Search Through Grants for the Arts in Rhode Island in the U.S.

Amica Companies Foundation Charitable Grants

Mission Statement

Our mission is to harness the power of enduring relationships to help individuals, families and communities become economically independent and strong.

Arts in Academics

In 2004, retired Rhode Island art educator Karel Greenblatt Gertsacov endowed the Arts in Academics Fund to support educational projects that integrate art disciplines into other core academic subjects. Successful Arts in Academics projects create collaborations among artists and educators and promote the arts as an integral part of the learning process. 

Grant amounts range from $500 to $1,000. Potential projects might include:

• Collaboration between artist and educator: An architect and a math teacher help students learn about scale by reading and using rulers when building a scale model.

• Field trips: Students take a trip to the zoo to study symmetrical patterns as they relate to mathematics. (Trips may not be for entertainment purposes, but must serve an academic need.)

• Professional training: A teacher attends a workshop or other course in critical/creative problem-solving to expand arts literacy skills and incorporate its principles into other core academic areas. 

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.

New England States Touring (NEST) funds performances, readings, and screenings of work by regional, national, and international artists presented by New England-based nonprofit organizations.

Program Goals

• Expand direct access to high quality artists and aesthetic diversity for all New England communities by artists from New England, the nation, and across the globe.
• Stimulate opportunities for collaboration and partnerships among New England cultural organizations and between artists and organizations.
• Encourage projects that provide meaningful interaction between artists and communities, extending beyond the stage.

NEST Artists

NEST artists are professional artists from New England who meet the NEST artist requirements. They represent a wide range of disciplines, including dance, folk art, interdisciplinary work, media, music, musical theater, opera, poetry, storytelling, and theater. NEST artists must be available for public performances and must maintain a permanent residence in New England.

About the New England States Touring Grant Program

There are three distinct grant opportunities for New England nonprofit organizations: NEST 1, NEST 2, and NEST 3. Organizations serving rural communities and/or deeply engaging Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities are encouraged to apply.

NEST 1

Funds the public presentation and engagement of a New England artist presented by a New England nonprofit organization based in a different New England state from the artist’s home state. 

NEST 2

Funds the public presentation and community engagement activities of a New England artist presented by two New England nonprofit organizations. Tours must include one presenting organization based inside of the artist’s home state and one other organization from outside of the artist’s home state.

NEST 3

Funds tours, including public presentation and community engagement activities, of regional, national, or international artists presented by New England nonprofit organizations. Tours must include a minimum of three New England organizations in different communities presenting the same artist. The organizations applying must be from at least two different New England states. 

• Each organization is responsible for reviewing the program goals and criteria, negotiating the terms of the engagement with the artist, and completing a NEST 3 application.
• Organizations may submit up to three NEST 3 applications.
• The annual deadline is the first business day of March.
• Grants provide up to 60% of the artist fee to a maximum of $10,000.
  • Applications with artist fees under $2,000 may request the full artist fee.
• New England artists must be listed as NEST-eligible on CreativeGround.
• For non-New England artists, an artist work sample must be submitted by one of the touring partners.
• Grant period: Touring projects must occur between June 1, 2025 - August 31, 2026.

Deadlines

NEST 1 & 2 grant deadlines occur three times a year, as follows:

• First business day of August, for projects beginning on or after November 1.
• First business day of December, for projects beginning on or after March 1.
• First business day of March, for projects beginning on or after June 1.

The annual NEST 3 grant deadline is the first business day of March.   

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 June Rockwell Levy Foundation makes grants to Internal Revenue Code 501 (c)(3) organizations serving the communities of Providence County, with a preference for northern Rhode Island. As a general rule, the Foundation does not make grants to public schools, including charter schools. 

Please apply for the sector that most closely aligns with your organization. Applications that are out of sector may be deferred until the appropriate sector deadline.

Applicants may apply for funding once per calendar year.

This grant has multiple deadlines for 2025

Nordson Foundation Giving Strategies

The geographic areas in which Nordson has major facilities determine the Nordson Foundation's giving priorities.

Within these geographic areas, granting priorities are driven by community needs. Although needs change quickly, our vision is long term. We pursue and support results-oriented opportunities that prepare individuals for full and equal participation in the economic and social mainstream. We believe these kinds of programs help improve the quality of life over the long term and produce stronger, more enlightened communities in which we live and work. We strive to fulfill these responsibilities in our communities through contributions to charitable activities with a focus on education. Other major giving categories that are supported are human welfare, civic affairs and arts and culture. 

