Safe Motherhood Initiatives USA (SMI-USA) The Safe Motherhood Initiatives-USA is a partnership of organizations whose goal is to reduce maternal mortality in the United States. SMI was launched on October 25, 1997, the Tenth Anniversary of the International Safe Motherhood Initiative. Partner Organizations American College of Nurse-Midwives American Public Health Association March of Dimes Midwives Alliance of North America National Alliance for Hispanic Health National Asian Women's Health Organization National Black Women's Health Project Collaborating Organizations Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Ina May Gaskin, MA, CPM, former President of the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), had the original idea for the Quilt Project. After gaining approval for the project from the MANA Board, Ina May Gaskin brought it to the attention of SMI-USA and suggested that they take it on as a national project. As is customary among the SMI-USA partners, once a project is adopted by the collaborative, it is considered an in-kind gift from the participating partner, in this case, the Midwives Alliance of North America. Funding for the start-up phase of The Safe Motherhood Quilt Project was provided by the Benjamin Spencer Fund.