Rhode Island Foundation Grants Will Fund Programs

Nonprofits from East Providence, Newport and Woonsocket are among 14 organizations that will share $87,000 in grants through the Equity Action Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation.

The organizations will use the funding to provide school and community programs as well as emergency financial help to LGBTQ+ residents of the three cities.

“The Foundation has offered uninterrupted grant support to organizations on the front lines of housing, health, advocacy and youth services for more than 20 years," David N. Cicilline, the Foundation’s president and CEO, said in a media release.

"By supporting this work, we help ensure the services that most Rhode Islanders take for granted are available to all regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation,” Cicilline said.

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The East Providence Library will use its grant to underwrite free teen and adult programs that combine education, artistry and social awareness, including Bystander Intervention Training, which equips participants with practical tools to promote safety and allyship, in partnership with Haus of Glitter and Youth Pride Inc.

“By centering LGBTQ+ voices, histories and lived experiences, these programs create a safe, welcoming environment for learning, dialogue and celebration,” Library Director Meredith Bonds-Harmon said in the release. “Together, they strengthen the city’s reputation for equity, education and community building, ensuring that all individuals feel seen, valued and empowered.”

The Newport Community School will use the funding to support its PROWD! program at Thomson Middle School and the Gay Straight Alliance at Rogers High School.

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“These programs help students build community, promote equity and create a positive school climate where all students feel valued and supported,” Tracy L. Shea, executive director, said in the release.

At Thompson, PROWD! will continue after school to empower students, encourage respect and understanding, and support mental and emotional well-being. Activities include school-wide awareness events, designing inclusivity flags, creating allyship pins and participating in social and cultural experiences.

At Rogers, the GSA, guided by the school-based social worker, remains a student-run, after-school organization that brings students together to address issues affecting their school community. Students take leadership roles in initiatives to advance equity, organize awareness campaigns, plan events, fundraise and engage in social and cultural programs.

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Woonsocket Pride will use its grant primarily to support the creation of its Community Assistance Fund, which will provide direct aid in fixed, one-time disbursements to working-class LGBTQ+ Woonsocket residents. The primary goal will be to alleviate financial stress, and provide immediate cash assistance for housing, food or health-related expenses.

“We know this program will be part of the larger network of direct assistance and other nonprofit programs that serve Woonsocket," Alex Kithes, president of the board of directors, said in the release. We feel that our organization, in serving the LGBTQ+ community specifically, can add something meaningful to the work already being done."

In addition, the 11 other organizations also received funding for work ranging from civil rights advocacy for families and youth to housing and improving the delivery of health care.

Guided by a volunteer advisory committee comprised of leaders in the LGBTQ+ communities, the Foundation’s Equity Action Fund supports projects that meet the needs of LGBTQ+ Rhode Islanders across the state. Also receiving grants are:

• Black and Pink Providence
• GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders
• Haus of Codec
• Planned Parenthood of Southern New England
• Pride in Aging RI
• Project Weber/RENEW
• Sojourner House
• Thundermist Health Center
• Wanderground Lesbian Archive Library
• Woonasquatucket Valley Community Build
• Youth Pride Inc.

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Over the years, the fund has made more than $1.4 million in grants to dozens of organizations working on behalf of Rhode Island’s LGBTQ+ communities.

The Equity Action Fund is just one of the ways the Foundation supports Rhode Island’s LBGTQ+ communities. Just since 2017, the Foundation has awarded more than $2.3 million in additional funding to support housing and health services for LGBTQ+ Rhode Islanders among other programs and released a multi-year research project on the experiences of LGBTQ+ residents, which includes a set of priorities for the future. The study — featuring oral interview transcriptions and a timeline of significant LGBTQ+ milestones — is posted at rifoundation.org/lgbtqinri.

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