Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto
Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto is a Providence, Rhode Island-based private foundation, operating as Papitto Opportunity Connection (POC). Founded by Barbara Papitto in December 2020, POC supports an individual recipient organizations serving communities most in need, with investments in education, job skills training, housing, healthcare, and entrepreneurial ventures.
Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto at a glance
In short: Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto gave $24.3M across 270 grants in 2024 (avg $90K), mostly in Rhode Island. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $24,335,921
- +6.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 270
- +8.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $90,133
- -1.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $6,819,682
- -63.4% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Rhode Island (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests through a competitive application process, with grant applications submitted through its online portal during application periods. Applicants are asked for organizational information including mission, budget, communities served, leadership and board details, and documentation of nonprofit status and good standing in an individual recipient POC does not allow fiscal agents. The foundation states that it does not fund building construction, capital campaigns, lobbying, or political events. Its grant application page says proposals are not currently being accepted.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists two annual submission periods: June 1–15 and December 1–15. The website describes awards in June and December.
- Deadline
- The filing lists two annual submission periods: June 1–15 and December 1–15.
- Contact
Application contact: John Tarantino
Mailing address: 100 Westminster Street Suite 105, Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (401) 276-1236
Email: gperry@pocfoundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Justice Assistance ($2.2M). Together the top 10 received $12.6M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($6,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
714 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 453 grants of 714 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
POC says it funds Rhode Island-based organizations recognized as 501(c)(3) entities and holding a current certificate of good standing from the an individual recipient Secretary of State. In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in an individual recipient The listed 2024 recipients include organizations in Providence, Cranston, Warren, Rumford, Warwick, and East Providence.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 270 itemized grants.
Cities
How Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto gives
- 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 92% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $12.7M (2021) to $24.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 270 grants totaling $24.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Assistance Cranston, RI | GRANTS | $2,236,242 |
| Brown University Providence, RI | GRANTS | $1,751,000 |
| Devaccelerator Inc Providence, RI | GRANTS | $1,550,000 |
| Building Futures Rhode Island Providence, RI | GRANTS | $1,500,000 |
| Hasbro Children's Hospital Providence, RI | GRANTS | $1,000,000 |
| RI Hospital Foundation Development Providence, RI | GRANTS | $1,000,000 |
| The Elisha Project Rumford, RI | GRANTS | $1,000,000 |
| The Financial Literacy Initiative Providence, RI | GRANTS | $944,078 |
| RI Philharmonic Orchestra & Music S E Providence, RI | GRANTS | $935,000 |
| Leadership Rhode Island Providence, RI | Sponsorship | $702,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing type is Form 990-PF (a private foundation).
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6,819,682 | $19,484,333 | $27,412,959 | $24,335,921 | 270 | $27,568,078 | $5,611,166 | $447,727 |
| 2023 | $18,618,067 | $17,508,014 | $25,646,889 | $22,791,932 | 249 | $25,648,450 | $973,472 | $1,111,869 |
| 2022 | $27,083,440 | $35,764,985 | $23,261,630 | $20,938,333 | 150 | $23,274,133 | $4,732,730 | $997,007 |
| 2021 | $20,164,629 | $44,911,185 | $14,741,152 | $12,689,225 | 45 | $13,707,225 | $10,076,021 | $740,830 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto reported a distributable amount of $448K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
POC’s stated mission is to work with nonprofit organizations serving communities most in need in an individual recipient to empower people and create individual success stories. Its stated areas of investment include education, job skills training, housing, healthcare, and entrepreneurial ventures. The foundation also supports two dedicated educational scholarships.
Its 2024 grants include organizations with a range of missions. For example, Hope & Main says it helps local entrepreneurs launch early-stage food businesses by providing access to shared commercial kitchens and technical resources. The an individual recipient Black Heritage Society describes its mission as promoting and preserving Rhode Island’s African American artifacts. Higher Ground International says it provides opportunities and amenities to immigrant and refugee communities in an individual recipient Sojourner House describes its work as providing culturally sensitive support, advocacy, education, and housing for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, while working for systems change.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 270 grants totaling $24,335,921. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $2,236,242, with a median of $10,000. The largest reported awards included $2,236,242 to Justice Assistance in Cranston; $1,751,000 to Brown University; $1,550,000 to DevAccelerator Inc.; and $1,500,000 to an individual recipient Other large awards included $1,000,000 each to Hasbro Children’s Hospital, RI Hospital Foundation Development, and The Elisha Project. A $702,500 award to an individual recipient was listed as a sponsorship.
POC says it provides approximately $6 million annually through unsolicited grants across two programs: smaller grants for organizations with demonstrated needs, and the Million Dollar Innovation Challenge, which supports programming intended to create systemic change in education, skills training, entrepreneurship, healthcare, or housing. The foundation’s website states that the Innovation Challenge will not be offered during the June 2026 grant cycle but is planned for the December 2026 cycle. Its June 2025 small-grant application described awards generally between $5,000 and $20,000 and specified that they are general operating grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Barbara Papitto as trustee and John Tarantino as managing trustee. It also lists Edward Pieroni as trustee, and Ting Barnard, Saima Chaudhry, Andrew Cortes, Fred Butler, Dennis Coleman, Paola Fernandez, and Marcia Goncalves as board members.
Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto is led by John Tarantino, Managing Trustee on every filing since 2021; 3 of 14 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John Tarantino
Managing Trustee
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$264K (2021) → $635K (2024)
Barbara Papitto
Trustee
On filings since 2021
20 hrs/week
$120K (2021) → $120K (2024)
Edward Pieroni
Trustee
On filings since 2021
8 hrs/week
$120K (2021) → $120K (2024)
Andrew Cortes
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Arnell Millhouse
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Dennis Coleman
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Fred Butler
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Junior Jabbie
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Loren Spears
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Marcia Goncalves
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Marcy Reyes
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Paola Fernandez
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Saima Chaudhry
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Ting Barnard
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $635K, to John Tarantino (Managing Tru). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto
How much does Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto give each year?
Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto gave $24.3M across 270 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $22.8M across 249 grants.
What is Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto's typical grant size?
Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $90,133, across 270 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto give grants?
Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto gives mostly in Rhode Island: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Providence, RI (148 grants), Pawtucket, RI (22 grants), Warwick, RI (12 grants) and Cranston, RI (9 grants).
Does Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 270 grants with a stated purpose on Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Grants" (241 grants), "Scholarship" (16 grants) and "Sponsorship" (8 grants).
Who are Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto's largest grantees?
Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto's largest 2024 grantees include Justice Assistance ($2,236,242), Brown University ($1,751,000) and Devaccelerator Inc ($1,550,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($6,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto?
Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto reported $6.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $27.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $448K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto fund?
POC’s stated mission is to work with nonprofit organizations serving communities most in need in an individual recipient to empower people and create individual success stories. Its stated areas of investment include education, job skills training, housing, healthcare, and entrepreneurial ventures. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests through a competitive application process, with grant applications submitted through its online portal during application periods. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto's EIN?
Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-4150612. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Does Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ralph-r-papitto-and-barbara-a-papitto-morg_a5b6933154324cf69f0c6db922403173
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_854150612_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ralph R Papitto \& Barbara a Papitto funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ralph-r-papitto-and-barbara-a-papitto-morg_a5b6933154324cf69f0c6db922403173},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Ralph R Papitto & Barbara a Papitto's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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