Nordson Foundation Values 

In the spirit of our corporate founders, the Nordson Corporation Foundation continues to operate on the belief that business, as a corporate citizen, has a social responsibility to share its success with the communities where it operates and draws employees.  

The Nordson Foundation is dedicated to improving our communities by supporting the continuum of education from birth to adulthood in the belief that education is the key for individuals to become self-sufficient, productive members of society.  

To prepare individuals for economic independence, a variety of quality educational experiences are necessary. To be successful today, individuals not only need to master the basics, “reading, writing and arithmetic”, they must also know how to think critically and creatively. Strengthening the community’s human capital – through quality education – is crucial.  

The Nordson Foundation offers support to non-profit organizations that cultivate educational curriculum and experiences that foster self-sufficiency, job readiness and goals to aspire to higher education. The Foundation is well aware of the fact that for non-profit organizations to remain viable they must receive operating support. With this in mind, Nordson Corporation Foundation does invest in general operating support.  

As stewards of the Foundation assets, the directors feel strongly that the organizations that are supported by the Foundation be able to measure the effectiveness of their mission and programs. Quantitative and/or qualitative data allows for the Foundation to ensure that the organizations it supports are bringing about the desired outcomes in our communities.

Nordson Foundation Goals

The goals of the Nordson Corporation Foundation are to insure that:

• All children have access to and receive quality educational experiences from early childhood  
• All individuals have the opportunity to be self-sufficient members of society 
• There is a continuum of quality educational opportunities 
• Our communities are strengthened by the organizations we fund whether their focus is education, human welfare, civic or arts and culture

Nordson Foundation Funding Strategy

Through its grant-making, the Foundation supports organizations that directly or indirectly seek to maximize success before, during and beyond the traditional classroom years. Grants will be reviewed and considered on the basis of their enrichment to the communities where our employees live and work. Organizations and programs receiving grants will be expected to identify relevant, measurable outcomes to demonstrate the effectiveness of their programs.

Education

• Early Childhood Care and Education
• Maximizing Student Success
• Access to quality educational opportunities
• Innovative programs
• Partnerships/collaborations with school districts
• Funding gaps not covered by public monies
• Augmenting core curriculum
• Exposure to programs that expand on traditional education
• Workforce Preparation
• Initial preparation for the world of work
• Retraining for the new job market
• Strengthening our communities

Human Welfare

• Promote prevention and lifestyle maintenance programs and activities
• Promote crisis intervention
• Promote life transition opportunities
• Promote systemic change

Arts and Culture

• Actively seek to broaden the audience bases in Nordson communities
• Support the visual and performing arts
• Provide educational enrichment for students
• Motivation for at-risk youth
• Provide access to the arts for special needs audience
• Promote greater understanding among people via the arts

Civic

• Work to improve the physical or economic environment
• Provide cultural or historical preservation
• Strive to inform citizens and increase their participation in community improvement

Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation

Grants from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation are distributed in four focus areas (human needs, environmental stewardship, education, community vitality) and are limited to organizations defined as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code.

Grant applications will be accepted online during two annual grant cycles, one in the spring and one in the fall.

Funding

Most grant awards range from $1,000 to $15,000, while higher amounts may be awarded when a program is an exceptional fit. We often receive funding requests far in excess of our Foundation budget. Regrettably we must often decline support for otherwise worthy proposals. Such a response does not reflect on Dominion Energy's view of the value of the organization or its services.

About the Foundation

It was fitting — and only natural — that, upon her death in 1974, Marian Woodward Ottley would establish by Will, the David, Helen, and Marian Woodward Fund in loving memory of her parents, and in her words, “In order to carry out their wishes and mine in attempting to make this a better world for those who come after us.”Her Will created a distribution committee to direct the trustee to distribute income and principal exclusively to or for the benefit of non-profit institutions, corporations, and associations that are located in New York and in the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont that are organized and operated exclusively for religious, educational, charitable, or scientific purposes. The Fund also awards grants to governmental agencies.

The distribution committee has attempted to carry out Mrs. Ottley’s wishes. It will continue to do so in an effort to make this a better world for those who come after her generous family.

