely preventable with timely access to quality health services. (WHO).

Recognising this, UNICEF in 2025 has emphasized maternal and newborn health in its humanitarian and development grant programming—supporting emergency response, system strengthening, community innovations, and research to scale what works. UNICEF’s maternal and newborn health pages summarize core program approaches and support packages used worldwide.

This guide helps applicants — from small community organisations to university research teams and Ministries of Health — translate their ideas into applications that stand a strong chance of funding and real impact.

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Overview of the UNICEF Maternal & Child Health Grants 2025

UNICEF’s MCH funding streams in 2025 are not a single consolidated grant program labeled “Maternal & Child Health Grants 2025”; rather, funding is provided through multiple UNICEF channels and mechanisms, including:

• Country Office Grants & Humanitarian Appeals: UNICEF’s 2025 humanitarian appeal and country-level plans allocate funding to maternal and newborn services in crisis settings (e.g., refugee responses, conflict areas, climate disasters).

• Programmatic Partnerships: Multi-year program grants with governments and local NGOs focused on maternal and newborn care (ANC, skilled birth attendance, newborn care, postnatal follow-up).

• Innovation & Scale Rounds: Equity-free or seed funding for proven digital health or low-cost devices through UNICEF Innovation/venture programs (e.g., FemTech calls, digital health pilots).

• Research & Evidence Grants: Funding for implementation research, trials, and operational learning designed to test and scale interventions in low-resource contexts.

UNICEF typically publishes country-level funding appeals and global calls for innovation and partnership on its website each year. Program officers at national UNICEF offices coordinate grant calls, often in partnership with WHO, local Ministries of Health, and bilateral donors. (See UNICEF maternal & newborn health overview for program framing).

Who can apply?
Grant eligibility depends on the instrument: UNICEF country office grants usually flow to national governments and registered local partners; innovation funds accept startups and NGOs; research grants target universities and research institutes. International NGOs can often apply either as prime partners or sub-grantees.

Geographic priorities for 2025:
UNICEF prioritized high-need regions in its 2025 programming—especially conflict-affected and fragile states across Africa (e.g., Sahel, Horn of Africa), South Asia, and areas within the Middle East hosting large displaced populations. Country appeals and program briefs list priorities and target outcomes.

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Why UNICEF Maternal & Child Health Grants 2025 matter

There are five big reasons these grants are consequential:

1. They target preventable mortality at scale. Investing in antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric care, newborn resuscitation, immunization, and treatment for malnutrition directly reduces deaths and disability among mothers and children.

2. They combine lifesaving short-term response with system strengthening. UNICEF funding often pays for emergency supplies and mobile clinics while building workforce capacity, supply chains, and digital records that endure.

3. They emphasize equity and inclusion. Grants prioritize interventions for the most marginalised—rural women, refugees, displaced families, and children with disabilities—so funding reaches those most likely to be left behind.

4. They leverage partnerships and data. UNICEF co-funds and partners with WHO, governments, donors, universities and the private sector, enabling rigorous monitoring, data sharing, and evidence-driven scale-up.

5. They are catalytic in resource-constrained contexts. In places where domestic budgets are thin or aid cuts threaten services, UNICEF grants sustain critical MCH services and can prevent backsliding.

Collectively, these grants translate evidence into practice and provide flexible resources that adapt to changing field realities—exactly what health systems need during shocks.

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Key Importance — what UNICEF funds and why in 2025

Understanding what UNICEF typically funds helps applicants design aligned proposals. Key funding areas include:

• Antenatal, intrapartum, postnatal services: ensuring at least four quality ANC visits, skilled birth attendance, and immediate postnatal follow-up.

• Emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC): by equipping district hospitals, training midwives, and maintaining blood and referral systems.

• Maternal nutrition and breastfeeding support: counseling, micronutrient supplementation, and support for exclusive breastfeeding.

• Immunization & preventive child health: routine immunizations, Vitamin A, deworming, integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI).

• Management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM): inpatient and outpatient therapeutic programs and supply of ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF).

• Digital health & data systems: mother–child mobile reminder systems, digitized health registries, telemedicine support for remote midwives.

• Community health worker (CHW) programs: training, supervision, and pay models that sustain community engagement and referral.

• Research & operational learning: implementation science that tests and packages scalable models for ministries.

Why 2025 specifically? Funding frames in 2025 reflect two converging global realities: (1) progress has slowed in many places since 2016 and shocks (pandemic, conflict, aid cuts) have increased vulnerability; (2) technology and evidence now enable new, cost-effective interventions at scale (e.g., digital ANC reminders, low-cost neonatal CPAP devices). UNICEF’s 2025 grants aim to close immediate life-saving gaps while funding the next wave of scalable, resilient solutions.

