For All Mothers+ and Strava Help Moms Overcome the Motherhood Penalty: Award $50,000 in “Childcare Grants” with Support from On, Runna, and GU Energy Labs to Remove Barriers to Race Participation
For All Mothers+ and Strava today announced the 25 winners of the 2026 Childcare Grants, a program designed to help active mothers overcome one of the biggest barriers to race participation: access to caregiving support. The grants help offset childcare costs associated with race training, travel, and participation, making it possible for mothers to pursue their athletic goals while raising a family.
Each recipient received a $2,000 grant, along with On Running apparel and footwear, GU Energy Labs nutrition products, a Runna membership, FAM+ Club community access, and registration for the Every Woman’s Marathon. Recipients’ names and stories as they pursue their athletic ambitions will be shared on the For All Mothers+ Instagram.
The nationwide search for this year’s Childcare Grantees drew 475 applicants, bringing the program total to nearly 1,400 applicants since launching last year. The high-volume response rate continues to underscore the impact of the Motherhood Penalty and the need for accessible childcare in order to support mothers’ ambitions, health and well-being.
Notable data from this year’s applicant pool included:
68% stated they would be unable to or unsure if they could participate in a race without grant assistance
27.4% of applicants were pursuing their first postpartum race, with most training for a marathon or half marathon
More than 75% identified as a recreational athlete, or parent returning to sport, and had no professional or elite athlete background
37 applicants were single parents
The top five states represented were California, Texas, Illinois, Florida, and New York
171 applicants had one child, 200 had two children, and 96 had three or more children
Applicants represented a total of 805 children, with the largest age group between one and five years old, particularly ages three to five
The most popular goal races were the Chicago Marathon, Every Woman's Marathon, the New York City Marathon, the Nike After Dark Half Marathon, and the Walt Disney World Half Marathon
*Data from the 2026 Childcare Grant applicant pool
“A mother’s health and well-being are essential to the health of her family, and yet the Motherhood Penalty continues to place a mother’s own needs as a miscellaneous item,” said Alysia Montaño, founder of For All Mothers+. “The response to our Childcare Grant program demonstrates how many mothers have been struggling in silence. Targeted investments, such accessible childcare, can directly impact a mother’s ability to pursue her goals alongside motherhood. Through partnership initiatives like this with Strava, we are reshaping the narrative and removing the structural barriers that inhibit women to pursue motherhood as their full selves while driving supportive infrastructure for today’s mothers and future generations to come.”
For additional insights into this year’s applicant trends, please visit the For All Mothers+ Substack in the coming weeks and follow our Instagram to learn more about this year’s grant recipients. T
To learn more about For All Mothers+ programs or partner for future initiatives, visit www.forallmothers.org.