Search Through Financial Assistance Grants in Rhode Island in the U.S.

Charitable Contributions

Costco Wholesale’s primary charitable efforts specifically focus on programs supporting children, education, and health and human services in the communities where we do business. Throughout the year we receive a large number of requests from nonprofit organizations striving to make a positive impact, and we are thankful to be able to provide support to a variety of organizations and causes. While we would like to respond favorably to all requests, understandably, the needs are far greater than our allocated resources and we are unable to accommodate them all.

Warehouse Donations:

Warehouse donations are handled at the warehouse level - please consult your local warehouse for up-to-date information regarding their donations contacts and review process.

Grant Applications

If the request is under consideration, you may be contacted by staff for any additional information needed. Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks, and decisions are made based on several factors, including: type of program; identified community need not otherwise available; indication that evidenced based data will establish measurable results of intended outcomes; community collaboration; broad base of financial support; project budget and operating expenses.

Mission

The DanPaul Foundation will use its resources to help train teachers and parents in early childhood development, protect children from abuse and neglect, stimulate children's personal social responsibilities, and offer them opportunities for enrichment and growth.

The Foundation will also encourage children to be concerned and informed about the environment and the underprivileged, particularly with regard to clean air and water, and adequate housing and nutrition for all.

Beliefs

The DanPaul Foundation believes that children should have ample opportunities for enrichment in their lives, and thus strives to provide many different ways to enrich and expand children's minds through direct programs and monetary support to organizations doing similar work.

We have provided or currently provide grants related to the following program areas:

• Workshops, Conferences, + Seminars: We strive to offer educational workshops, conferences, and seminars for parents and teachers on topics related to early childhood development.
• Student Scholarships: We aim to help students attending post-secondary education institutions by providing need-based and academic scholarships.
• Scientific Endeavors: We desire to advance scientific endeavors which seek to improve the quality of life for everyone in the world.
• Clean Air + Water: We hope to pass on knowledge and practical life skills to youth regarding their personal responsibility to the environment, teaching them about issues surrounding clean air and water.
• Child Advocacy: We believe in protecting children from abuse and neglect and particularly love to support programs that provide education and assistance to children as well as organizations advocating or caring for vulnerable children.
• Homelessness: We want to encourage young people to take a personal interest in seeing that adequate housing and proper nutrition, especially for the underprivileged and homeless, are available.
• Poverty + Neglect: We seek to help those in poverty as well as educate youth about their responsibility to consider the underprivileged and take care of those most in need of life's basic essentials like adequate housing and proper nutrition.
• Refugee Enrichment: We wish to help refugee youth by supporting programs that provide them enrichment and help them transition to life in a new country.

The DanPaul Foundation provides grants to 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organizations as defined by the IRS. The Foundation is interested in providing funding to programs that directly serve the health, education, development, and welfare of the world's youth.

Grants range from a few hundred dollars up to $15,000 per calendar year.

Global Impact Cash Grants

Identifying and incubating innovative early-stage solutions. We identify, incubate, and develop innovative early-stage solutions with the highest potential for impact. Global Impact Cash Grants go to nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that address a significant social problem. We're looking for programs that fit within our investment sectors, focus on the underserved, and use technology to improve the reach and efficiency of services.

We accept applications year-round from eligible organizations. A brief Letter of Inquiry (LOI) is used to determine whether your organization will be invited to complete a full application. Please expand and carefully review each of the three sections below to learn more

Our priority social impact sectors

We focus on investing in innovative, tech-enabled solutions to the challenges and opportunities that matter most to communities in need, prioritizing four social impact sectors:

Cisco Crisis Response

Mobilizing to provide essentials to communities in need and those in crisis, including food, housing, secure connectivity, and disaster relief

By leveraging Cisco’s people, technology, financial resources, and strategic partnerships, we help strengthen community resilience and drive long-term recovery from crises.

Education

Supporting students, teachers, and schools by increasing engagement, building skills, promoting subject mastery, and expanding their capacity to thrive

Cisco is committed to inclusive access to digital skills training and supporting those who use technology to educate. Through programs like Cisco Networking Academy and social investments in education, we create new opportunities for individuals to thrive.

Economic Empowerment

Transforming communities through skill development, long-term career opportunities, entrepreneurship, and access to financial products and services

Strategic grants that unlock economic prosperity and growth for individuals and communities.

Climate Regeneration

Building an inclusive, regenerative, and resilient climate future through education, regenerative agriculture, conservation, protection, and clean energy solutions

Our efforts began in 2021, when the Cisco Foundation committed US$100 million over 10 years to fund nonprofit grants and impact investing in climate solutions. 

Community Grants

State Farm is committed to helping build safer, stronger and better-educated communities.

