March of Dimes

March of Dimes is a United States nonprofit founded in 1938 that works on maternal and infant health through research, education, advocacy and direct community programmes. Originally established to fight polio - a cause rooted in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's own experience with the disease - the organisation has since redirected its focus to the health of mothers and babies, and now works to close health equity gaps and address racial disparities in maternal and infant outcomes.

Its technical work spans vaccine research, biomedical research, maternal and infant health research, newborn screening, public health and health equity. Past contributions include pioneering vaccine research that helped eradicate polio in the United States, guidance on folic acid supplementation, the development of newborn screening programmes for infants, and surfactant therapy innovations that help premature infants breathe and survive.

Today the organisation runs direct maternal and infant health programmes in communities across the country, working alongside researchers, clinicians, public-health bodies and families. It describes its role as convener, uniting stakeholders around improving outcomes for mothers and infants.