Search Through Foundation Grants for Nonprofits in Rhode Island in the U.S.

Strengthening communities

The Foundation, established in 1990, is an integral component of Amgen's commitment to dramatically improve people's lives and the principal channel for Amgen’s corporate philanthropy.  In addition to its primary focus on science education, the Foundation has committed an additional $180 million to local, regional and international nonprofit organizations that reflect Amgen’s core values and complement the company’s dedication to impacting lives in inspiring and innovative ways. 

Philanthropic Focus

In support of our mission, the Amgen Foundation seeks to improve access and advance excellence in science education to inspire the next generation of innovators, as well as invest in strengthening communities where Amgen staff members live and work. We support diverse organizations whose philosophies, objectives, and approaches align with the Foundation's mission and strategic goals.

Each year, the Foundation awards grants to local, regional, and international nonprofit organizations whose programs are replicable, scalable and designed to have a lasting and meaningful effect in Amgen communities. These grants reflect Amgen's dedication to impacting lives in inspiring and innovative ways.

Funding Priorities

Through our focus on science education, we are especially interested in the combined use of educational technology and hands-on science experiences to support learning outcomes. The Foundation prioritizes these areas:

• Teacher quality and professional development in science: We support comprehensive programs that enhance the quality of science teachers entering the classroom, and support teachers with meaningful professional-development opportunities that have a positive impact on student achievement.
• Pivotal science experience: We support programs that provide students and teachers with opportunities for authentic, inquiry-based learning experiences that significantly impact students' excitement about science and scientific careers and make the use of the latest educational technology.

Additionally, the Foundation supports programs that enhance civic engagement and align with our overall mission and priority-giving areas in the communities where Amgen has a presence.

Amgen Communities

Currently, the Amgen Foundation makes local grants in and around the following U.S. and Puerto Rico communities:

• Ventura County, CA
• San Francisco Bay Area, CA
• Greater Boston Area, Middlesex and Suffolk Counties, MA
• Juncos, Puerto Rico
• Rhode Island
• Tampa, FL
• Louisville, KY
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Deerfield, IL
• Rockville, MD

About us

Point32Health Foundation works with communities to support, advocate and advance healthier lives for everyone.

Point32Health Foundation builds on a tradition of service and giving at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan. Our heritage organizations together have invested more than $246 million to support community organizations in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

Together with community, we will advance equity in aging.

We share an unwavering commitment to support communities grappling with growing inequities and changing demographics.

Point32Health Foundation’s equity in aging strategy is guided by the Foundation’s north star, our mission and the core principles of a trust-based approach to philanthropy. Grounded in and responsive to community conditions, we want to be relevant in today’s context, grow as we learn with and from community, and build on the legacy of our predecessor foundations.

Point32Health Foundation advances equity in aging – prioritizing efforts that address systemic inequities. This includes a deep commitment to social and racial justice. We collaborate with and learn from nonprofit organizations, honor those most affected by inequities and recognize their power and position in defining the problem, designing appropriate solutions and describing success.

Our grantmaking

Multi-year, general operating grants are made to nonprofits doing work in aging that addresses equity, especially in communities that have experienced disinvestment and are most affected by systemic barriers. The Foundation team has two grant cycles and brings recommendations to the board two times a year.

What we fund

Point32Health Foundation supports work to advance equity in aging—prioritizing efforts that address systemic inequities and advance social and racial justice.

In 2025, Equity in Aging becomes the lens through which we address the social determinants of health.

Our equity in aging focus recognizes that inequities can accumulate over time, exacerbating health outcomes as we age. We support community organizations working to improve conditions for people affected by disinvestments in their communities and inequitable systems. Equity in aging addresses a growing and unmet need.

We do not define older people. Community organizations define older people in the context of their work. As different lived experiences impact the way we age, the Foundation relies on the experiences of organizations which are more proximate and look to them to define the older population they serve.

Some community lessons and principles that inform our work.

• Systemic inequities cause health disparities
• Health happens in communities where people live, work, play and pray
• Those most affected by inequities are in the best position to define the problem, design appropriate solutions and describe success
• Older people and communities of color are disproportionately affected in a public health crisis
• Collaborations among nonprofit organizations, municipal agencies and others strengthen community response in a crisis

Categories

Within Equity in Aging, we invest in organizations aligned with two categories – social and racial justice and organizing, policy, advocacy and systems improvement.