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Key Insights — designing fundable MCH programs in 2025

If you plan to apply, think strategically. Here are seven evidence-based insights to design fundable, high-impact proposals.

1. Start with the problem, not the solution

Funders want to see a clear problem statement: who is affected, how many, and what’s the practical bottleneck (e.g., lack of skilled midwives, stockouts of oxytocin, cultural barriers to facility delivery). Use local data and, where possible, UNICEF/WHO country statistics to quantify the need.

2. Show feasibility with realistic, staged activities

Proposals should define short (6–12 months), medium (12–24 months), and long (24–36 months) milestones: pilot outputs, evaluation metrics, and an actionable scale plan. Include risks and mitigation.

3. Blend clinical interventions with community systems

UNICEF funds integrated approaches: strengthen facility capacities and simultaneously support CHWs who promote antenatal attendance or identify danger signs.

4. Invest in cost-effective, evidence-backed interventions

Applicant programs should rely on interventions with demonstrated impact—AMTSL (active management of the third stage of labour), neonatal resuscitation, Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), IMCI, and community management of acute malnutrition.

5. Plan for data, M&E and learning

Include clear indicators (e.g., skilled birth attendance rate, neonatal mortality per 1,000 live births, % of mothers receiving 4+ ANC visits) and a data-quality plan. Proposals that commit to sharing anonymised datasets or open protocols score higher on replication.

6. Demonstrate equity and localisation

Show how the project serves marginalized groups and builds local capacity—training local health staff, integrating ministry standards, and ensuring community ownership.

7. Show financial and operational sustainability

Funders want exit strategies: how will Ministries adopt activities, how will supply chains be sustained, and are there co-financing or cost-recovery models?

These insights reflect what UNICEF program officers and global donors look for: credible, measurable, and scalable plans linked to local systems.

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Benefits — what grantees and communities gain

At the organization level, UNICEF MCH grants commonly provide:

• Operational funding to procure essential maternal and newborn supplies (oxytocin, magnesium sulfate, antibiotics), small equipment (neonatal resuscitation kits, infant warmers), and RUTF for malnutrition programs.

• Training and capacity building for midwives, nurses, CHWs, data clerks, and managers.

• Technical assistance from UNICEF specialists on protocols, procurement, and monitoring.

• Visibility and credibility with national governments and donor communities—successful pilots often lead to domestic adoption or donor scale-up.

• Partnership and networking with WHO, academic partners, and private sector innovators (for example, for low-cost diagnostic devices).

For communities, the benefits are direct and immediate: fewer maternal complications, better newborn survival, improved childhood nutrition, and increased access to primary care.

Table — Comparison of common UNICEF MCH funding mechanisms (practical view)

Note: amounts are indicative; UNICEF funding varies by country context, donor pools, and appeal budgets.

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Real-world examples (International student, Educators, Parent — Asia, Middle East & Africa focus)

To make this tangible, here are three anonymized, realistic case studies of applicants who successfully aligned with UNICEF priorities.

1) International student → Research collaborator (Bangladesh)

Profile: An early-career researcher from Bangladesh completing a PhD in global maternal health at a European university. She wants to test a low-cost mHealth ANC reminder system integrated with CHW outreach.
Approach: Partnering with a local NGO and the country health department, she proposed a randomized pilot in two districts to measure ANC attendance and newborn outcomes. Her proposal linked a research grant (for evaluation) to a UNICEF innovation pilot (to deliver the mHealth platform). The evaluation included cost-effectiveness analysis to help the Ministry decide on scale-up.
Why it worked: Strong local partnerships, measurable outcomes, and a clear plan for Ministry adoption. The project secured a combined research + UNICEF innovation grant.

2) Educator & trainer → VET and health academy collaboration (Kenya)

Profile: A public health educator at a Kenyan university wanted to improve midwifery clinical skills through blended learning.
Approach: She assembled a consortium of the university, a national nursing council, a district hospital, and a European training partner to create blended simulation modules for obstetric emergencies. UNICEF provided programmatic funding to run training-of-trainers, provide simulation kits to district facilities, and evaluate knowledge retention.
Why it worked: Aligned with national workforce development plans, clear training outputs, and strong local capacity-building focus.

3) Parent & clinician → Community health pilot (Jordan — refugee context)

Profile: A Jordanian paediatrician and parent, leading a primary clinic serving Syrian refugees, proposed mobile maternal clinics combined with community breastfeeding support groups.
Approach: The clinic put forward a short-term emergency proposal to UNICEF’s country office to deliver mobile antenatal services, vaccination catch-ups, and mother-to-mother support groups. The proposal emphasized cultural sensitivity, female CHW recruitment, and links to referral hospitals.
Why it worked: Clear humanitarian need, rapid delivery plan, and alignment with UNICEF’s refugee response appeal.

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How to craft a competitive UNICEF MCH proposal — practical step-by-step

Below is a practical timeline and checklist for developing a fundable application.

