Michael Reese Health Trust announces first $1 million in reproductive health grants

The Michael Reese Health Trust has awarded its first million dollars in grants as part of a public-private partnership to boost support for reproductive healthcare.

The Prairie State Access Fund will allocate grants to the Chicago Abortion Fund, Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Repro TLC, and the Red Tent Fund.

The funds will support their general operating costs as they provide services such as contraception, sexually transmitted infections, testing and treatment, gender-affirming care and abortions.

The trust launched the fund in January in partnership with Gov. JB Pritzker, with the goal of connecting donor support with existing Illinois organizations that work in reproductive health.

“These grants are an important first step in ensuring that the providers and organizations meeting this demand have the resources they need to sustain care today and build resilience for the future,” Ameya Pawar, CEO of the trust, said in a statement.

A recent Guttmacher Institute report found Illinois continued to lead the nation in the number of out-of-state patients seeking abortion care in 2025. About 32,000 abortions were provided to out-of-state patients in 2025, accounting for nearly 23 percent of the 142,000 people nationwide who traveled across state lines for care.