Submissions

Submission can be made when it works best but please consider the decision timelines of the Foundation Board so that the team has the opportunity for timely conversations.

February 20, 2025 for organizations working in organizing, policy, advocacy and systems change to improve the conditions affecting older adults. Decisions will be announced in June.

September 19, 2025 for organizations working in social and racial justice. Decisions will be announced in December.

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. 

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. 

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?

Mission

The Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation was established in 1973. The Foundation's 3 primary focus areas reflect Mr. Balfour's strong affinity for the employees of the Balfour Company, his commitment to the city of Attleboro, Massachusetts, and his lifelong interest in education. Specifically, the Balfour Foundation supports:

• Educational scholarships to employees of the Balfour Company, as well as to their children and grandchildren
• Organizations serving the people of Attleboro, with special consideration given to those organizations that provide educational, human services and health care programming for underserved populations
• Educational organizations that serve New England

Focus Area

Educational Organizations

The Foundation's educational funding is generally focused on organizations or programs that provide support for underserved or under-represented populations to prepare for, access and succeed in higher education, including 2-year and 4-year institutions.

It is clear that Mr. Balfour was interested in supporting students for successful completion of college. As such, the Foundation focuses its grantmaking in the New England area on programs that support college readiness, access, and success. The Foundation is most interested in programs that support students all the way into and through post-secondary credential attainment (2- or 4-year credentials). Programs within institutions of higher education aimed at attracting, supporting, and retaining (through successful completion) under-served and under-represented populations are also of interest. In this area, we will consider applications that request scholarship funds, if those scholarships are part of a broader set of services and supports.

Our Commitment

​Connecting with our community is an integral part of our company's core values. It is something we act on every day. From volunteering with local organizations to our relationships with community partners, Cox employees are making our community a better place.

Charitable Giving Overview

Since 2001, Cox has invested nearly $8 million in Cox Charities grants and in-kind support to organizations providing Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math programming to youth throughout Connecticut, Ohio, and Rhode Island.  

Cox Charities funds organizations that focus on youth education, health services, military and conservation.

Community Grants

Cox Charities Community Grants range between $5,000 and $12,000 and are given each year to deserving non-profit organizations dedicated to STEAM education.

Cox is seeking applications for the 2025 Cox Community Grant Program. This grant supports non-profit organizations focused on:

• Youth innovation programs centered on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math.
• Conservation and sustainability initiatives.
• Inclusion.

Since 2001, Cox has invested nearly $7 million in grants and in-kind support to non-profit organizations providing STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) enrichment programs to youth in our service areas of Connecticut, Ohio, and Rhode Island. Cox Charities is funded entirely, by Cox employees and business partners. 

Cox Charities Community Grants range between $5,000 and $12,000 and are given each year to deserving non-profit organizations dedicated to STEAM education.

Recipients will be selected by considering a number of factors, including the following criteria:

• How well the project aligns with the Cox Charities focus area: STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math).
• The overall community impact of the program and a clear explanation of what makes this program unique.
• The ability to define clear metrics for success.

Funding

Cox plans to award nearly $140,000 in grants to nonprofits in our region. Proposals are reviewed by the Cox Charities Community Advisory Committee, comprised of area civic, business, community leaders and Cox employees.

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.

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.

Alternative Education Grants

The Island Foundation supports a limited number of experiential education programs, after-school programs, and alternative education schools. Drawing on its tradition of seeking alternative and unconventional approaches, the Island Foundation looks for informal and school-based programs that connect young people to their natural world, foster an appreciation for community service, and respect individuals with diverse backgrounds and learning styles. Maritime trades, hands-on marine education, and programs that increase access and opportunity for at-risk youth are of particular interest. 

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.   

Environment

In Southeastern Massachusetts, Maine, and Rhode Island, the Island Foundation promotes the conservation of marine and coastal resources. For many years, the Foundation has given priority to North Atlantic right whale research, protection of coastal waterbird habitat, and preservation of coastal lands.