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We are committed to auto and home safety programs and activities that help people manage the risks of everyday life.
• We invest in education, economic empowerment and community development projects, programs and services that help people realize their dreams.
• We help maintain the vibrancy of our communities by assisting nonprofits that support community revitalization.

Good Neighbor Citizenship company grants focus on safety, community development and education.

Focus Areas

Safety Grants

We strive to keep our customers and communities safe. That's why our funding is directed toward:

• Auto safety — improving driver, passenger, vehicle or roadway safety
• Home safety — shielding homes from fires, crime or natural disasters
• Disaster preparedness and mitigation
• Disaster recovery

Community Development

We support nonprofits that invest and develop stronger neighborhoods. That's why our funding is directed toward:

• Affordable housing — home construction and repair
• Commercial/small business development
• Job training
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Financial literacy
• Sustainable housing and transportation
• Food insecurity

Education

Our education funding is directed toward initiatives that support the following programs:

• Higher education
• K-12 academic performance
• K-12 STEM
• Pathways for college and career success

Mission

The mission of the Hearst Foundations is to identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States can build healthy, productive and satisfying lives. Through its grantmaking, the Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of focus—culture, education, health and social service—and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. In each area of funding, the Foundations seek to identify those organizations achieving truly differentiated results relative to other organizations making similar efforts for similar populations. The Foundations also look for evidence of sustainability beyond their support.

Whether providing a scholarship to a deserving student, supporting a rural health clinic or bringing artists into schools so children can see firsthand the beauty of the arts, the Foundations’ focus is consistent: to help those in need, those underserved and those underrepresented in society. Since the Foundations were formed in the 1940s, the scale and capabilities of the grant making have changed, but the mission has not.

Culture Grant

The Hearst Foundations fund cultural institutions that offer meaningful programs in the arts and sciences, prioritizing those that enable engagement by young people and create a lasting and measurable impact. The Foundations also fund select programs nurturing and developing artistic talent. Supported organizations include arts schools, ballets, museums, operas, performing arts centers, symphonies and theaters.

Funding Priorities in Culture

In the recent past, 25% of total funding has been allocated to Culture. Organizations with budgets over $10 million have received 60% of the funding in Culture.

The Hearst Foundations are only able to fund approximately 25% of all grant requests, of which about 80% is directed to prior grantees and about 20% is targeted toward new grantees.

Types of Support

Program, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

Mission

The mission of the Hearst Foundations is to identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States can build healthy, productive and satisfying lives. Through its grantmaking, the Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of focus—culture, education, health and social service—and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. In each area of funding, the Foundations seek to identify those organizations achieving truly differentiated results relative to other organizations making similar efforts for similar populations. The Foundations also look for evidence of sustainability beyond their support.

Whether providing a scholarship to a deserving student, supporting a rural health clinic or bringing artists into schools so children can see firsthand the beauty of the arts, the Foundations’ focus is consistent: to help those in need, those underserved and those underrepresented in society. Since the Foundations were formed in the 1940s, the scale and capabilities of the grant making have changed, but the mission has not.

Social Service Grant

The Hearst Foundations fund direct-service organizations that tackle the roots of chronic poverty by applying effective solutions to the most challenging social and economic problems. The Foundations prioritize supporting programs that have proven successful in facilitating economic independence and in strengthening families. Preference is also given to programs with the potential to scale productive practices in order to reach more people in need.

Funding Priorities in Social Service

In the recent past, 15% of total funding has been allocated to Social Service. Organizations with budgets over $5 million have received 60% of funding in Social Service.

The Hearst Foundations are only able to fund approximately 25% of all grant requests, of which about 80% is directed to prior grantees and about 20% is targeted for new grantees.

Types of Support

Program, capital and general support

Funding

Minimum grant size is $100,000.

The Labcorp Charitable Foundation

We believe every person deserves equitable care and education.

In 2020 Labcorp established a private charitable 501(c)(3) foundation to advance our desire to bring quality healthcare access to all by supporting education and our local communities. 

Common grant opportunities include:

• Supporting food pantries and meal programs
• Providing healthcare and patient services for underserved populations
• Encouraging STEM programming
• Advocating for healthy lifestyles through ongoing medical research and screening

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Grants

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation only accepts unsolicited proposals for specific areas within the education, family economic stability and childhood health sectors in select countries where we work, namely the United States, India and South Africa.

As a guideline, the foundation does not fund more than 25% of a project’s budget or more than 10% of an organization’s total annual operating expenses.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has always recognized the power of providing grants to partner organizations that we knew were already working hard to improve the lives of urban children living in poverty. By aligning with organizations that are already making a difference, we continue to make an immediate impact on the lives of thousands of children.

Foundation priorities:

We fund social enterprises that directly serve or impact children or youth from urban low-income communities in the areas of education, health, and family economic stability (including livelihoods and financial inclusion). These social enterprises may be structured as for-profit or nonprofit entities.

Partnerships

We collaborate with a range of organizations focused on creating opportunities for children and families living in urban poverty, with a deep emphasis on measuring impact. Our funding advances projects already making an impact in education, health, and family economic stability. Through these enduring and long-standing partnerships, we create lasting change together.

We have strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country that are working to advance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities. Our focus areas include basic needs like food and housing, workforce development and education, and community development. In addition to our philanthropic investments, we also encourage our employees to make a difference by offering robust employee giving and volunteering programs, including the opportunity to direct funds to organizations they support through volunteer efforts, and a matching gifts program that doubles their individual giving to causes they care about. Last year, we invested $350 million in the communities we serve, and employees contributed more than 1 million volunteer hours and directed $65 million through individual giving and matching gifts to support nonprofits.Through our regional U.S. sponsorships, we support the economic, social and cultural life of the places we live and work. We provide an extensive program of arts and sports sponsorships to help maintain vibrant, healthy communities.Sponsorships supporting communitiesBank of America welcomes your sponsorship proposal for opportunities that make our communities a better place to live and work. We are particularly interested in providing support to address needs vital to the health of our communities through a focus on:

• preserving neighborhoods;
• educating the workforce for 21st century jobs;
• addressing critical needs such as hunger and emergency shelter;
• arts and culture;
• the environment; and
• diversity and inclusion programs.

Grants are made at the Foundation’s discretion based on our current funding strategies focused on housing, jobs and hunger. 

Beginning in 2023, the Rhode Island Foundation spent more than a year conducting a careful assessment of our work and engaging deeply with Rhode Islanders from diverse backgrounds and experiences. The outcome is an evolved mission and Five-Year Action Plan that is informed by the people we serve.

Through deep engagement and discussion with the public, collaboration with our partners, research, and data analysis, we identified six community priorities that are essential for a thriving Rhode Island. These priorities were consistently voiced by the community we serve and will guide the Rhode Island Foundation’s efforts in the years ahead.  

The Capacity Building Grant program is one of our three core grant programs and primarily provides funding and/or technical assistance to support the needs of organizations and programs that respond to one or more of the community priorities, and related focus areas in the Foundation's Five-Year Action Plan.  

At the center of each community priority is a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA), ensuring that our efforts address systemic inequities and support thriving communities. 

Other Considerations

Proposals are evaluated based in large part on how the work of the organization responds to community priorities and related focus areas, clear explanation of need, readiness to start and complete the proposed project, and the clarity of expected outcomes. 

Capacity Building grants may support activities such as:

• strategic planning
• business planning
• feasibility studies
• fund development planning
• marketing and communications planning
• planning for reorganization
• streamlining operations or services
• partnerships and mergers
• financial management planning or systems adoption
• transition or succession planning
• board planning and strengthening
• diversity, equity, inclusion, and access training, assessment, and planning, which can center on organizational culture and/or the equity focus of an organization’s work and relationship with the communities they serve. 

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes.

The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographical restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.  

Grant Amount and Types

Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. In some limited cases we may make larger grants, but that is typically after we have gotten to know your organization over a period of time. We also generally don’t make multi-year grants, although we may fund the same organization on a year by year basis over a period of years.

General operating or program/project grant requests within our areas of interests are accepted. In general, regardless of whether a grant request is for general operating or program/project expenses, all of our grants will be issued as unrestricted grants.

Chartercare Foundation

Our grants benefit health and wellness programs throughout Rhode Island.

Chartercare Wellness/Obesity Prevention/Nutrition Education Grant

Applications are now being accepted for proposals to provide structured programs to identify, treat, and track the effectiveness of wellness programs, nutrition education, diabetes and obesity prevention services, particularly among disadvantaged populations. Proposals up to $25,000 will be considered; and must include the following:

• Scope of the program;
• Number of patients it will help,
• How the continuum of care will be improved;
• How access to effective programs and assistance will be achieved in a timely manner
• How patient progress will be monitored and tracked, ie: how outcomes will be measured
• If this proposal is not funded, how will the organization address this need?

Centene Charitable Foundation

Successful corporate citizenship happens when companies invest in the local organizations that know their communities best. The Centene Foundation works with our local partners on initiatives that focus on inclusion, the whole person and community development.

Vision

Centene’s purpose is transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. The Centene Foundation is an essential part of how we pursue this purpose. We achieve measurable impact for the communities we serve through partnerships and philanthropy efforts that invest in initiatives with holistic approaches to dismantling barriers to health.

Areas of Focus

Reflecting Centene’s commitment to the needs of those who rely on government-sponsored health care and to addressing social determinants of health and health equity, preference will be given to initiatives in three distinct areas of focus.

• Healthcare Access
• Social Services
• Education

Our Mission

Our mission is to continue and further the philanthropic legacy of Gardner Cowles, Jr. and the Cowles family, which includes promotion of education, social justice, health, and the arts.

The Founder

The Cowles Charitable Trust was first established in 1948 by Gardner “Mike” Cowles, Jr. (1903-1985). Born into the Cowles publishing family of Des Moines, Iowa, Mike was the youngest of Gardner Cowles and Florence Call Cowles’ six children. A newspaper editor and publisher by trade, he was committed to his family’s traditions of responsible, public-spirited, and innovative journalism as well as philanthropy. 

The Cowles Charitable Trust supports the arts, education, the advancement of ethical journalism, medical and climate research.

About the Island Foundation

The Island Foundation was founded in 1979 by W. Van Alan Clark, Jr. and Mary H. Clark. They envisioned a family foundation that was capable not only of reacting to the needs of the community, but also providing leadership grants and taking chances other foundations might be unwilling to consider. Van Clark believed in solutions. He believed that the world could be managed for the better. He believed that bright people, dedicated to a common goal would inevitably achieve that goal. He was an activist who was willing to, in his own words, “Step up to the plate and make a good cut at the ball.” A restless and imaginative man, he fought for better outcomes in all of his endeavors. Over the years, the Island Foundation has alternately talked and listened, but always with the goal of motivating action and creative solutions. There is a challenge embedded in every opportunity.

Grantmaking Priorities

The Foundation supports projects in coastal areas of Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island and selected international locations.

For the last two decades, the Foundation has focused a significant portion of its financial resources on Southeastern Massachusetts, where its office is located. Here the Board seeks to understand how communities grow sustainably and equitably, how to increase educational opportunities, how rural and urban economies are intertwined, and how to best protect working landscapes and the people who rely upon these areas for their livelihoods. In funding in a few specific areas, the Board believes it will have the most impact. 

Womxn and Girls Grant

The Island Foundation works with organizations addressing root causes of inequality for womxn and girls in the United States. The Foundation works to strengthen and support the work of womxn- and girls-led and focused organizations across sectors and funding interests, particularly for womxn and girls of color. The Foundation supports intergenerational collaborations and organizations at the forefront of innovation and systems change for gender equity and inclusion.

Background

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers and non-industrial forest managers to address natural resource concerns.

EQIP delivers environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, increased soil health and reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved or created wildlife habitat, and mitigation against drought and increasing weather volatility.

How It Works

This voluntary conservation programs helps producers make conservation work for them.  Together, NRCS and producers invest in solutions that conserve natural resources for the future while also improving agricultural operations.

Through EQIP, NRCS provides agricultural producers and non-industrial forest managers with financial resources and one-on-one help to plan and implement improvements, or what NRCS calls conservation practices.  Using these practices can lead to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving agricultural operations.  Through EQIP, you can voluntarily implement conservation practices, and NRCS co-invests in these practices with you.

Benefits

The benefits of EQIP include:

• Reduction of contamination from agricultural sources, such as animal feeding operations.
• Efficient utilization of nutrients, reducing input costs and reduction in nonpoint source pollution.
• Increased soil health to help mitigate against increasing weather volatility and improved drought resiliency.

Funding Pools in Rhode Island

General EQIP

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, increased soil health and reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved or created wildlife habitat, and mitigation against increasing weather volatility.

• Working lands ranking pool - includes all applicants with non-forested land uses.
• Forest resiliency ranking pool - includes all applicants with forested land use.
• Beginning farmers and historically underserved farmers and ranchers ranking pool - Applications from Historically Underserved Farmers & Ranchers, under EQIP, are considered within specific sub-account fund pools.
• Conservation Planning Activities (CPA), Design Implementation Activities (DIA), or Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMA) ranking pool - NEW for FY 2022: A reorganized approach to planning, designing, implementing, and monitoring conservation activities on agricultural lands. Applicants may use EQIP to develop written conservation plans using Conservation Planning Activities (CPA), Design Implementation Activities (DIA), or Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMA).
• Organic growers or those transitioning to organic may apply to this EQIP sub-account. Applicants must be registered with the RIDEM Division of Agriculture.

Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) implementation

Producers with completed Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan who wish to apply for EQIP funds towards implementing conservation practices from that CNMP may apply to this EQIP sub-account. Applicants must provide a copy of the approved Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan.

EQIP Conservation Incentive Contracts

Conservation Incentive Contracts are an option under EQIP, with a focus on Climate-Smart Forestry and Agriculture and Drought Resilience management practices. EQIP-CIC provides financial assistance to adopt conservation activities on working landscapes.

On-farm energy

The On-Farm Energy Initiative enables the producer to identify ways to conserve energy on the farm through two types of Agricultural Energy Management Plans (AgEMP) for headquarters and/or for landscape, also known as an on-farm energy audit (headquarters and/or landscape); and by providing financial and technical assistance to help the producer implement various measures and practices recommended in these on-farm energy audits.

Oyster reef restoration state initiative

The Oyster Reef Restoration Initiative provides financial assistance to improve water quality and encourage the development of wildlife habitat by implementing conservation practices that create oyster reefs.

RCPP farm plan implementation

An RCPP project led by local Rhode Island partners.

Source water initiative

About the Allison Keller Education Technology Program

Realizing the gains that many people with autism have achieved using the iPad, the Allison Keller Education Technology Program was created in honor of Flutie Foundation Board Member Kevin Lane Keller's daughter Allison. The goal of the program is to help fill the financial and technological gap for schools and organizations that assist individuals with autism. Since 2012, the Flutie Foundation has granted over $820,000 to 177 schools and organizations for programs specifically serving individuals with autism that have an established technology program in place or have expressed an interest in starting a program using the iPad or other technology tools.

Applications will be considered for any technology tools and/or training that improve learning outcomes or performance. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Tablets & Accessories
• Apps
• Smartboards
• Laptops
• Technology Training
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) educational activities & access to STEM studies

The Flutie Foundation is seeking innovative partners who are using technology to address real needs facing the autism community. One program per public school district is eligible to be awarded an Allison Keller Education Technology grant annually. Think outside the box!

For over 25 years the Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation has provided funding and support to our communities. Our hope is that the investments we make, help to create a more equitable place to live and work and improve the quality of life for everyone in our communities.

Areas of Focus

Education & Literacy

Education is an essential foundation for prosperity and opportunity. We fund various types of educational support including early learning programs and initiatives, all levels of academic learning, workforce development, job training and more.

Economic Development

We fund activities and programs that work to improve the economic well-being and quality of life of our communities. Particularly those that focus on community development, diversification, creating and retaining jobs and building the local tax base.

Affordable Housing

Affordable Housing can improve the quality of life of residents leading to better health, adequate jobs, financial stability, security, and population diversity. We fund a wide variety of affordable housing initiatives including organizations and programs that provide credit counseling, homebuyer education, temporary and affordable housing solutions.

Critical Needs/Sustainability

This is a new area of focus added during the past year in response to the serious issues impacting our communities. The effects of Covid-19 and social injustice continue to be felt throughout our community and have negatively impacted many of our community organizations. We want to address these and other community impact issues as well as create the flexibility to address new critical needs and sustainability concerns that may arise.

Funding Ranges/Restrictions:

In an effort to assist as many qualified organizations as possible within our market areas, our Foundation awards grants of varying sizes depending on the specific project being funded. However, please note the following:

One-time Grants

• The average range for grants is up to $10,000.
• Successful applicants are limited to one grant per year.

Large Dollar Multi-Year Grants

• Our Foundation has a cap for the amount of multi-year grants issued annually
• Successful applicants are precluded from receiving additional grants during the multi-year funding period.

The Capacity Building Grant program provides funding and/or technical assistance to support the needs of organizations and programs that respond to one or more of the Foundation's community priorities, and related focus areas.

Beginning in 2023, the Rhode Island Foundation spent more than a year conducting a careful assessment of our work and engaging deeply with Rhode Islanders from diverse backgrounds and experiences. The outcome is an evolved mission and Five-Year Action Plan that is informed by the people we serve.

Through deep engagement and discussion with the public, collaboration with our partners, research, and data analysis, we identified six community priorities that are essential for a thriving Rhode Island. These priorities were consistently voiced by the community we serve and will guide the Rhode Island Foundation’s efforts in the years ahead.  

The Capacity Building Grant program is one of our three core grant programs and primarily provides funding and/or technical assistance to support the needs of organizations and programs that respond to one or more of the community priorities, and related focus areas in the Foundation's Five-Year Action Plan.  

At the center of each community priority is a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA), ensuring that our efforts address systemic inequities and support thriving communities. 

How this Program Works?

Grants for this program are offered twice annually. There is a two-stage process with a simple pre-application followed by completion of a full application if there is a funding opportunity that may be a good match for the applicant’s proposal.  Organizations are eligible to be awarded one Capacity Building grant per year. 

 The program will follow the same timeline as our Community Priorities grant program.

Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA)

Mission

Through grantmaking, programming, convening, policy-building and education, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts ensures that arts and culture will play an ever more significant part in the well-being and experience of all Rhode Island residents.

Vision

We envision a Rhode Island where arts and culture are valued as an essential part of life, and for their contribution to a thriving state.

Values

We believe in the transformative power of arts and culture. All Rhode Islanders benefit from creative expression and a culturally vibrant state. As the agency of state government charged with supporting arts and culture in Rhode Island, RISCA is committed to:

• OPENNESS: Being respectful, welcoming and inviting to all.
• CONSISTENCY: Behaving intentionally, in a knowledgeable, responsive, engaged, respectful and transparent manner.
• DEDICATION: Developing authentic relationships, as a team and with others, built on our passion, humor, kindness and optimism.
• Through grantmaking, programming, and services, RISCA promotes:
• EQUITY AND ACCESS: Ensuring the identification and removal of barriers in all contexts, including cultural opportunities, resources and RISCA support for diverse communities throughout Rhode Island.
• COLLABORATION: Creating networks of mutual support among individuals, organizations and RISCA to strengthen communities.
• ECONOMIC VALUE: Honoring the time, skills, talents and excellence of artists and arts administrators through fair compensation.
• COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY: Supporting culturally relevant and responsive art to ensure the health and well-being of the arts and cultural ecosystem, beginning with arts education.
• ARTISTIC EXPRESSION: Protecting freedom of artistic expression in Rhode Island.
• LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: Fostering diverse arts and cultural leaders in, from and for Rhode Island.

About RISCA’s General Operating Support for Organizations (GOS-O) Program.

RISCA’s General Operating Support for Organizations Program (GOS-O), formerly called the Investments in Arts and Culture (IAC) Program, provides multi-year unrestricted operating support to arts and culture organizations and culturally specific organizations across Rhode Island that meaningfully engage and inspire their community through arts and culture programming. Organizations in this program make important contributions to the diversity and vitality of our communities, the economy of our state, the enrichment of all Rhode Islanders, and our quality of life.

Goals

The working group developed these goals for the new general operating support program, now called General Operating Support for Organizations (GOSO).

• Provide multi-year unrestricted operating support for arts and culture organizations throughout the state through a competitive grant program.
• Include organizations that are evaluated by peer review panels as being responsive and accountable to the cultural needs of their identified communities.
• Through extensive recruitment and a streamlined entrance process, includes organizations that better represent the diversity of the state along the following parameters:
  • Racial: only five BIPOC centered* organizations are in this program as of 2020. RISCA has set a goal of at least ten BIPOC centered organizations in the program by 2025.
  • Geographic: there are towns and communities that have no organizational representation in GOSO. RISCA has set a goal of including at least three organizations from three different, unrepresented towns or cities in the GOSO program by 2025.
    • Current unrepresented towns and cities include Barrington, Burrillville, Charlestown, Coventry, Cumberland, Foster, Glocester, Hopkinton, Johnston, Little Compton, Middletown, Narragansett, North Kingstown, North Providence, North Smithfield, Richmond, Smithfield, Tiverton, Warren, West Greenwich, and West Warwick.
• Provide a just and equitable distribution of funding that helps address the damage done by generations of institutional racism.
  • For this goal to be realized, additional funding consideration will be given to organizations that represent historically and/or continuously marginalized communities or constituencies in their mission, programming, staff leadership, and board.
  • In this specific context, historically and/or continuously marginalized communities may include but are not limited to BIPOC communities, such as African and African American, Arab, Asian and Asian American, Latinx, Middle Eastern, Native American and Indigenous, or Pacific Islander communities; people with disabilities; or others who can make a case for being historically and/or continuously marginalized.

Deadlines

Applications and application requirements will be slightly different for each budget cohort commensurate with the size and resources of different sized organizations.

• Budgets over $500,000: FY24 – Deadline is April 1, 2023.
• Budgets from $100,000 – $500,000: FY25 – Deadline is April 1, 2024.
• Budgets under $100,000: FY26 – Deadline is April 1, 2025.

In the event that the April 1 deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the revised deadline will be 11:59 PM on the next business day.

