Rhode Island Council for the Humanities
Rhode Island Humanities (formerly known as Rhode Island Council for the Humanities) is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Providence, Rhode Island. Established in 1973 as an independent state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the organization serves as the only dedicated source of funding for public humanities in Rhode Island. It is one of 56 humanities councils found in every state and U.S. territory.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$586K
+5.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$135K
+24.9% YoY
Grant Count
12
+20.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
+4.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Rhode Island Humanities seeds, supports, and strengthens public history, cultural heritage, civic education, and community engagement by and for all Rhode Islanders.
The organization's primary focus areas include:
- Public history and cultural heritage
- Civic education and community engagement
- Arts and cultural programming
- Support for museums, libraries, historic sites, schools, preservation and historical societies, community and cultural organizations, individual researchers, and documentary filmmakers
Grantmaking
Rhode Island Humanities administers several grant programs:
Grant Range
** $5,245–$12,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Rhode Island, with particular emphasis on reaching organizations and communities throughout the state. Recent initiatives have specifically targeted organizations based outside Providence.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $585,856–$586,000
- Annual Revenue/Income: $1.3 million
- Total Giving: $272,881
- IRS Ruling Year: 1979
The organization has received significant federal support, including $114.9 million in cumulative federal awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities across 59 awards.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $585,856 | $554,310 | $359,906 |
| Revenue | $1,259,896 | $1,141,056 | $1,088,377 |
| Expenses | $1,203,150 | $1,160,208 | $1,103,865 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $20,563 | $7,381 | $5,898 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
127 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Rhode Island Council for the Humanities
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Armenian Historical Association of Rhode Island ($12,000), Dirt Palace Public Projects ($12,000), Fractured Atlas ($12,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARMENIAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OF RHODE ISLAND PROVIDENCE, RI | ARMENIAN CHRONICLES: A LIVING HISTORY | $12,000 |
| DIRT PALACE PUBLIC PROJECTS PROVIDENCE, RI | LETTERPRESS PRINTERS AND PRINTING IN PROVIDENCE, 1762-2024 | $12,000 |
| FRACTURED ATLAS HARTSDALE, NY | SCANDALOUS CONDUCT: A FAIRY EXTRAVAGANZA | $12,000 |
| LITTLE COMPTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY LITTLE COMPTON, RI | THE SAKONNET MISHOON PROJECT | $12,000 |
| NEWPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWPORT, RI | A NAME, A VOICE, A LIFE: THE BLACK NEWPORTERS OF THE 17TH-19TH CENTURIES EXHIBITION | $12,000 |
| PRESERVE RHODE ISLAND PROVIDENCE, RI | LIPPITT HOUSE MUSEUM CIVICS PROGRAM FOR ADULT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS | $8,845 |
| PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY PROVIDENCE, RI | WASHED | $12,000 |
| QUEERARCHIVEWORK INC PROVIDENCE, RI | QUEER/TRANS ZINEFEST (QTZ) 2024 | $12,000 |
| SCHOOL ONE PROVIDENCE, RI | WRITE RHODE ISLANDS PICTURES WITH WORDS: COMIC AND GRAPHIC NOVEL PROGRAM (WRITE RHODE ISLAND - READ THINK WRITE) | $10,150 |
| TIKKUN OLAM PRODUCTIONS SOMERVILLE, MA | BREAKIN' AWAY | $12,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Executive Director: Elizabeth Francis
Staff: The organization employs approximately 4-7 people.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TIFFINI BOWERS | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| MARCIA SOUSA DA PONTE | SECRETARY THRU 12/08/23 | 1 | — |
| JORGE MEJIA | TREASURER THRU 03/11/24 | 1 | — |
| CHRYSTAL MARS BAKER | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| EUGENE B MIHALY | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| DOUG POPOVICH | BOARD CHAIR | 1 | — |
| CHERRY ARNOLD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ANTONIA NOORI FARZAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DON E WINEBERG | BOARD MEMBER THRU 03/31/24 | 1 | — |
| JAMES P RILEY | BOARD MEMBER THRU 03/31/24 | 1 | — |
| JEANNETTE E RILEY PHD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOSH STENGER PHD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ROBERT CRAVEN ESQ | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KENNY ALSTON | BOARD MEMBER THRU 12/14/23 | 1 | — |
| STEPHANIE BASILE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JAFFA DAVIES | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| EMILY MCHUGH | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ERIC E SUNG | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MARIAHADESSA EKERE TALLIE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH WESTGATEPHD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CAROLYN MARK | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| RENEE SOTO | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ROBERT WOOLARD MD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH FRANCIS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $118,652 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**Emergency Funding (April 2025):** Rhode Island Humanities received a $200,000 emergency award from the Mellon Foundation as part of a $15 million stabilization initiative for all 56 state and territorial humanities councils. This funding was provided in response to the abrupt termination of federal awards to humanities councils, which eliminated $65 million from their collective operating budgets. The Mellon Foundation also offered up to $50,000 as a Challenge Fund to help drive direct donations from individuals, businesses, and philanthropies.
Rhode Island Humanities Awards $100,000 Through THRIVE ...**RI CHARG Program (2021):** The organization partnered with RISCA to administer nearly $1 million in federal pandemic recovery funds to 121 culture, humanities, and arts nonprofits, designed to help organizations prevent, prepare, respond, and recover from hardships suffered due to the pandemic.
Council awards $11,911 in mini grants to organizations and individuals in**Organization Name Change (2023):** As of the organization's 50th anniversary year in 2023, it transitioned from being known as "Rhode Island Council for the Humanities" to "Rhode Island Humanities."
Rhode Island Humanities Awards $100,000 Through THRIVE ...Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rhode Island Council for the Humanities fund?
**Mission:** Rhode Island Humanities seeds, supports, and strengthens public history, cultural heritage, civic education, and community engagement by and for all Rhode Islanders. The organization's primary focus areas include: • Public history and cultural heritage • Civic education and community engagement • Arts and cultural programming • Support for museums, libraries, historic sites, schools, preservation and historical societies, community and cultural organizations, individual researchers…
How do I apply for a grant from Rhode Island Council for the Humanities?
Rhode Island Humanities administers several grant programs: **THRIVE Operating Support Grant Program:** Recent awards have included $100,000-$110,000 distributed to 20-22 organizations, providing general operating support to eligible nonprofits. **RI Culture, Humanities and Arts Recovery Grant (RI CHARG):** A collaborative program with the State Council on the Arts (RISCA), this initiative awarded $968,000 in federal assistance to 121 culture, humanities, and arts nonprofits. Grants provided $8…
Where does Rhode Island Council for the Humanities make grants?
Rhode Island, with particular emphasis on reaching organizations and communities throughout the state. Recent initiatives have specifically targeted organizations based outside Providence.
What size grants does Rhode Island Council for the Humanities award?
In 2024, Rhode Island Council for the Humanities awarded 12 grants totaling $135K — an average of about $11K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Rhode Island Council for the Humanities's EIN?
Rhode Island Council for the Humanities's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 05-0376246. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Rhode Island Council for the Humanities's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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