More recently, the Board has been interested in new initiatives that:

• link climate change, renewable energy, and regional planning and support those most impacted by climate change;
• support working landscapes (sustainable agriculture and community-based fisheries) and the people who rely on them for their livelihoods;
• help local conservation organizations strengthen their own capacity;
• connect community health, quality of life, and environmental conservation; and
• promote environmental justice and seek to include the voices of those most affected by environmental harms.

As Rhode Island’s only community foundation, we mobilize generosity and motivate change that makes a difference. Our local roots, state-wide relationships, and century of experience anchor our work, and our hopes for our home reach high.

The 1829 Legacy Fund, formerly the Providence Journal Charitable Legacy Fund, was established at the Rhode Island Foundation in 2012 with the transfer of assets from the Providence Journal Charitable Foundation which had been awarding grants since 1956.

The Fund supports qualified nonprofit organizations that provide programs and services in the following areas:

• Human services and healthcare, with a focus on the homeless
• Education and youth
• Arts and culture
• Responsible and ethical journalism

Applicants may apply once per calendar year and can expect to receive a funding decision within approximately three months of applying.

~ About Our ~

CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

The Anthony F. Cordeiro Charitable Foundation was incorporated in 2017 with the goal of serving individuals in the communities in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The Anthony F. Cordeiro Charitable Foundation provides funding to nonprofit organizations serving communities in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island whose mission supports and enriches the lives of families and children. The Foundation’s goal is to assist those burdened by life’s challenges by providing access to vital resources including, but not limited to, health and mental health services, food and shelter.

Foundation History

Since 1932, the Foundation has awarded nearly $600 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 was shoeless and alone. A grocer on Dorrance Street in Providence took pity on the boy and let him sleep in the back room of his store.

That simple act of kindness started a journey that would span generations and create a legacy of generosity that would improve the lives of untold thousands.

The boy would become a jeweler’s apprentice and years later would establish the S.B. Champlin Company. 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 Champlin, his son, George Byron Champlin, and 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—it is humbling to think of how that simple act of kindness by a grocer has been multiplied a million-fold.

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.

Challenge Grants

Challenge grants that enable organizations to leverage Champlin funding to secure matching donations are considered on a highly limited basis at the discretion of the Distribution Committee.

The foundation supports nonprofit organizations and agencies working in nine different fields:

• Arts & Culture: 
  • Creative expression enables greater understanding and a deeper perspective of our society. Artists give voice, spark imagination, and inspire. Creative communities are economic drivers. Supporting theaters, museums, music groups, and other arts organizations provides access for children and adults to enjoy Rhode Island’s exceptional artists and arts organizations.
• Conservations & Parks:
  • As the nation’s second most densely populated state, open space is a precious, priceless resource in Rhode Island. Preserves and parks contribute mightily to the high quality of life enjoyed in the Ocean State, which is why working with land trusts, conservancies, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, The Nature Conservancy, and others has been a priority for the foundation.
• Education:
  • Our young are a reflection of what our future will be. This is why Champlin maintains a focus on supporting those organizations and schools that provide equitable access to experience and learning—in the classroom, after school, or beyond. Whether it is funding equipment for classroom innovation or grants toward building infrastructure, for preparatory and enrichment programs or independent and charter schools, it all plays a role in Champlin’s grant strategy.
• Healthcare:
  • Every Rhode Islander deserves equal access to quality, affordable healthcare and a strong public health system in our state. This means ensuring that our local hospitals, community health centers, treatment centers, and other nonprofit healthcare providers have the infrastructure and state-of-the-art equipment needed to provide quality care and service to all, regardless of the patient’s background or zip code.
• Historic Preservation & Heritage:
  • Learning from the past contributes mightily to understanding the present. Rhode Islanders respect and treasure their history—from First Nations, Colonial era, and the Industrial Revolution through the Great Wars. Historic homes, landmark locations, and museums are one reason Rhode Island is a fascinating place to live and visit.
• Libraries:
  • In the 21st century, libraries have evolved into hubs for education, professional development, and community engagement. In many communities, the local library also serves as an after-school haven and the access point to technology for young and old. With programming that fosters creativity, innovation, and dialogue, libraries across Rhode Island remain a home for knowledge and meaningful connection.
• Social Services:
  • We see and support the often-invisible heroes in our communities, whose efforts are providing our most vulnerable and marginalized populations with food, shelter, education, job training, and more. We are committed to keeping these essential agencies and organizations strong.
• Youth Services:
  • The Champlin family recognized the importance of investing in the young—the future leaders of industry, community, and government. From Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCAs to Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, summer camps, and career and leadership development, supporting the organizations that help them to develop physically and mentally is a cornerstone of the Foundation.
• Welfare of Animals:
  • Sadly, animals have the same ability to suffer as humans. Our support of well-established regional organizations that offer care, adoption services, medical treatment, and more helps ensure that more animals across the state are healthy, well-nourished, and free from distress.

