FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, February 25, 2026
CONTACT: Michelle Robinson, PhD
mrobinson@ffbww.org, 608-400-1517
Madison, WI – At its 15th Annual Wear Red Day on Saturday, February 21, the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness (FFBWW) made a major announcement: it has been awarded a five-year, $1.75 million grant from the Merck Foundation to join the new Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care (CECC). The national initiative aims to expand access to high-quality, person-centered cardiovascular care for people living with heart conditions in the United States. The Foundation is one of eleven organizations nationwide selected for this transformative investment.
Funding will support the FFBWW’s Social Delta Initiative, a community-clinic partnership and systems-change model designed to improve cardiovascular health outcomes, with intentional focus on reducing racial and gender disparities impacting Black women in Dane County, Wisconsin. Social Delta strengthens care coordination, accountability, and learning across community-based organizations providing support services and primary care. The initiative also features a heart health program, Reclaim Our Hearts that will provide free individualized and group support to women living with hypertension or other cardiovascular risk factors. Participants will receive culturally grounded education, peer connection, and wrap-around services from the FFBWW’s Community Health Workers (CHWs) working in partnership with Access Community Health Centers. Participants will also engage in the FFBWW’s existing wellness programming, including fitness classes and Heart Health Circles.
"Cardiovascular disease is not just a medical issue—it’s a mirror reflecting the inequities in our social structure and care systems,” said Lisa M. Peyton, Founder, CEO and President of The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness. “Through the Social Delta Initiative, we are expanding our 15 year commitment to improving heart health and creating a model that connects the dots between medical care, community trust, and the social conditions that shape health. We are proud to join the Merck Foundation and our national and local partners in this transformative work."
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in Dane County, with Black residents bearing the most acute burden. Healthy Dane data from 2021–2023 show that the age-adjusted heart disease death rate among Black residents (244.2 deaths per 100,000) is nearly four times higher than among White residents (62.6 per 100,000). The inequity in Dane County mirrors national disparities across gender: heart disease is the leading cause of death for women overall, and Black women experience significantly higher disease rates, mortality, and premature death compared with White women.
“For far too long, the heart health of Black women has been overlooked in research, in care, and in system design,” said Dr. Michelle Robinson, FFBWW’s Chief Programs & Partnerships Officer and Project Director for the initiative. “Through this Initiative, we’re reshaping what care looks like—making it more connected, culturally and community grounded, and driven by the lived experiences of the women most impacted by inequity.”
This initiative builds on FFBWW’s longstanding commitment to heart disease prevention programming and education since its founding in 2012. The effort also expands the FFBWW’s leadership in women’s health equity and its partnerships with local health systems and the Dane County Heart Health Collaborative (DC2HC).
About the Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care
The Merck Foundation’s Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care supports 11 organizations nationwide in bridging gaps in cardiac care and advancing sustainable models that integrate medical and social support for people living with heart conditions. As a Collaborative, grantees will help bridge gaps in the delivery of care for a range of heart conditions and advance sustainable, and potentially scalable, approaches to improve the lives of people with heart conditions. The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity serves as the Collaborative’s National Program Office, providing technical assistance, evaluation, and cross-site learning.
“Cardiovascular disease continues to be the number one cause of death for men and women in the U.S., and its burden hits under-resourced communities the hardest,” said Kalahn Taylor-Clark, Ph.D., MPH, Vice President and Head, Social Impact & Sustainability, Merck. “By addressing both the medical and social needs of people living with heart conditions, the Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care will have a lasting impact on individuals and communities across the country.”
Learn more about the Reclaim Our Hearts Project
The FFBWW will launch Reclaim Our Hearts in Spring 2026, recruiting an initial cohort of 50 women who will receive 15 months of support. Two additional 15-month cohorts of 50 women will be recruited during the grant period, for a total of three cohorts and 150 women served.
To learn more, visit www.ffbww.org/reclaimourhearts.
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About the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness (FFBWW)
The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness is a Wisconsin-based non-profit committed to advancing Black women’s health and wellness through education, advocacy, systems change, and powerful partnerships. Each year, FFBWW reaches thousands of women through life-saving health education, peer support, and community-driven solutions that center joy, connection, and self-determination. Learn more at www.ffbww.org.
