Strategic Plan
Implementation
In 2026 we continue working with our coordinating committee and strategic planning advisors to build an implementation plan for this work and bring these goals to life. Working groups of community-based birth justice workers and advocates will work together to set timelines, prioritize and allocate tasks, set target measures, and provide overall guidance and accountability. We will also align our work with other state strategic planning efforts (like the Illinois Birth Equity Blueprint) while continuing to advocate for the unique needs and priorities of the community-based birth workforce.
Check back for updates on the Implementation Plan!
Work Group Overview
In the second quarter of 2026, we formed Work Groups and identified co-leads to take the SSP from the page to implementation. In June, Work Groups started meeting to operationalize each goal and activity and assign a timeline to each.
Work Group A:
Policy and Advocacy
- Interests: policy, advocacy, organizing, building power
- This work group will identify policy priorities, develop relevant strategies, draft advocacy materials, inform/support organizing campaigns, facilitate relationship development with other relevant organizations, identify/share advocacy opportunities, and other related activities.
Work Group B:
Workforce Development
- Interests: growing the community-based birth justice workforce
- This work group will inform and disseminate an annual workforce capacity assessment, design marketing/recruitment materials, support the creation of a training database and job board and develop/implement an outreach strategy.
Work Group C:
Public Awareness
- Interests: community engagement, public education
- This work group will design a public education campaign to raise awareness about community-based birth justice resources and supports.
They will draft content, approve design, develop and implement a dissemination strategy, and oversee the marketing campaign. They will also help with the content and design for a public-facing resource/referral hub.
Work Group D:
Funding Recommendations and Accountability
- Interests: fundraising, equitable giving strategies
- This work group will work with representatives from public, private, and corporate funders to facilitate more equitable, inclusive giving strategies to better support smaller community-based birth justice organizations and entrepreneurs.
This includes drafting recommendations, developing strategies to work around administrative barriers, identifying funding gaps, and outreach/engagement to new funders.
Work Group E:
Birth Justice Workforce Learning Collaborative
- Interests: workforce support, professional development, sustainability
- This Learning Collaborative is a space for community-based birth justice workers to gather, learn, mentor, and support one another.
Members will identify the topics/learning priorities/activities for the collaborative, inform toolkits and resources, identify/support communities of practice and participate in learning opportunities and events.