The Champlin Foundation

Since 1932, The Champlin Foundation has awarded more than $550 million to fund capital projects for Rhode Island non-profit organizations. These investments have fostered better medical care, improved education, expanded access to social services, conservation of open spaces, preservation of historic buildings, enrichment of the arts, advancement of animal welfare and more. Quietly and steadfastly, The Champlin Foundation helps those who do good do more – to the benefit of all.

Areas of Focus

We support a range of sectors serving Rhode Island. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations and agencies working in nine different fields:

• Arts & Culture
• Conservation & Parks
• Education
• Healthcare
• Historic Preservation & Heritage
• Libraries
• Social Services
• Youth Services
• Welfare of Animals

Capital Grants

Capital funding is often the hardest to raise. Champlin grants are focused on ensuring the long-term stability of the charities in our community by supporting their equipment needs and their facilities.  Our grants are not used for programming or general operations. This isn’t the flashiest form of philanthropy, but we know it makes a world of difference—all the more reason why we believe this funding is so critical.

Opioid Settlement Impact and Recovery Grants

In January 2022, Rhode Island joined the national opioid settlement with three major opioid distributors, leading to over $90 million in funding for state and local efforts to address Rhode Island’s opioid crisis. Together with settlements secured by Attorney General Neronha, Rhode Island’s opioid litigation recoveries will total more than $200 million over time.

The Settlement Agreement states that all the funds will be directed to opioid abatement – including expanding access to opioid use disorder prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery.

The Rhode Island Foundation partnered with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) in May, 2023, to award $3,250,000 of Settlement funds to 15 nonprofits to address opioid use, treatment and prevention.

Through our continued partnership with EOHHS, this year, the Opioid Settlement Impact and Recovery Grants program will award $1,700,000 – fully funded with Settlement dollars – in three categories:

• Trauma Supports:
  • $1,000,000 is available to support programming for trauma supports for Rhode Island first responders, including support for peer harm reduction and recovery specialists. We know that with the recent sharp rise in the number of overdoses in Rhode Island – and especially the large numbers of fatal and non-fatal overdoses – people who work on the front lines of the crisis are experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms. Based on feedback from community partners and emergency medical services professionals, the most effective approach to addressing trauma associated with being a first responder would be to fund trauma supports outside of their place of work. Day-to-day trauma experienced by first responders is a risk that leads to burn-out and other mental health symptoms. We also know that, due to stigma, most first responders are less likely to seek typical clinical treatment.
  • Therefore, we are seeking to fund innovative trauma-informed programs for first responders (including emergency medical personnel, law enforcement, and peer responders). Programs should be designed to address these traumas outside of their respective workplaces to allow first responders to have a safe space to address workplace traumas, with the goal of preventing mental health crises and helping first responders more easily return to work.
• Family Supports:
  • $450,000 is available to support programming by organizations made up of or serving families of people who use drugs, people in recovery, or people who have passed away because of an overdose.
  • According to SAMHSA, “while there is no one-size-fits-all solution for helping a family member who is drinking too much, using drugs, or dealing with a mental illness, research shows that family support can play a major role in helping a loved one with mental and substance use disorders.”
  • Therefore, we are seeking to fund creative supportive or empowering programs carried out by organizations made up of or supporting families of people affected by the overdose crisis.
• Basic Needs Support:
  • 250,000 is available for organizations that support individuals and families who are impacted by substance use/opioid use or at risk of an overdose by providing funding for “care packages,” such as bedding, furnishings, clothing, transportation (Uber, bus passes), food, legal fees, etc.

