Our Work

At Cornerstone Oakland Doula Collaborative, we are building the future of perinatal and reproductive care — one that is community-led, justice-rooted, and sustainable.
We invest in birthworkers, dismantle barriers, and strengthen systems that uphold autonomy, cultural relevance, and lived expertise. From scholarships and training to policy change and community organizing, our work expands access to care—while reshaping the conditions under which it’s given and received.

Advocacy

We engage in advocacy that advances policy and systems change to protect birthworker autonomy, expand access to culturally relevant care, and improve outcomes for birthing people most impacted by health disparities. Our work is grounded in lived experience and informed by evidence-based practice.

We partner with public health leaders, healthcare systems, and major researchers to ensure that community-based models of care are not only respected—but integrated into emerging standards of perinatal health. Current efforts include:

  • Shaping policy recommendations for Medicaid reimbursement models that reflect community-based work

  • Co designing research studies on harm reduction and doula care as part of federally funded studies

  • Hosting listening sessions and community forums to inform our advocacy priorities

  • Advancing inclusive language and practice standards in maternal and reproductive health

    Our partnerships with funders and institutions allow us to bring community-driven insight into policy conversations and systems design—creating scalable, equity-focused solutions.

Scholarships

We offer scholarships to increase access to high-quality, culturally grounded, and evidence based doula training for people who are under-resourced and historically underrepresented in the professional birthwork landscape. These scholarships reduce financial barriers and strengthen a more inclusive, community-rooted workforce—one that reflects the identities, languages, and lived experiences of the families most impacted by disparities in reproductive care.

Our scholarship recipients are primarily BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, low-income, and/or disabled individuals, many of whom are already providing care in their communities—trusted supporters during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum whose work is rooted in lived experience, cultural knowledge, and deep connection. Our program offers access to training and resources that expand their skills, sustain their work, and support their leadership in shaping the future of care.

By reducing financial barriers to training, we also support pathways for doulas to meet requirements for registering with Medicaid reimbursement programs—expanding both workforce access and the availability of doula care for birthing people in under-resourced communities.

With donor and grant support, our scholarship program has enabled hundreds of birthworkers to enter the field, many of whom go on to serve in rural, low-resourced, and historically underserved settings. Current efforts include:

  • Offering full and partial scholarships on a rolling basis to reduce time-based access limitations

  • Supporting wraparound needs, including materials, childcare, and transportation, when funding allows

  • Tracking graduate outcomes to assess long-term impact in workforce diversification and community care access

  • Partnering with training institutions and community-based organizations to identify and support high-impact applicants

With the continued investment of our funding partners, we are not only expanding access—we are helping build a resilient, representative reproductive care workforce that is prepared to meet the needs of today’s families and shape the future of doula care.

Organizing

We organize alongside birthworkers, careworkers, and community members to strengthen community-based models of care and build collective infrastructure that supports sustainability, autonomy, and impact. Our organizing work is grounded in shared leadership and mutual support—creating the conditions for birthworkers to thrive, not just survive.

Through regional and national networks, we bring birthworkers together to share strategies, resources, and care. We host peer-led trainings, facilitate working groups, and co-develop tools that support doulas in navigating the complexities of practice—from Medicaid reimbursement and clinical collaboration to managing burnout and staying rooted in values.

We also create space for collective advocacy—supporting birthworkers as leaders not only in care provision, but in shaping systems, policies, and standards that affect their work and their clients.

Current organizing efforts include:

  • Facilitating regional support networks and working groups for birthworkers navigating reimbursement, integration, and community practice

  • Hosting virtual gatherings and in-person convenings that prioritize joy, connection, and skill-sharing

  • Developing and sharing practical tools and protocols that center harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and cultural responsiveness

  • Supporting collaborations between doulas, midwives, nurses, and public health workers to strengthen interdependent care models

With continued investment, we are expanding the organizing infrastructure needed to build a movement that is sustainable, scalable, and led by the people doing the work. This is how we ensure that birthwork remains not only accessible, but protected, respected, and connected.

Help us grow a movement where reproductive care is accessible, dignified, and community-driven

Cornerstone Oakland Doula Collaborative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 33-4546791.
Your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution.