Lactation Accommodation Mini Grant
FUNDING FOR BREASTFEEDING AND LACTATION SUPPORT IN LOUISIANA
Approximately 90% of women who choose to breastfeed and work full-time will no longer be breastfeeding within 6 months. Employer lactation support influences an employee’s decision to return to work after childbirth. Federal and Louisiana state law requires employers to provide lactating employees with time and space to express milk. Through policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes employers can make their workplace more supportive of new parents through increasing their ability to perform lactation in the workspace.
Developing a culture of wellness takes time and hard work, and Well-Ahead wants to encourage and reward you for your efforts by offering our Lactation Accommodation Mini-Grant funding opportunity.
Grant recipients can receive up to $2,500 to purchase equipment and supplies to develop or enhance a private breastfeeding space.
Why are Workplace Lactation Accommodations Important?
There are many challenges faced for new parents returning to work, making them less productive in the workspace. Average maternal/parental leave is four to six weeks, with the possibility of up to twelve weeks with Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The 2020-2025 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans Guidelines recommends exclusively breastfeeding infants for up to 12 months or older. Providing lactating employees with support can make the decision to return to work easier.
Some benefits of providing employer lactation support include:
- Decreased healthcare costs (through health benefits to employees and their dependents through lactation),
- Increased productivity,
- Reduced absenteeism,
- Improved employee satisfaction, morale, and retention rates,
- Improved employee recruitment.
Policy, System and Environmental Changes through Lactation Accommodation Mini-Grants
This Lactation Accommodation Mini-Grant funding opportunity is designed to support organizations in implementing PSE strategies to change the community context surrounding breastfeeding within workplace settings. By establishing a written comprehensive lactation accommodation policy to support lactating employees, breastfeeding is enabled to become the easy, default option for parental employees.
To qualify for this mini-grant, you must show that you will be implementing PSE strategies through a written comprehensive lactation accommodation policy. Examples of PSE strategies that can be implemented through a comprehensive lactation accommodation policy include:
- Development or enhancement of a private and permanent space meant for use by lactating employees.
- Providing refrigerated storage for expressed milk and/or providing storage for pumping supplies and materials.
- Providing flexible break time for employees to meet pumping needs and/or providing flexible work options, such as remote or hybrid working for lactating employees.
- Provide educational resources and support services for lactating employees.
Apply for the Lactation Accommodation Mini-Grant
The Lactation Accommodation Mini-Grant application cycle is now closed. Notifications of awards will be made no later than April 22, 2024.
All mini-grant recipients must be currently designated as a WellSpot and located in the following parishes; Pointe Coupee, St. Landry, Avoyelles, Rapides, Red River, Webster, Lincoln, Richland, Morehouse, or Washington. Mini-grantees will work with a regional Well-Ahead Representative who will provide technical assistance and resources to ensure their designation is up to date and assist with implementation of WellSpot benchmarks.
For any portion of the mini-grant application, implementation, and evaluation, Well-Ahead Representatives can provide technical assistance, within reason, to ensure project success.
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Mini-Grant Required Activities
- Submit a leadership support statement acknowledging the potential to receive funding to adopt a comprehensive lactation accommodation policy and implement a permanent and private space meant for use by lactating employees.
- Participate in a virtual orientation on Wedsnesday, May 1, 2024.
- Participate in a monthly virtual meeting with Well-Ahead staff.
- Update your WellSpot Designation by Friday, June 14, 2024. Well-Ahead Regional Representatives will work with awardees to update and/or implement chosen benchmarks.
- Adopt and implement a comprehensive lactation policy, including developing or enhancing a private space for lactation by Friday, June 14, 2024.
- All funds must be spent by Friday, June 14, 2024.
- Participate in two follow-up evaluation meetings with Well-Ahead staff to discuss project successes, challenges, and lessons learned by June 30, 2024.
- If your organization has a presence on social media, please share pictures related to the use of funds on social media platforms. Please tag Well-Ahead in any activities shared on social media funded by the mini-grant.
- Instagram: @WellAheadLouisiana
- Facebook: @WellAheadLA
- X (Formerly Twitter): @WellAheadLA
- LinkedIn: @Well-Ahead Louisiana
- If your organization does not have social media, pictures with a short description related to the use of the funds should be sent to wellahead@la.gov to be recognized on our social media.
- If awarded, agree to be featured in a Well-Ahead Louisiana blog post. As needed, participate in an interview, provide photos, and review blog post content.
- Use of the Well-Ahead logo on materials should be sent to Well-Ahead for approval before distribution.
- Press releases are encouraged, but must be approved by Well-Ahead before submission.
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Examples of Allowable Purchases
- Resources for creating and setting boundaries for a private lactation space such as partitions, curtains, room dividers, signage, and door locks.
- Equipment for room functionality and aesthetics such as chairs, tables, electrical supplies such as an outlet or extension cord, adjustable lighting, lactation room calendar or scheduling system, bulletin boards for pictures, paint, pillows, mirror, picture frames, plants, a radio, trash cans, etc.
- Supplies for storing lactation and other supplies, such as small refrigeration units for storing milk, mobile wardrobe racks, lockers, paper towels, etc.
- All budgets should consider installation and assembly charges.
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Funding Restrictions
- The applicant must not use funds to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other basis of discrimination prohibited by law.
- Funds cannot be used for gift cards, certificates, massage chairs or non-refrigeration kitchen appliances (such as air fryers, blenders, etc.).
- Funds cannot be used for subscription-based services or products.
- Funds cannot be used for food, salaries, lobbying or advocacy activities, or office equipment and supplies (such as computers, printers, pens etc.).
- Materials for the project are allowed, such as printing, paint, etc.
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Resources
Applicants are encouraged to use the following resources for application support and to learn more evidence-based breastfeeding friendly interventions.