We anticipate making between two and six grants in each area described above. Grants will be for one year, with the possibility of a no-cost extension if agreed to by the Rhode Island Foundation and EOHHS.

The Newport County Fund (NCF) offers competitive small grants, which range from $1,000 to $10,000. Grants are awarded where a relatively small amount of money can be of strategic assistance to a nonprofit organization serving one or more of the six cities and towns of Newport County.

Program Focus & Priorities

The following are among areas where grants may be awarded:

• Project development support for new programs
• Strengthening and/or expanding established community programs and services
• Community or municipal planning and/or leadership
• Policy or advocacy efforts on behalf of community concerns 

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. In 2014, the Foundation awarded $34.8 million in grants to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities. Through leadership, fundraising and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential.

RIF: North Smithfield Ambulance & Rescue Association Fund Grant

The North Smithfield Ambulance and Rescue Association Fund was established in 2003 to support projects and activities that benefit the health and welfare of the citizens of North Smithfield.  Grants generally range from $800 to $2,500. 

RIF: Miss Swinburne Fund Grant

Miss Elizabeth Swinburne, a civic-minded woman of the early 1900s, established a school in her home to educate young women in the science and skills of household arts. In her will, she designated the Civic League of Newport to continue her mission of educating young women in Newport County. In 2002, the League established a fund in Miss Swinburne’s name at the Foundation to support scholarships and charitable programs and services for women and girls in Newport County, Rhode Island. Programs that provide certificates, degrees, and/or formal credentialing for the participants are encouraged.

This fund provides annual awards to nonprofit organizations that support the self-sufficiency and independence of girls and women in Newport County. An application to the Miss Swinburne Fund does not restrict an organization from applying to other funds administered by the Foundation. 

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.

RIC Foundation- Catalyst Grants

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 Catalyst Grant program is one of our three core grant programs and primarily provides larger and multi-year grants to support innovative initiatives focused on catalyzing change and creating lasting progress that responds to one or more of the community priorities, and related focus areas, in the Foundation's Five-Year Action Plan. Applications that demonstrate strong collaboration among organizations and across sectors will be prioritized.  

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

This is a core Foundation grant program providing larger and multi-year grants to innovative initiatives focused on catalyzing change and lasting progress both within and across community priorities.

The primary goal of the program is to support collaborations that can implement innovative approaches by breaking down barriers that have prevented progress in the past. Funding can be used to develop new innovative partnerships or support existing collaborations that seek to expand and include additional partners.

Applicants can apply once a year and are only eligible for one Catalyst Grant award per grant cycle. 

Emma G. Harris Foundation Grant

Mission

The Foundation was established by Emma G. Harris’ 1922 will to provide funding for such institutions "as shall have an established course in technical, industrial, household or domestic training and shall be recognized by the Board of Education … of the State of Rhode Island." Ms. Harris wrote, "I am satisfied that assistance in the education of boys and girls in technical, industrial, household and domestic training is a most worthy and commendable object."

The majority of grants from the Harris Foundation are 1 year in duration.

RIF: Joseph O'Neill Ott Fund Grant

In a bequest to the Rhode Island Foundation in 1994, Joseph O'Neill Ott, a leader in the preservation and antiquities community in the state, established a permanent endowment dedicated to document preservation. He requested that the income generated be used to preserve original historical manuscripts, documents, and municipal records dating from the 19th century and earlier for the smaller cities and towns in Rhode Island.

Grants generally range from $250 to $750 and support direct conservation efforts for paper-based documents, photographs, and other two-dimensional historical evidence (excluding artwork). This can include restoration, preservation (including the purchase of containers or housing for documents), or to defray the costs associated with the acquisition of documents. Proposals that demonstrate concern about long-term storage issues or have planned document storage will be looked upon most favorably. All historical and preservation societies from the smaller cities and towns of Rhode Island are eligible to apply for an Ott grant.

An advisory committee of conservationists will recommend documents suitable for consideration. Only documents created before 1900 will be considered. 

Applicants are encouraged to also look at the Rhode Island Supreme Court Historical Society Fund, to see if their project meets that fund’s similar requirements. 