Focus Areas

The Rhode Island Foundation stewards a collection of funds of various sizes that generous donors have established to address health and healthcare needs of Rhode Islanders. These funds are used to support our Medical Research program and, through the Specialized Health Funds program, provide support to nonprofit organizations working in these fields. Funding availability varies each year and could include the following areas:

• Working on the education, prevention, and care of those with renal disease
• Providing hospice care for the terminally ill
• Providing care and relief to individuals suffering from incurable diseases
• Providing care and treatment for those with cancer
• Providing support for persons with physical disabilities
• Helping or aiding those with developmental or intellectual disabilities
• In addition to the medical conditions listed above, there may be limited funding available for organizations providing support and care to individuals suffering from mental illness, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, or heart ailments.
• Focusing on the outreach, education, clinical or basic research involving human growth hormone steroids or other performance enhancing substances
• Providing care and support for individuals with low-vision and blindness:
  • Assists visually impaired individuals in Rhode Island to move towards economic self-sufficiency
  • Advances innovative solutions for people affected by blindness or vision loss
  • Develops research-based solutions to the underlying disease or condition that causes blindness or vision loss, particularly macular degeneration
  • Supports summer camps for Rhode Island children with low-vision and blindness

The Specialized Health Funds program is complementary to the Foundation’s Healthy and Strong Community Priority.

James W. Blake "Catalyst" Award

Accelerating growth & impact in the local community 

James W. Blake served as President and CEO for HarborOne Bank for over 25 years. During his tenure, the Bank grew from$ 458 million to $4.5 billion in assets. Through this tremendous period of growth, Jim remained committed to the people and communities where HarborOne Bank had a presence. Jim lent his time, talent and voice to numerous local and state-wide organizations and encouraged staff and Bank leadership to do the same. Under Jim’s leadership, HarborOne established a first of its kind financial education center serving over 20,000 individuals and businesses, a robust college scholarship program which invests $1M in promising area students, and the HarborOne Foundations serving Massachusetts & Rhode Island that have donated over $5 Million to local nonprofit organizations. Beyond the time, wisdom and financial support, Jim served as a model for all who have had the pleasure to work with him, as he treated any and all with respect and dignity. As a social entrepreneur and business leader, Jim is a believer in the value of investing in quality organizations and watching them grow and make an impact in the cities and towns served by HarborOne.

Award Purpose

The annual James W. Blake “Catalyst” Award is intended to assist a local organization in dramatically accelerating their organizational development, impact and reach. The award will support transformative projects or small but critical capital projects that will have a substantial effect on the organization and who they serve.

Investment Focus Areas

Calling to Serve

Since its inception in 2016, the Robinson Foundation has sought to demonstrate God’s love through sharing the gifts we have received. We understand the often unspoken hardships and struggles that people in and outside of our community face everyday. As such, our contributions are focused on relieving these hardships for the betterment of our world.

As a family-operated foundation, we pray that our small efforts will not only create immediate change in the lives of our neighbors, but will help set those lives on a course for success in the future. We are thankful for each and every day we have on this earth to use what God has granted us to make a difference.

Areas of Interest

• Animal Welfare
• Children & Families
• Disaster Relief
• Education
• Medical Assistance
• Nature & Wildlife Conservation
• Poverty Relief
• Religious & Spiritual Endeavors
• Veterans' Issues

Grant Considerations

We take many different aspects of applications into account when making grant issuing decisions, however these are some of the high-level questions we ask ourselves during the process:

• How does the organization serve their key audience goals?
• Is the organization fiscally responsible?
• Will a grant have a tangible, meaningful impact?
• Will we see direct results from this grant?
• Does the organization have other financial contributors?

Our Mission

The Hansen Family Foundation provides opportunities to domestic, international, secular, and non-secular organizations that support the American way of life, which is defined by the principles of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” 

Causes

Children

The Hansen Family Foundation supports causes dedicated to helping children both home as well as abroad. Learn More

Education

The Hansen Family Foundation believes that a decent education should be made available to everyone, young or old, the world over. Learn More

Animals

The Hansen Family Foundation believes in helping those who cannot speak on their own behalf. Learn More

Environmental

The Hansen Family Foundation is dedicated to preserving the world we all share. Learn More

Humanitarian

The Hansen Family Foundation views the plight of our fellow man as an opportunity to actively engage and effect change. Learn More

Arts & Culture

The Hansen Family Foundation supports all forms of artistic and cultural endeavors. Learn More

Rockland Trust

Rockland Trust’s philanthropic mission is to strengthen the communities served by the Bank, enabling individuals and their families to access opportunity and improve the quality of their lives.

