Ashley Bratcher, star of the hit pro-life movie Unplanned, has launched a pro-life scholarship for pregnant women to “empower mothers who chose life to continue their educations.”

On Monday, Bratcher announced that the Unplanned Movie Scholarship fund is now accepting donations at UnplannedMovieScholarship.com, according to LifeSiteNews.

The fund plans to offer expecting women a $5,000 scholarship for education costs.

“While plans may shift when the unexpected happens, it doesn’t mean that dreams need to stop completely,” reads the website’s main page. “Inspired by her role as Abby Johnson in the movie ‘Unplanned,’ Ashley Bratcher is partnering with Heartbeat International, the largest pregnancy help network in the world, to offer moms facing unplanned pregnancies educational scholarships so that they can continue pursuing their dreams while raising their babies.”

“Women CAN pursue their careers, live out their dreams, and have richer, more fulfilling lives while balancing motherhood. Sometimes, it just takes a little help,” Bratcher said in a statement. “I wanted to be a part of empowering mothers to chase their dreams and to provide a means for those who chose life to continue their educations.”

Bratcher’s scholarship is working in cooperation with Heartbeat International.

“Working with Heartbeat is an opportunity to direct women to the support that so many of them are seeking,” Bratcher said of the partner group. “Not only will the scholarship financially support the decision of mothers to continue their education, but it will also connect them to an organization that will support them throughout their pregnancy and beyond.”

“Heartbeat International is an organization that represents the essence of all that I believe the pro-life movement should be. Women are supported, empowered, loved, and never judged,” Bratcher concluded.

“Tucked into Unplanned is a vivid reminder that education can present an obstacle to accepting the new life within,” added Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International. “The Unplanned Movie Scholarship will be a lifeline to a young mom’s future as she makes the brave choice to embrace motherhood.”

Heartbeat International is the world’s largest pro-life pregnancy help network. The group has over 2,700 affiliated locations in more than 60 countries. Its mission is to save as many lives as possible around the world through its advocacy for life-affirming pregnancy assistance.

Unplanned, which tells the true story of Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood manager-turned pro-life activist, was released on DVD on August 13.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.