Step 1 — Scoping & stakeholder mapping (weeks 1–2)

• Review UNICEF country appeal or program brief to confirm strategic alignment.

• Map government counterparts, key NGOs, community leaders, and potential academic partners.

• Gather baseline data (facility referral rates, ANC coverage, existing mortality/morbidity figures).

Step 2 — Problem statement & theory of change (weeks 2–3)

• Write a concise problem statement (who, what, magnitude).

• Develop a short Theory of Change (inputs → activities → outputs → outcomes → impact).

Step 3 — Design intervention & M&E plan (weeks 3–6)

• Choose evidence-based interventions (EmONC, KMC, CHW outreach, mHealth, nutrition).

• Define indicators (input, output, outcome), baseline strategy, and evaluation design (process + outcome).

• Include sample size/power calculations for studies where mortality/narrow outcomes are primary endpoints.

Step 4 — Budgeting & procurement plan (weeks 4–6)

• Create line item budgets (personnel, supplies, training, travel, data systems).

• Plan procurement timelines for essential commodities (oxytocin, magnesium sulfate, RUTF).

Step 5 — Sustainability & scale plan (weeks 5–8)

• Describe handover: how will ministries adopt the model, and what budget lines will they commit?

• Include a costed scale-up scenario and possible co-financing options.

Step 6 — Partnership agreements & ethics (weeks 6–10)

• Secure letters of commitment, MOUs, and data sharing agreements.

• Prepare ethical approvals or timelines to obtain them.

Step 7 — Quality assurance & submission (weeks 9–12)

• Run internal review, finalize annexes, and submit well before the deadline.

• Prepare short pitch and FAQ for UNICEF program officers.

Practical tip: engage UNICEF country office program officers early with a one-page concept note — they can advise fit, timing, and likely donor pools.

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Statement of Purpose — a simple, strong structure (for UNICEF MCH grants)

Use this 500–700 word template as the core narrative for your application.

1. Opening (2–3 lines): Introduce the organization, its history, and mission.
   “We are [organisation], a community health NGO operating in [region], delivering primary maternal and child health services to displaced and low-income households since [year].”

2. Problem (3–4 lines): Quantify the need using local or national data.
   “In [district], only 45% of women receive 4+ antenatal visits and facility delivery coverage is 37%, while neonatal mortality remains at X/1000—well above the national average.”

3. Proposed intervention (4–6 lines): Describe activities, beneficiaries, timeline and innovation.
   “Our project will implement integrated mobile antenatal clinics, CHW-led home visits, and a digital ANC reminder system across 10 health catchments over 24 months. Activities include training 60 midwives, deploying two mobile teams, and piloting a low-cost neonatal resuscitation pack.”

4. Outcomes & measurement (3–4 lines): State measurable targets and evaluation approach.
   “We aim to increase 4+ ANC visits from 45% to 70%, raise facility deliveries to 60%, and reduce neonatal complications by 15% in two years. An external evaluation will measure process and outcome indicators.”

5. Sustainability & scale (2–3 lines): Explain handover plans and Ministry alignment.
   “We will co-design a handover with the Ministry of Health and train district supervisors to adopt mobile clinics within existing budgets after year two. Data and protocols will be shared under an MoH MOU.”

6. Closing (1–2 lines): Reaffirm commitment and alignment with UNICEF priorities.
   “We are committed to equitable maternal and child health and propose this project as a scalable model aligned with UNICEF’s 2025 humanitarian and development priorities.”

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Common Mistakes — and how to avoid them

1. Submitting proposals not aligned to UNICEF country priorities
   Fix: Read the UNICEF Country Office appeal or Country Programme Document; consult the country office program officer.

2. Weak monitoring and evaluation design
   Fix: Define clear indicators, baselines, and use mixed methods. Include an external evaluator if possible.

3. Over-promising and under-resourcing
   Fix: Match activities to budget and timeline. Funders penalize inflated ambitions with weak budgets.

4. Vague sustainability plan
   Fix: Describe concrete steps for government adoption, co-financing, or cost-recovery.

5. Poorly documented partnerships
   Fix: Attach signed letters of commitment, MOUs, and clear role descriptions.

6. Neglecting data protection & ethics
   Fix: Include data governance, consent procedures, and ethical approval timelines.

Avoid these pitfalls by involving finance, legal, M&E, and field teams early.

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FAQs (Concise but useful)

Q1: Who issues UNICEF MCH grants and how often?
A: UNICEF channels funds through country offices, global innovation calls, or humanitarian appeal allocations. Rolling calls and annual appeals occur—check the UNICEF country office and UNICEF Innovation pages for opportunities. (We link UNICEF’s maternal & newborn health overview above.) UNICEF

Q2: Can small grassroots organizations apply directly?
A: It depends. Country office funds may require registration and capacity checks; small groups often partner with NGOs or are sub-grantees to larger implementers.

