RIF Community Priority Grants

The RIF Community Priority Grants, initiated by the Rhode Island Foundation, aim to enhance community well-being through targeted support to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. These grants focus on addressing six identified community priorities, promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. By fostering collaboration and understanding community needs, the program seeks to empower local organizations to effectively respond to systemic inequities and support thriving communities for a better Rhode Island.

The outcome is an evolved mission and Five-Year Action Plan that is informed by the people we serve.
Through deep engagement and discussion with the public, collaboration with our partners, research, and data analysis, we identified six community priorities that are essential for a thriving Rhode Island. These priorities were consistently voiced by the community we serve and will guide the Rhode Island Foundation’s efforts in the years ahead.
The Capacity Building Grant program is one of our three core grant programs and primarily provides funding and/or technical assistance to support the needs of organizations and programs that respond to one or more of the community priorities, and related focus areas in the Foundation's Five-Year Action Plan.
At the center of each community priority is a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA), ensuring that our efforts address systemic inequities and support thriving communities.

Eligibility

Community Priority Grants are awarded for programmatic or general operating support to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations based in Rhode Island.If your organization is located outside of Rhode Island yet serving Rhode Island in unique ways, we recommend completing the pre-application, and we’ll evaluate if your organization’s work might be a fit. 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 with a 501(c)(3) IRS designation. If an organization is serving as a fiscal agent for another entity, they may also be eligible for a separate Community Priority grant to support their own organization.

Ineligibility

IndividualsFor-profit entitiesEvent sponsorshipsCapital projects.