Grant Sherburne Fund

Mission

The Grant Sherburne Fund was established by the 1888 will of Urania C. Sherburne of Cumberland in the County of Providence, Rhode Island. The Fund was named to perpetuate the name and memory of her father and also the memory of her late husband.

Guidelines

The Grant Sherburne Fund focuses its limited resources on grants to nonprofit organizations that provide basic human needs including food, shelter and healthcare to underserved populations in Rhode Island.

Program type

Rhode Island Community Foundation

Mission

As Rhode Island’s only community foundation, we mobilize generosity and motivate change that makes a difference. Our local roots, state-wide relationships, and century of experience anchor our work, and our hopes for our home reach high.

Since 1916, we’ve been a funder and true partner to those who help this state thrive, working hard at each table, across every community, by their side to improve the lives of all Rhode Islanders.

Rhode Island Attorney General’s 6/10 Children’s Fund

Background

As part of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s negotiation of a court-approved settlement related to the construction of the Route 6/10 Interchange, the 6/10 Children’s Fund was established at the Rhode Island Foundation in May 2025 with $10 million in funding, to be spent within 10 years. The purpose of the fund is to address the health needs and concerns of children residing in Providence, prioritizing those living in the Olneyville, West End, and Silver Lake neighborhoods.

Current Focus

According to the Rhode Island Department of Health, one in three kindergarteners and almost half of all third graders in the state experience tooth decay – a situation that is particularly dire in Providence: 21% of kindergarteners and 24% of third graders in Rhode Island have untreated tooth decay, higher than the national average of 15%.

Given this need, for this initial funding opportunity, we welcome proposals to improve access to oral health services for children in Providence, with specific focus on the Olneyville, West End, and Silver Lake neighborhoods.

Proposals should focus on children between the ages of birth and 18 but may also serve adults up to the age of 21 and pregnant women. 

Proposals may be for projects that are up to three years in duration. 

The Rhode Island Community Foundation

Mission

As Rhode Island’s only community foundation, we mobilize generosity and motivate change that makes a difference. Our local roots, state-wide relationships, and century of experience anchor our work, and our hopes for our home reach high.

Neighborhood Grants

The health of a community’s civic and cultural life is vital to its success. Strong connections among neighbors, meaningful relationships between people and public institutions, and vibrant interactions with the places we call home are closely tied to a range of positive outcomes—from improved physical and mental health to economic resilience and adaptability in times of crisis.

As Rhode Island’s only community foundation, we are dedicated to strengthening these bonds and creating equitable, thriving communities. The Neighborhood Grants program provides between $1,000 to $10,000 to support projects that bring Rhode Islanders together.

Purpose

The Neighborhood Grants program supports resident-led, community-making efforts that:

• Foster social networks, enhance collaboration, and increase community engagement within a neighborhood, city, or town;
• Strengthen lasting relationships that endure over time and across experiences;
• Elevate shared public spaces as vital community anchors;
• Help identify goals, solve problems, or make group decisions; or
• Celebrate and share traditions that connect neighbors and communities, engage in volunteerism, and arts and cultural activities.

Projects may include a variety of community-building activities, from creating accessible public spaces and hosting neighborhood gatherings to improving urban green spaces and preserving cultural traditions.

Grant funding provided by The NRA Foundation must meet all NRA Foundation requirements and be used to further a charitable purpose as defined by the Internal Revenue Code under section 501(c)(3) and accompanying rules, regulations, and other IRS law and materials. Eligibility and funding amount are determined solely by the Foundation.

Grant requests must conform to, and foster the purposes in, The NRA Foundation’s mission statement, such as:

• Promote, advance, and encourage firearms, the shooting sports, and hunting safety.
• Educate individuals, including the youth of the United States, with respect to firearms, firearms history, participation in the shooting sports, hunting safety, and marksmanship, as well as with respect to other subjects that are of importance to the well-being of the general public.
• Conduct research in furtherance of improved firearms safety and marksmanship facilities and techniques.
• Support activities of the National Rifle Association of America, to the extent that such activities are in furtherance of charitable, educational, or scientific purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code which includes activities that are charitable, educational, or foster National or International sports competition.

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.