David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund (Watertown) Grant

The David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund (Watertown) makes grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations in New York and in the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Mission

As stated in the Will of Marian Woodward Ottley, the fund’s mission is “to make this a better world for those who come after us.”

Program Areas

• Arts, culture, and humanities
• Education
• Environment, animals
• Health
• Human services
• Public/society benefit
• Religion

The Lattner Family Foundation, founded in 2006 is headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, and is a family foundation with a successful history of charitable giving. We encourage board members to be actively involved in their communities and in the work for the Foundation. We also encourage family unity and mutual respect, while serving to educate board members in philanthropy, service, and stewardship.

Mission

We wish to make a significant difference by supporting creative and innovative programs that encourage hope and personal responsibility in our chosen areas of giving. We will look for projects which advance solutions and inspire others to contribute.

Through our innovative and creative programs, we seek to encourage hope, inspire others to contribute, and support personal responsibility in our chosen areas of giving. Our primary geographical areas for grants are Palm Beach County, Florida; Kansas, Rhode Island, and Georgia. These areas relate to where the Trustees reside.

Areas of Giving:

• Arts & Humanities,
• Education,
• Environment,
• Health & Social Services,
• and Christian organizations that provide such services.

About the Providence Shelter Foundation

Founded in 1838 by a visionary Quaker woman, The Providence Shelter Foundation has evolved from its original purpose of housing orphans of color and the children of domestic workers. Today, as Rhode Island’s oldest independent charity, it is a philanthropic foundation that supports organizations serving historically marginalized children of color and their families in Rhode Island.

About the Grant

Since 1838, The Providence Shelter Foundation has been dedicated to supporting the well-being and education of children of color in Rhode Island’s urban core communities. Our grants focus on programs that offer well-being, mental health support, educational advancement, and leadership opportunities, including funding initiatives in art exposure, summer camperships, music training, and various other programs designed to develop well-rounded youth.

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.

Arts and Health Grant

Arts and Health Grants (AHG) support non-clinical art programs with health-related goals that take place in health-based or community spaces. The grant funds both non-clinical arts engagements that promote and facilitate individual health and art activities that address the social determinants of health to provide a community health benefit.

The Arts and Health Grant category is grounded by RISCA’s recognition that arts and culture contribute to a thriving community. The arts have the capacity to transform the lives of individuals and communities, contributing to health, well-being, and overall resilience. Arts and culture can facilitate the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional aspects of individual healing, and that when applied to public health, promote healthy environments and policies in communities by fostering empathy, awareness, and social cohesion through shared narrative and aesthetic experiences.

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.

Project Grants in Education

Arts Education helps students discover, develop, and create a rich context for learning all while deepening engagement.

RISCA’s Project Grants in Education (PGE) program provides project-specific support to schools, non-profit organizations, arts educators, and teaching artists to engage students in rich and meaningful artistic experiences in dedicated learning environments. PGE projects must be experiential and focus on the exploration of art and the artistic process. PGE strives to build the capacity of local teaching artists and nonprofit organizations, while providing students with high-quality artistic learning experiences. 

Award Amount

• Up to $10,000 for organizations.
• Up to $3,000 for individuals.

Match Requirement

Organizations

1:1 Cash Match is Required for requests of $3001 or more

        • the amount over $3000 must be matched (see FAQs)

No Match Required if:

        • Requesting $3,000 or less

        • Applying as a program in a pilot year (1st or 2nd year program)

        • Applying as a school or non-profit organization meeting

Free-or-Reduced-Price Lunch (FRPL) or state identified need criteria.

Schools or non-profit organizations must serve students who primarily attend schools with 40% or more students eligible for Free-or Reduced-Price Lunch, or attend schools that had been identified by the state as being in need of support and intervention as determined by a 1 or 2 Star Rating on the RIDE School Report Card, or a district under “state control” at the time of application.

Individual

• No Match Required

Read FAQs for additional guidelines.

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.

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.

Project Grants for Organizations

RISCA’s Project Grant for Organizations program provides grants of up to $3,000 in support of arts and culture projects that are relevant and meaningful to a Rhode Island community or communities. The Project Grant for Organizations (PGO) program is RISCA’s entry-level grant program for organizations.

