Metro Weekly

Mautner Project Competing for $50,000 Grant

Facebook votes will decide if LBT women's health organization wins Cigna grant

Mautner Project, a D.C.-based organization aimed at improving the health of lesbian, bisexual and transgender women through primary medical care, support services, education and advocacy, is competing for a $50,000 grant from insurance giant Cigna. Votes on Facebook will determine whether Mautner, which recently became part of Whitman-Walker Health, will secure the grant.

Cigna announced Oct. 30 it will recognize one of four individuals representing four health-related charities across the nation for providing health services to targeted populations. Susan Hester, the co-founder of Mautner, has been nominated for the chance to win the grant money on behalf of her organization.

All four of this year’s nominees previously earned $20,000 grants for their work, and were chosen for their nominations by a panel of health experts who took into account each individual’s personal story, the effectiveness of their affliated nonprofit organization, and recommendations from internal and external health care experts.

The other organizations represented in the grant competition are Pets for Vets, the Society for Women’s Health and the Hispanic Health Council.

Starting on Nov. 4 and running through Nov. 10, Facebook users will be able to vote for their favorite health-related nonprofit of the four. The top vote-getter wins the Cigna GO YOU award and the $50,000 grant. A person may cast one vote per day on Facebook. The winner will be announced after the close of voting on Monday, Nov. 11, at midnight.

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