SK nonprofits win grants to expand services

Three local nonprofit organizations have won grants to expand their services to the public. The funding is through the Herman H. Rose Civic, Cultural and Media Access Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation.

“By providing the means to support libraries and other civic, cultural and literacy-focused organizations, we can bolster their position as community centers that encourage discussion around important topics,” said philanthropist Herman Rose, who created the fund. Over the years, it has awarded more than $400,000 in grants.

The primary goals are to strengthen libraries and other civic, cultural and literacy-focused organizations and expand their role as community centers that stimulate dialogue around critical issues.

The World War II Foundation in South Kingstown received $4,000 to support public showings of and other educational activities around “D-Day at Pointe du Hoc,” a 50-minute documentary it produced for PBS.

"Herman Rose has been a long-time supporter of the efforts of the World War II Foundation to preserve the personal stories of the World War II. Mr. Rose believes strongly, as we do, that future generations need to grasp to lessons left to us by those who fought and survived the worst conflict known man,” said Tim Gray, executive director.

“We are so grateful that Mr. Rose continues to support, not only our 23 film projects to date but also our new World War II Global Education Center in South Kingstown, a place where students get an up-close look at the artifacts and hear these incredibly personal stories,” he said.

The University of Rhode Island Library’s Distinctive Collections received $2,800 to prepare one of its women’s collections for access by the public.

“While URI has acquired primary sources related to Rhode Island women regularly since its special collections department was created in 1970s, it has not always prioritized the dissemination of those materials,” said Karen Walton Morse, director of Distinctive Collections.

The funding will support an internship for a graduate student who will work a professional archivist to catalog the collection for use by researchers, educators seeking primary sources for lesson integration, local historians and students.

“This grant will help us to make local women’s history accessible to a wide audience and provide valuable training and experience to a library science student,” she said

The South Kingstown Land Trust received $500 to create informational signs for the kiosks at its 100-acre Weeden Farm property in Matunuck.

“Weeden Farm is our most visible and most frequently visited public access site, including a public trail, birding opportunities, active farmland, managed wildlife habitats and on-going flora and fauna research projects. The ability to have flexible signage will help to appeal to the various user groups and greatly enhance visitor experience,” said Clarkson A. Collins, land management director.

SKLT manages more than 2,850 acres of land in over 165 parcels.

“It is a very large undertaking that substantially improves the public’s awareness as to the ownership, the natural features, history and allowed-uses of each property,” he said.

The three nonprofits are among 16 organizations across Rhode Island that won grants from the Rose Fund. The other projects include digitizing the archives of the Gamm Theater, documenting the history of Latin Americans living in Rhode Island and digitizing the records of the R.I. Council for the Humanities.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. Working with generous and visionary donors, the Foundation raised $114 million and awarded $52 million in grants to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities in 2018. Through leadership, fundraising and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit rifoundation.org.