Q3: Are these grants fully funded?
A: Many UNICEF grants are fully funded for the period of implementation, though co-funding or in-kind contributions sometimes strengthen proposals.

Q4: How is success measured?
A: By pre-specified indicators (e.g., ANC attendance, skilled birth attendance, neonatal mortality) and quality metrics (e.g., stockout days, trained staff). Proposals must include baselines and targets.

Q5: Can academic institutions from outside the country apply?
A: Yes—often as research partners or via international consortia. But UNICEF typically requires in-country implementation partners and alignment with national priorities.

Q6: Where can I find UNICEF MCH program priorities and country appeals?
A: Start with UNICEF’s country office pages and the global maternal & newborn health overview page for programmatic framing. (See UNICEF maternal & newborn health). UNICEF

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Measuring impact and learning — practical M&E indicators

Include a compact M&E dashboard in your application with realistic, time-bound indicators:

Core outcome indicators (examples):

• % of pregnant women with 4+ ANC visits (baseline → target after 24 months)

• Skilled birth attendance (%)

• Neonatal mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) in project catchment

• % coverage of immunization (DPT3/Polio) for children under one year

• % of severe acute malnutrition cases correctly managed (cure rate)

Process indicators:

• of midwives trained and retained

• of mobile clinic days delivered

• Stockout days for key commodities (oxytocin, magnesium sulfate)

• Functionality of referral transport system (% of referrals completed within target time)

Equity & inclusion metrics:

• % of households in the poorest quintile reached

• % of refugees/displaced families accessing services

Pair quantitative indicators with qualitative measures: client satisfaction, community perceptions, and case studies to explain impact pathways.

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Funding landscape and donor coordination in 2025

In 2025, UNICEF’s MCH grants operate in a crowded donor environment: bilateral donors (USAID, UK FCDO—though both faced budget changes in 2024–25), multilateral pools, philanthropic donors, and private sector contributions. Collective coordination is critical—UNICEF frequently participates in pooled funds and UN humanitarian funding mechanisms to ensure efficiencies and reduce duplication, especially in crisis responses.

Applicants who demonstrate co-financing or match with local government contributions increase credibility. Conversely, global aid cuts heighten the importance of targeted, evidence-driven proposals that show value for money and rapid impact.

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Ethics, community engagement, and localisation

UNICEF’s programmatic approach emphasizes localisation and ethical engagement:

• Community engagement: design interventions with community input, ensure female representation in advisory roles, and adapt culturally appropriate practices.

• Ethical safeguards: obtain ethical approvals and ensure informed consent for data collection and research. Protect vulnerable groups (pregnant adolescents, refugees).

• Gender-sensitive design: include measures addressing adolescent pregnancy, gender-based barriers to care, and respectful maternity care.

• Local capacity: hire and train local staff, and plan for knowledge transfer to local health authorities.

Applications that foreground community voice and local leadership score well in UNICEF’s review processes.

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From pilot to policy — roadmaps for scale

A compelling funding proposal outlines not just pilots but also pathways to policy integration:

1. Pilot with government co-design: include MoH in steering committees from day one.

2. Evidence package: generate high-quality evidence (cost, outcomes, feasibility) and package it for policymakers.

3. Policy dialogues: plan workshops with Ministry technical teams and finance units to discuss budget lines.

4. Phased scale: propose phased adoption (district → provincial → national) with costed implementation plans.

5. Sustainability mechanisms: show likely domestic budget lines, performance-based financing options, or integrated service delivery mechanisms.

UNICEF funds pilots that show clear, feasible pathways to scale—donors are most interested in investments that can be institutionalised.

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Conclusion — recap of main points

UNICEF Maternal & Child Health Grants 2025 are a strategic opportunity to save lives, strengthen systems, and test innovations that can be scaled across low-resource settings. To win funding:

• Start with a tight problem statement and local data.

• Design evidence-based, feasible interventions that combine facility strength with community systems.

• Build strong local partnerships and secure Ministry buy-in.

• Include clear M&E with equity metrics and a concrete sustainability plan.

• Engage UNICEF country offices early with a one-page concept.

“Every mother and every child matters. Well-designed programs, grounded in local reality and backed by rigorous evidence, are how we translate that truth into lives saved.”

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Clear call to action

1. Draft a one-page concept note describing the problem, target population, three key activities, and three indicators.

2. Contact your UNICEF country office and share the concept — ask for feedback and the relevant funding windows.

3. Assemble a modest consortium: one local implementing partner, one government contact, and one research or evaluation partner.

4. Prepare a 12-week plan to develop a full proposal (follow the stepwise timeline above).

5. If needed, I can help: draft your statement of purpose, build an M&E framework, or write the proposal narrative—tell me which you want first.