Funding Priorities

The Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation prioritizes its grants to organizations and programs that serve a majority low-to-moderate income population in the following areas:

• Affordable Housing
  • Priority is given to programs that create and provide safe, affordable housing, or provide programs and services to provide shelter and/or foster homeownership or ensure that individuals and families stay in their current homes, thereby preventing homelessness.
  • Typical programs funded are:
    • Development of low-to-moderate income housing
    • Emergency home repairs
    • Rental assistance programs
    • Homebuyer education programs
    • Foreclosure prevention and homeowner counseling programs
    • Domestic violence and homeless shelters
• Children & Youth
  • Priority is given to programs that are preventive in nature and that focus on providing children and youth equal access and opportunity to programs and services that foster health, wellness, education, and leadership skills to achieve their full potential.
  • Typical programs funded are:
    • Parenting education and training
    • Early childhood education
    • Social-emotional and mental health
    • After-school enrichment/tutoring programs in sports, arts, leadership with an educational component
    • Mentoring and literacy programs
    • Access to summer camps for underserved youth
    • Career/College exploration, preparation and support
• Financial Inclusion & Workforce Development
  • Priority is given to programs that provide consumers and individuals with financial education and build employment skills they will need to achieve their potential and become contributing members of society.
  • Typical programs funded are:
    • Financial literacy education, including money management, budgeting, banking, credit building and debt reduction
    • Adult education, e.g., English as a Second Language
    • Job preparation, training, and placement
• Small Business Support
  • Priority is given to programs that provide small business assistance programs that strengthen our communities.
  • Typical programs funded are:
    • Small business assistance
    • Entrepreneurial support programs

Mission Statement

Rockland Trust’s philanthropic mission is to strengthen the communities served by the Bank. We enable individuals and their families to access opportunity and improve the quality of their lives.

Funding Priorities

The Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation prioritizes its grants to organizations and programs that serve a majority low-to-moderate income population in the following areas:

Affordable Housing

Priority is given to programs that create and provide safe, affordable housing, or provide programs and services to provide shelter and/or foster homeownership or ensure that individuals and families stay in their current homes, thereby preventing homelessness. Typical programs funded are:

• Development of low-to-moderate income housing
• Emergency home repairs
• Rental assistance programs
• Homebuyer education programs
• Foreclosure prevention and homeowner counseling programs
• Domestic violence and homeless shelters

Children & Youth

Priority is given to programs that are preventive in nature and that focus on providing children and youth equal access and opportunity to programs and services that foster health, wellness, education, and leadership skills to achieve their full potential. Typical programs funded are:

• Parenting education and training
• Early childhood education
• Social-emotional and mental health
• After-school enrichment/tutoring programs in sports, arts, leadership with an educational component
• Mentoring and literacy programs
• Access to summer camps for underserved youth
• Career/College exploration, preparation and support

Financial Inclusion & Workforce Development

Priority is given to programs that provide consumers and individuals with financial education and build employment skills they will need to achieve their potential and become contributing members of society.

Typical programs funded are:

• Financial literacy education, including money management, budgeting, banking, credit building and debt reduction
• Adult education, e.g., English as a Second Language
• Job preparation, training, and placement

Small Business Support

Priority is given to programs that provide small business assistance programs that strengthen our communities. Typical programs funded are:

• Small business assistance
• Entrepreneurial support programs

Foundation History

Since 1932, the Foundation has awarded nearly $705 million.

Champlin’s investment in Rhode Island’s nonprofit community for the past nine decades has been almost entirely for capital projects. These investments have enabled better medical care, improved educational outcomes, expanded access to social services, fostered economic impact, conserved open space, preserved historic buildings, cultivated creativity and artistic expression, safeguarded care for animals, and more.

It all started with Stanton B. Champlin. Champlin was only twelve years old when he ran away from his family farm in South Kingstown, RI. It was 1838, and he moved to Providence and became a jeweler’s apprentice. Years later, he would establish the S.B. Champlin Company with his only son, George Byron Champlin. It would grow beyond jewelry and become an industrial empire that expanded into the manufacturing of aluminum, copper and brass tube, jewelry wire, valves, hand trucks, pipe fittings, and hand pumps.

Through the leadership of Stanton Champlin, his son George Byron Champlin, and his grandson George Stanton Champlin, this vast conglomerate became a powerful economic engine that employed thousands and helped drive the economy of Rhode Island and the nation.

While the businesses were retired, the wealth has remained intact in service of Rhode Island, thanks to the creation of the first of the family’s philanthropic foundations in 1932 by the runaway’s grandchildren.

From the first gift of $50 to Rhode Island Hospital in 1933 to buy eyeglasses for the needy, to the preservation of thousands of acres of open space to the distribution of millions of dollars to support social services.

We continue to build on this rich tradition today, seeking to work in relationship with Rhode Island’s nonprofits, acting as a convener, a coach, and a facilitator for collective success and engagement. We prioritize listening and learning, especially with those organizations serving marginalized communities. The Champlin story is nearly a century old, yet it continues to evolve in new ways for the betterment of all our Rhode Island communities.

Campership Requests

Since 1991, funds have been awarded to select organizations to provide financial assistance for children who might otherwise not be able to afford summer camp. You will receive notice by the end of December and grant awards are distributed by mid-January to those receiving support.