RISCA defines a project as a discrete set of connected activities with a defined beginning and an end. Projects may be one-time events like a festival, show, or exhibition, or a defined series of events such as a roster of classes or series, or thematically connected concerts, productions or arts events.

Core to all funded programs is a connection and value to the community being engaged with by the public, fulfilling RISCA’s charge to facilitate a meaningful cultural life for all Rhode Island residents. Per our partnership agreement with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and our agency values around equity and access, programs that engage “underserved” communities are particularly suitable for PGOs. The NEA defines “underserved” communities as “ones in which individuals lack access to arts programs due to geography, economic conditions, ethnic background, or disability.” Rather than “underserved”, RISCA prefers to use the term “historically and/or continuously marginalized.” In either case, these definitions may include immigrant groups, BIPOC communities, rural populations, aging populations, people living in poverty, people experiencing homeless, people with disabilities, incarcerated populations, communities recovering from trauma or disaster, and military service members and veterans.

Big Yellow School Bus supports funding for schools planning an in-person field trip with an arts and cultural organization or artists. We have distributed all the funds available for the 2024-25 school year. Grants for the 2025-26 school year will open Sept. 1 with a rolling deadline. 

Big Yellow School Bus (BYSB) provides grants of up to $500 to support arts learning in the school. To qualify for this funding, schools must plan an in-person arts and cultural field trip with an arts and culture organization in Rhode Island.

Community Giving through the Chelsea Groton Foundation

Chelsea Groton Foundation, Inc. was established in 1998 as a Section 501(c)(3) organization. Initially endowed with a $2 million dollar donation from Chelsea Groton Bank, the Foundation has awarded over $6.79 million in grants to non-profit organizations in the Bank’s Connecticut and Rhode Island market areas.

The Foundation’s mission is to support the ongoing commitment in partnership to the long-term growth of our community. Along with Chelsea Groton Bank, the Foundation is committed to belonging, equity, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring an ongoing sense of belonging for all, today and in the future.

Since its inception in 1998, the Chelsea Groton Foundation has awarded over $6.79 million in grants to non-profit organizations in the Connecticut and Rhode Island market areas. Throughout that time, there have always been two grant cycles per year. Due to the rising increase in requests, and after careful consideration, the Chelsea Groton Foundation Board has decided to make a few changes to the Grant Procedures EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2025 in order to best support our community partners.

The John Hazen White Jr. family and their family business – Taco Comfort Solutions Inc. – believe in empowering the individual. They actualize their values through the White Family Foundation’s partnerships with local non-profit organizations. Through its grant-making, The White Family Foundation chooses to work with organizations whose focus utilizes all forms of Art or Artistic elements to support programs that serve a diverse population and that enable the growth of the individual.

The purpose for establishing our family foundation is to foster connections among family members and encourage collaboration on causes that are meaningful to us. We aim to inspire active involvement in the community through philanthropy, allowing our family members to work together to make a positive impact.Building Stronger Communities Together 

Taco Comfort Solutions has a strong social responsibility to the communities in which it has business concerns. The Taco/White Family Foundation Board is made up of White family members, community leaders and Taco Corporation employees who engage in the community and organizations that are served by the Foundation. Through its grant-making, the Taco/White Family Foundation seeks to work with organizations whose programs build a foundation for growth for the individuals it serves.

Areas of Focus

The Foundation supports non-profit organizations whose programs/projects or services use art or artistic elements to enrich and strengthen their constituents or community.

Access to the Arts in all forms is an important tool of a rich and vibrant community. The White Family Foundation supports non-profit organizations whose programs/projects or services expose under-served populations to the Arts in order to:

• Empower a community.
• Develop cultural awareness.
• Provide economic benefit.
• Educate youth.
• Develop leadership skills.
• Improve individual well-being.

Programmatic Areas of Interest

The White Family Foundation seeks to create possibilities by providing meaningful and thoughtful support for the arts and art education programs in non-profit organizations serving our community. * Guided by a strong set of values the White Family Foundation believes that the arts:

• Foster enrichment
• Provide opportunities for individuals to grow
• Build a strong community, and
• Make a positive impact on the lives of others

Organizations should submit a request for programs that focus on the power of the arts to impact lives, bring cultural awareness, provide economic benefit, educate youth and/or teach leadership skills.

The Gladys Brooks Foundation was created under the will of Gladys Brooks Thayer of New York. 

