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Grant Application - FY2026 Alliance for Children-Smart Start Peer Breastfeeding Support
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INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stephanie Starr, Human Services Agency, Community Support and Outreach Director, 704-286-4302
ACTION REQUESTED:
1) Approve the Peer Breastfeeding Support program’s request to apply for FY26 Smart Start grant funding, 2) upon award of the grant, authorize the County Manager to negotiate and execute agreements substantially consistent with this agenda item, and 3) upon receipt of the grant award, recognize, receive, and appropriate the awarded amount to the Community Support and Outreach budget.
PRIOR BOARD ACTIONS:
Requests and appropriation of received funding from the Alliance for Children for this program are approved by the Board annually
BACKGROUND:
The Human Services Agency’s Department of Community Support and Outreach wishes to apply for FY26 Smart Start grant funding to support the Peer Breastfeeding Support program. Part of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, the Breastfeeding Support Program was established in 2000 and is available for at-risk pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and infants. The Program provides prenatal and postpartum support and education to WIC Program participants and Union County residents, which includes prenatal breastfeeding classes, one-on-one consults from a breastfeeding peer counselor, an after-hours telephone hotline, and issuance of various breastfeeding supplies.
Breastfeeding is the recommended source of nutrition and preventative health care for the first six months of life, and is recommended to be continued for at least one year. Many health and scientific organizations support the benefits of breastfeeding, which is associated with a decreased risk of acute otitis media, nonspecific gastroenteritis, asthma, lower respiratory infection, atopic dermatitis, obesity, childhood leukemia, type I and type II diabetes, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) for infants and children. It is also prescribed for infants for a variety of reasons such as mal-absorption, congenital anomalies, feeding intolerance, gut priming and immunologic deficiencies. Lack of breastfeeding may be detrimental to maternal health, increasing the risk of developing certain chronic conditions and cancers, and may also lead to quicker additional pregnancies as women may not experience the fertility reduction associated with lactation amenorrhea that occurs when fully breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding success is associated with accurate, up-to-date education and support. Prenatal and postpartum breastfeeding promotion, education, and support are helpful in building confidence in new mothers, preparing them for what to expect when their infant arrives, and increasing duration and initiation rates. Breastfeeding Peer Counselors significantly improve initiation rates and have been shown to have a positive effect on duration of breastfeeding by providing support from someone who has also breastfed.
In FY25, the Peer Breastfeeding Support Program received $62,807, and we anticipate the same amount of funding in FY26. All funding was expended in FY24, primarily for personnel-related expenses, and we expect the same in FY25.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The FY25 cost to Union County is an in-kind contribution of 19%, which includes staffing provided by WIC personnel and contracted services provided by WIC’s regional breastfeeding coordinator and an in-kind contribution of $6,400 for use of office space. The exact amount of funding will be released on the FY26 RFP in January.