Foundations & Grantmakers in Rhode Island
671 grantmakers in Rhode Island reported grants on their latest 990s. The 278 that made at least 5 grants gave $387.6M. The largest by giving are The Rhode Island Community Foundation, Brown University and Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse Rhode Island grants
Foundation giving in Rhode Island at a glance
Active grantmakers
671
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$387.6M
from the 278 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$17K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$78K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Rhode Island by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Rhode Island Community Foundation | Providence | $72.0M | 977 |
| 2 | Brown University | Providence | $47.0M | 235 |
| 3 | Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto | Providence | $24.3M | 270 |
| 4 | Warren Alpert Foundation | Providence | $24.3M | 99 |
| 5 | CVS Foundation | Woonsocket | $21.4M | 778 |
| 6 | American Academy of Addiction | East Providence | $14.3M | 60 |
| 7 | North American Catholic Educational | Johnston | $12.2M | 20 |
| 8 | Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation | Providence | $8.8M | 14 |
| 9 | The Hassenfeld Family Foundation | Providence | $8.4M | 44 |
| 10 | United Way of Rhode Island Inc | Providence | $8.0M | 282 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 6 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 33 · 23%
- Health 20 · 14%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 14 · 10%
- Environment & Animals 10 · 7%
- Human Services 10 · 7%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 8 · 6%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (38% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Rhode Island
- The Rhode Island Community Foundation $72.0M · 977 grants
- Navigant Credit Union Charitable $569K · 36 grants
- Citizens Community Foundation $370K · 19 grants
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Most open to new grantees in Rhode Island
Foundations based in Rhode Island whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UNFI Foundation | 80% (16) | 20 in 2025 | $11K |
| 2 | Simon W Wardwell Foundation | 67% (14) | 21 in 2025 | $51K |
| 3 | Gruben Charitable Foundation | 66% (21) | 32 in 2024 | $27K |
| 4 | The George and Mary Agostini Family | 65% (30) | 46 in 2024 | $2K |
| 5 | Joan V Winiarski & Teresa W Merrill | 65% (24) | 37 in 2024 | $1K |
| 6 | CVS Foundation | 59% (401) | 677 in 2024 | $35K |
| 7 | The De Ramel Foundation | 56% (18) | 32 in 2024 | $5K |
| 8 | Zartarian Foundation | 53% (19) | 36 in 2025 | $1K |
| 9 | Bafflin Foundation | 52% (14) | 27 in 2024 | $34K |
| 10 | FM Foundation | 48% (10) | 21 in 2024 | $119K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 278 grantmakers in Rhode Island with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
The Rhode Island Community Foundation
Providence, RI
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
977
Total Given
$72.0M
Brown University
Providence, RI
Assets
$11.3B
Grants
235
Total Given
$47.0M
Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto
Providence, RI
Assets
$6.8M
Grants
270
Total Given
$24.3M
Warren Alpert Foundation
Providence, RI
Assets
$397.3M
Grants
99
Total Given
$24.3M
CVS Foundation
Woonsocket, RI
Assets
$194.3M
Grants
778
Total Given
$21.4M
American Academy of Addiction
East Providence, RI
Assets
$5.8M
Grants
60
Total Given
$14.3M
North American Catholic Educational
Johnston, RI
Assets
$138.6M
Grants
20
Total Given
$12.2M
Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation
Providence, RI
Assets
$179.5M
Grants
14
Total Given
$8.8M
The Hassenfeld Family Foundation
Providence, RI
Assets
$55.2M
Grants
44
Total Given
$8.4M
United Way of Rhode Island Inc
Providence, RI
Assets
$30.1M
Grants
282
Total Given
$8.0M
FM Foundation
Johnston, RI
Assets
$16.8M
Grants
25
Total Given
$7.9M
The Gilbane Family Foundation
Providence, RI
Assets
$5.8M
Grants
86
Total Given
$7.6M
Elephant Rock Foundation Inc
Providence, RI
Assets
$4.7M
Grants
5
Total Given
$6.6M
Brown Physicians Inc
Providence, RI
Assets
$34.7M
Grants
8
Total Given
$6.3M
Dorot Foundation
Providence, RI
Assets
$157.7M
Grants
94
Total Given
$5.3M
The Saint Elizabeth Community
Warwick, RI
Assets
$29.0M
Grants
5
Total Given
$4.9M
Jewish Federation Foundation of Greater
Providence, RI
Assets
$109.0M
Grants
50
Total Given
$4.5M
Textron Charitable Trust Dtd
Providence, RI
Assets
$9.5M
Grants
1,199
Total Given
$4.2M
Amica Companies Foundation
Lincoln, RI
Assets
$43.8M
Grants
1,288
Total Given
$4.2M
Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic
Warwick, RI
Assets
$3.3M
Grants
15
Total Given
$4.1M
Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island
Smithfield, RI
Assets
$471.3M
Grants
35
Total Given
$3.5M
Disosway Foundation Inc
Westerly, RI
Assets
$74.7M
Grants
10
Total Given
$2.8M
Hasbro Foundation Inc
Pawtucket, RI
Assets
$1.9M
Grants
39
Total Given
$2.7M
The Collis Foundation
Providence, RI
Assets
$86.7M
Grants
22
Total Given
$2.5M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in Rhode Island
What are the largest foundations in Rhode Island?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are The Rhode Island Community Foundation ($72.0M across 977 grants), Brown University ($47.0M) and Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto ($24.3M). Together the top 10 account for 62% of the $387.6M given by the 278 grantmakers in Rhode Island that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in Rhode Island?
The typical grant is about $17K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $78K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in Rhode Island?
Yes. We found 3 community foundations in Rhode Island with grant activity. The largest by giving are The Rhode Island Community Foundation, Navigant Credit Union Charitable and Citizens Community Foundation. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find Rhode Island foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in Rhode Island from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.