Its purpose is to provide for the intellectual, moral and physical welfare of the people of this country by establishing and  supporting non-profit libraries, educational institutions, hospitals and clinics.

Scope of Grants Considered

The Foundation will consider major grant applications for innovative projects in the fields of libraries, education, hospitals and clinics.

Grants for Libraries 

Grant applications will be considered generally for resource Endowments (print, film, electronic database, speakers/workshops) capital construction and innovative equipment. Projects fostering broader public access to global information sources utilizing collaborative efforts, pioneering technologies and equipment are encouraged.

Grants for Educational Institutions

Grant applications from universities, colleges and secondary schools will be considered generally for:

• educational endowments to fund scholarships based solely on educational achievements, leadership and academic ability of the student; 
• endowments to support fellowships and teaching chairs for educators who confine their activities primarily to classroom instruction in the liberal arts, mathematics and the sciences during the academic year;
• erection or endowment of buildings, wings or additions thereto of buildings, and equipment for educational purposes;
• capital equipment for educational purposes.

Grants for Hospitals & Clinics

Grant proposals from hospitals and clinics where the proposal addresses a new health need, an improvement in the quality of health care or reduced health costs with better patient outcomes will be considered generally for:

• endowments for programs;
• erection or endowment of buildings, wings of or additions to buildings;
• capital equipment.

Rhode Island Dental Foundation Fund Grants

The Rhode Island Dental Foundation Fund was established in 2023 by the Rhode Island Dental Foundation, an affiliate of the Rhode Island Dental Association. Grants from this program support community organizations focused on oral and dental health.

Applications must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Fund education and research programs designed to improve the art and science of dentistry in the State of Rhode Island.
• Award grants for dental public service projects in Rhode Island.
• Provide funding for programs to improve accessibility and availability of dental care for underserved citizens of the State of Rhode Island.
• Educate the Rhode Island public about oral health and the importance of oral health.
• Support Rhode Island oral health education.
• Support other Rhode Island charitable or educational projects related to oral health.
• Support free clinics or other projects involving Rhode Island Dental Association members that provide direct dental care to underserved populations.
• Provide scholarships for dental auxiliaries that are Rhode Island residents and plan to work in Rhode Island as a dental auxiliary for at least one year.

We are two professional golfers who are raising funds, so we may provide grants to charities serving children age 18 and under. We enjoy funding programs that directly affect at-risk children. For example: We will not fund the build out of a kitchen, but we may fund foods purchased for children's snacks and meals. We will not fund your capital campaign, but we may fund the purchase of playground equipment, computers, art supplies, music lessons, and after school programs, to name a few.

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.

Washington Trust Charitable Foundation

The Washington Trust Charitable Foundation provides grants to 501(c)(3) organizations within our market area, including Rhode Island, Massachusetts and southeastern Connecticut.

Charitable grants range widely in size. Multi-year grants are often considered for capital funding (to build or repair facilities), capital campaigns, or specific projects, with consideration given to:

• Affordable Housing and Revitalization Programs
• Business and Economic Development
• Youth and Family Services
• Hospitals, Health and Human Service Organizations
• Museums, Arts and Cultural Organizations
• Colleges, Universities, Libraries
• Conservation and Environmental Groups

The State Cultural Facilities Grant Program (SCFG) was created because state lawmakers and voters recognized that many significant cultural properties in our state need extensive repairs or restoration, and that these organizations contribute significantly to the state and local economy. These facilities and the organizations that enliven them contribute to the quality of life in Rhode Island and ensure that our arts and cultural activities continue to inspire new generations. Moreover, the arts and cultural sector creates jobs, stimulates tourism, and builds and revitalizes our downtowns, neighborhoods and communities throughout the state.

The State Cultural Facilities Grant Program is a matching grant program. It promotes careful planning for capital improvement, preservation, renovation and new construction projects for public and nonprofit artistic, performance centers, historic sites, museums and cultural art centers located around the state. Through its matching requirements, the program stimulates broader support and participation in cultural facility projects statewide.

The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is a state agency supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders. Created in 1967, the agency is governed by a thirteen- member Council appointed by the Governor and State Cultural Facilities Grants 2025 confirmed by the Senate, and its programs are managed by a professional staff, which includes artists and arts administrators

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