RIGHA Foundation and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care establish $1.6 million fund at The Rhode Island Foundation

April 21, 2010

Attending the signing for the RIGHA Foundation Fund were (front, l to r) Karen Voci, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation; Lois Monteiro, RIGHA Foundation; Neil Steinberg, The Rhode Island Foundation; (back) Brian Drought, RIGHA Foundation; Owen Heleen, The Rhode Island Foundation; Earl Manz, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care; and Barry Preston, RIGHA Foundation.

The Rhode Island Foundation announced today that Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and the RIGHA Foundation will transfer its grantmaking operations to The Rhode Island Foundation. The $1.6 million fund will become a permanent endowment supporting the Foundation’s efforts to promote the development of a successful and effective primary health care system in the state. The RIGHA Foundation has been making grants through The Rhode Island Foundation and the transfer of the funds will establish a permanent endowment, the RIGHA Foundation Fund, which will benefit from the Foundation’s investment policies and grantmaking capabilities. In addition, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, which acquired RIGHA in 1990, will make annual payments to the RIGHA Foundation Fund at The Rhode Island Foundation.

“Supporting the development of a comprehensive primary care system for the state is a core strategic initiative for The Rhode Island Foundation. The new endowment will leverage the Foundation’s ongoing efforts to make quality health care more accessible and affordable across the state. We are pleased that the collaboration with the RIGHA Foundation and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care will now be endowed permanently here to support primary health care in communities across the state,” said Neil D. Steinberg, president and CEO, The Rhode Island Foundation.

“We are extremely pleased to help advance the development of a robust primary health care system in Rhode Island. Preventative care helps to reduce health care costs and improves health outcomes. Through this new partnership with The Rhode Island Foundation, the RIGHA Foundation will continue its efforts to enhance access to quality, affordable health care for all Rhode Islanders,” said Lois Monteiro, chair, RIGHA Foundation.

“Harvard Pilgrim Health Care is pleased to be a part of this initiative in support of healthy communities. Through philanthropy we can encourage innovation and collaboration in the health care sector to achieve tangible results. We look forward to joining The Rhode Island Foundation in support of creating a comprehensive primary health care system for the state,” said Karen Voci, executive director, Harvard Pilgrim Foundation.

Since 2008, The Rhode Island Foundation has made grants of more than $6 million to the health care sector in Rhode Island. The Fund for a Healthy Rhode Island is a new initiative working to improve access to quality primary care through strategic grants and a loan forgiveness program for primary care providers. The Foundation is also co-sponsoring a series of public forums with Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts called “Making It Work” which brings national leaders in health reform together with business and community leaders, medical providers, insurers, educators, consumer advocates and policy makers, to chart the course for a new, affordable, high quality health care system in Rhode Island.

RIGHA Foundation Fund awards grants

Read about the inaugural funded projects.