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Letter from the Chairman and the President/CEO

The Rhode Island Foundation is a proactive community and philanthropic leader dedicated to meeting the needs of the people of Rhode Island.


These are challenging times. Rhode Islanders and the nonprofit organizations that serve them continue to feel the pressure of an economy that is only slowly recovering from “The Great Recession” of 2008 – 2009. Yet, as our leaders and engaged citizens work to move the state forward, we remain confident of the Foundation’s ability to effect positive change. 

Last June the state’s top legislative and education leaders joined us to celebrate the passage of a bill establishing the first funding formula for public education in Rhode Island in two decades. In August we celebrated another victory for Rhode Island’s school children when the state won a $75 million Race to the Top grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Rhode Island was one of only 12 states to be a Race to the Top winner, a testament to the state’s outstanding leadership in public education reform. In September we welcomed the first class of Teach For America recruits to
Rhode Island, more than 30 of the brightest college graduates in the country eager to teach in our most underserved urban schools, guided by Executive Director Heather Tow-Yick – Rhode Island native, Brown graduate and Teach For America alumna. 

In March historic national healthcare legislation was passed and we launched “Making it Work,” a series of forums designed to help Rhode Island healthcare practitioners and leaders in the field understand the law’s implications. In the fall, thanks to a new fund established by the RIGHA Foundation we were able to award nearly $200,000 to the Rhode Island Health Center Association, Blackstone Valley Community Health Care, and South County Hospital Health Care System for primary care initiatives. These snapshots only begin to capture the momentum we gained in 2010, as we focused resources on public education and primary healthcare and also streamlined Foundation grant processes to more quickly respond to our partner organizations in the community, groups that weave a supportive tapestry, providing direct, immediate assistance to Rhode Islanders. While most of our grants support long-term, systemic change across the six sectors we fund, as a community foundation we must also respond to immediate and urgent needs. In that spirit, last December we gave $300,000 to 12 organizations that would immediately reach more than 100,000 Rhode Islanders from Westerly to Woonsocket, providing the basics of human life: food, housing, energy assistance and medicine. We are proud to have made grants of $29 million – a recordbreaking figure – in 2010, and to have assisted nearly 600 nonprofit organizations with a wide range of issues through our Initiative for Nonprofit Excellence. Still, we recognize that until all the needs are met, we cannot rest. 

"The Foundation is built on our shared love of Rhode Island and our shared belief that positive results, sustained growth, and a brighter future are within reach."  

In 2011 we celebrate our 95th anniversary. Every year, we take a look back in the pages of our annual report, reflecting on highlights and significant activities. But what does it mean for Rhode Island? Recognizing that the needs will increase, we have redoubled our efforts to measure and learn from the impact of our work in the community with the following goals in mind:

  • The best public education in the United States
  • The best primary healthcare in the United States
  • Affordable housing available to all Rhode Islanders
  • Job training programs that put people to work for the long term
  • Preservation of our state’s quality of place, our clean air and water
  • A thriving arts and cultural community with access for all
  • A meaningful and effective safety net for those in dire need

Our impact is made possible by generous Rhode Islanders, our donors and fund holders. Thirty-eight new fund holders joined us in 2010, and you will find many of their inspiring stories here. The Foundation is built on our shared love of Rhode Island and our shared belief that positive results, sustained growth, and a brighter future are within our reach.

With sincere thanks for your continued trust and support of this vital work,

David M. Hirsch,
Chairman

Neil D. Steinberg,
President & CEO