Frequently Asked Questions - Grants

For our discretionary grants programs, the Foundation has established six key sectors in which we make grants:

• Arts and culture
• Community and economic development
• Education
• Environment
• Health
• Human services

As a statewide community foundation, we fund a wide range of organizations and projects throughout the state.

No, the Foundation does not provide support for capital campaigns at this time.

Yes. The Foundation provides general operating support to some organizations because they are central to progress in one or more of our six key sectors. We will be making more such grants in the future. Increasing the proportion of general support grants versus project support will be gradual as we have a number of projects that we expect to support for a number of years. In the future, we expect to see a mix of general support and project-based funding, all working to generate well-defined outcomes.

Many of our grant opportunities are guided by our donors' interests and intentions. When a donor establishes a fund at the Foundation, the type of fund he or she establishes determines how grants from that endowment are distributed:

• Designated funds: grants go to specific organizations designated by the donor
• Field of interest funds: grants go to organizations or projects working on a particular issue or in a particular geographic area
• Donor-advised funds: grants are recommended by the donor
• Unrestricted funds: grants are made at the Foundation's discretion

Yes! In 2008, the Foundation launched our Initiative for Nonprofit Excellence, which provides Rhode Island's nonprofits with educational opportunities, technical assistance, and research. Learn more about the Initiative for Nonprofit Excellence.

Foundation staff can also provide advice about organizations that might be doing similar work, information about about statewide initiatives, or references to other funders. Please contact a grant programs officer.

The Foundation does not generally provide grants to individuals. Exceptions are the MacColl-Johnson Fellowship for artists, the Foundation Fellows Program for nonprofit leaders, and the Rhode Island Innovation Fellowship program. We also offer a number of scholarship opportunities.

Our Small Grants program includes Basic Human Needs Grants, which provide up to $5,000 to organizations providing emergency assistance to Rhode Islanders in need. Learn more about Basic Human Needs Grants.

Groups that have not yet applied for or received a determination of their nonprofit status may work through a fiscal agent. A fiscal agent is an organization that already has established 501(c)(3) status and is willing to manage the grant funds, passing them through to the organization that will carry out the project. Read more about the responsibilities of a fiscal agent.