Rhode Island Bar Foundation
The Rhode Island Bar Foundation is a public charity based in Cranston, Rhode Island. It supports legal services, access to justice, legal education, and improvements to the administration of justice in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island Bar Foundation at a glance
In short: Rhode Island Bar Foundation gave $1.2M across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $80K). 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,203,754
- +33.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $80,250
- -10.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,000
- Total assets
- $12,594,772
- +20.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (5 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Rhode Island Bar Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 41 Sharpe Drive, Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: (401) 421-5740
Website: https://ribar.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Rhode Island Bar Foundation
IOLTA Grants (Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts)
Rhode Island Bar Foundation
Amount
$10,000 - $794,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Nicole J. Benjamin Scholarship Program
Rhode Island Bar Foundation
Amount
$25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Papitto Opportunity Connection Scholarships
Rhode Island Bar Foundation
Amount
$25,000 per scholarship (2 scholarships available)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Rhode Island Bar Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was RI Legal Services ($706K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 35 grants of 48 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s IOLTA grant areas are described in relation to Rhode Island. Its scholarship programs are limited to Rhode Island residents.
Is Rhode Island Bar Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 15 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $116K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $25K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $385K (2022) to $1.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| RI Legal Services | Legal Help for the Poor | $705,504 |
| Dorcas International Institute | Legal Help for Immigrants | $182,669 |
| RI Bar Association - Elderly Pro Bono | Legal Help for the Elderly | $123,900 |
| Justice Assistance | Legal Assistance | $54,431 |
| RI Legal Education Foundation | Help with Legal Related Education | $30,000 |
| Center for Mediation & Collaboration RI | Help for Mediators | $20,000 |
| RI Center for Justice | Help for Center of Justice | $13,000 |
| RI Coalition for the Homeless | Help for the Homeless | $12,000 |
| RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence | Help with Domestic Violence | $11,000 |
| Disability Rights RI | Assistance | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Rhode Island Bar Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $12,594,772 | $3,484,268 | $1,646,238 | $1,203,754 | 15 | $671,224 |
| 2024 | $10,436,451 | $3,939,518 | $1,301,558 | $900,262 | 10 | $161,977 |
| 2023 | $7,037,778 | $2,552,390 | $713,041 | $384,613 | 7 | $129,968 |
| 2022 | $5,045,389 | $1,169,825 | $746,159 | $384,605 | 7 | $82,288 |
| 2021 | $5,128,655 | $975,173 | $716,261 | $393,113 | 9 | $51,846 |
| 2019 | $3,954,166 | $747,586 | $676,733 | $393,109 | 9 | $59,214 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to foster the honor and integrity of the legal profession; study, improve, and facilitate the administration of justice in Rhode Island; promote the study and dissemination of legal knowledge; and promote high standards of legal education.
Its website identifies four main IOLTA grant areas: providing legal services to poor Rhode Islanders, improving the delivery of legal services, promoting knowledge and awareness of the law, and improving the administration of justice. The Foundation also reports that its IOLTA program distributes income to nonprofit organizations providing legal assistance to poor Rhode Islanders and promoting legal knowledge and improvements in the administration of justice.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 15 grants totaling $1,203,754. Grant amounts ranged from $7,500 to $705,504, with a median of $12,000. The largest awards included $705,504 to RI Legal Services for legal help for the poor; $182,669 to Dorcas International Institute for legal help for immigrants; $123,900 to RI Bar Association - Elderly Pro Bono for legal help for the elderly; and $54,431 to Justice Assistance for legal assistance. Other listed recipients included RI Legal Education Foundation ($30,000), Center for Mediation & Collaboration RI ($20,000), RI Center for Justice ($13,000), RI Coalition for the Homeless ($12,000), RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence ($11,000), Disability Rights RI ($10,000), Kids in Need of Defense ($10,000), and Day One ($8,750).
The Foundation’s website provides an IOLTA grant application and criteria.
The Foundation also offers scholarships to Rhode Island residents entering their first year of law school. The website described awards for a September 2026 start, with applications due March 31, 2026; that application cycle has passed. The listed awards were non-renewable and included two Thomas F. Black, Jr. scholarships of $25,000 each, one Nicole J. Benjamin scholarship of $25,000, and one Patrice A. Tarantino Memorial scholarship of $25,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing listed Armando E. Batastini as president, David N. Bazar as vice president, Etie-Lee Schaub as secretary, and Steven Boyajian as treasurer. Directors listed on that filing were Sonja L. Deyoe, Anne Maxwell Livingston, Jason C. Preciphs, Cristen L. Raucci, Nicole J. Benjamin, and Lauren E. Jones.
The Foundation’s website lists Kathleen M. Bridge as executive director and Theresa M. Gallo as program director.
Rhode Island Bar Foundation is led by Armando E. Batastini, President since 2025 (on filings since 2019); none of the 24 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Armando E. Batastini
President
Director → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → President, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anne Maxwell Livingston
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Honorable Edward H. Newman
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lauren E. Jones
Director
Secretary → Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lise M. Iwon
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter L. Lewiss
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert G. Flanders Jr.
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Victoria M. Almeida
Director
Vice President → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cristen L. Raucci
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason C. Preciphs
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Verdi
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard D'addario
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sonja L. Deyoe
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark B. Morse
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole J. Benjamin
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sally P. McDonald
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John A. Tarantino
Past President Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph J. Roszkowski
Past President Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael A. St Pierre
Past President Director
Director → Past President Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael R. McElroy
Past President Director
President → Past President Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Leach Deblasio
Past President Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven Boyajian
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David N. Bazar
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Etie-Lee Schaub
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Carolyn R. Barone (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: J. Robert Weisberger Jr. (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: James A. Jackson (2019–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Linda Rekas Sloan (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Melissa E. Darigan (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Peter V. Lacouture (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Honorable Patricia A. Sullivan (2019) — Director
- Former: John Boyajian (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Rhode Island Bar Foundation
How much does Rhode Island Bar Foundation give each year?
Rhode Island Bar Foundation gave $1.2M across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $900K across 10 grants.
What is Rhode Island Bar Foundation's typical grant size?
Rhode Island Bar Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $12,000, and its average grant was $80,250, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Rhode Island Bar Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Does Rhode Island Bar Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Rhode Island Bar Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Assistance" (5 grants).
Who are Rhode Island Bar Foundation's largest grantees?
Rhode Island Bar Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include RI Legal Services ($705,504), Dorcas International Institute ($182,669) and RI Bar Association - Elderly Pro Bono ($123,900), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 84% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Rhode Island Bar Foundation?
Rhode Island Bar Foundation reported $12.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.5M.
What does Rhode Island Bar Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to foster the honor and integrity of the legal profession; study, improve, and facilitate the administration of justice in Rhode Island; promote the study and dissemination of legal knowledge; and promote high standards of legal education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Rhode Island Bar Foundation?
Rhode Island Bar Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check ribar.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does Rhode Island Bar Foundation make grants?
The Foundation’s IOLTA grant areas are described in relation to Rhode Island. Its scholarship programs are limited to Rhode Island residents.
What is Rhode Island Bar Foundation's EIN?
Rhode Island Bar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 05-6009376. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Rhode Island Bar Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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