Neighborhood Grants

The Rhode Island Community Foundation's Neighborhood Grants program fosters community engagement by providing funding of $1,000 to $10,000 for resident-led projects. It aims to strengthen social networks, enhance collaboration, and celebrate local traditions, ultimately creating vibrant neighborhoods. Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and volunteer-led groups, the program encourages initiatives that deliver visible results within 12 months while leveraging community resources for lasting impact.

The Neighborhood Grants program provides between $1,000 to $10,000 to support projects that bring Rhode Islanders together.
Purpose
The Neighborhood Grants program supports resident-led, community-making efforts that:
Foster social networks, enhance collaboration, and increase community engagement within a neighborhood, city, or town;Strengthen lasting relationships that endure over time and across experiences;
Elevate shared public spaces as vital community anchors;
Projects may include a variety of community-building activities, from creating accessible public spaces and hosting neighborhood gatherings to improving urban green spaces and preserving cultural traditions.

Eligibility

The Neighborhood Grants program is open to nonprofit organizations, public agencies (such as libraries), and volunteer-led groups (like neighborhood or resident associations).
We recognize there are entities and efforts without a 501 (c)3 IRS designation that align with our funding priorities. In these cases, we may consider grant applications from groups using a fiscal sponsor that have a 501 (c) (3) IRS designation.
To be eligible, proposals must:
Be feasible—delivering visible results within 12 monthsHave lasting impact—creating meaningful, enduring outcomesBe accessible to the broader communityBe relevant and beneficial to the specific neighborhood or communityLeverage community resources such as cash matches, volunteer time, donated space, or other in-kind contributions

Ineligibility

The program does not support:
Capital campaignsEndowment fundsFor-profit entitiesFundraising eventsIndividualsOngoing operational supportLobbying or political effortsReligious organizations for religious purposes