Rhode Island Foundation
 | |
 Headquarters in Providence | |
| Founded | June 13, 1916 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Group of Rhode Island civic leaders; Rhode Island Hospital Trust Bank |
| Type | Community foundation |
| Focus | Philanthropy; grantmaking; community investment; capacity building |
| Location |
|
CEO | David Cicilline |
| Website | rifoundation |
The Rhode Island Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation based in Providence, Rhode Island. Established in 1916, it is the state’s only community foundation and one of the oldest such institutions in the United States. The foundation manages charitable endowments, administers grants and scholarships, and partners with donors, civic leaders, and nonprofit organizations to address statewide needs and long‑term community priorities.
The foundation was established on June 13, 1916, when a group of prominent Rhode Island citizens convened at the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Building to create an institution modeled after the first community foundation, established in Cleveland two years earlier. The key organizer was Jesse H. Metcalf, a wealthy Providence industrialist who later served as a Republican U.S. Senator for Rhode Island from 1924 to 1937, and who contributed the foundation's first gift of $10,000 to the general fund. The five-member distribution committee, which included one woman, was composed of community leaders selected by state officials, courts, and the trustee bank. The committee chose not to make any grants until 1922 so that interest could accumulate; its first grants included $25 to the American Red Cross for drought and flood relief and $10 to the Providence YMCA. In 1996, to mark its 80th anniversary, the foundation launched its largest project to date: a $5 million "Teachers and Technology" initiative that provided laptop computers and training to at least one in three Rhode Island public school teachers. In 1999, the foundation moved into its first permanent home at One Union Station in Providence. In 2023, the foundation awarded $89 million in grants statewide. As of 2024, it is led by CEO David Cicilline, former U.S. Representative for Rhode Island's 1st congressional district.[1][2]
History
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The foundation was established on June 13, 1916, after a group of Rhode Island civic leaders asked the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Bank to help create a permanent philanthropic institution modeled on the Cleveland Foundation. Its first contribution was “a relatively modest gift of $10,000 from industrialist Jesse H. Metcalf.”[3][4][5]
A volunteer distribution committee oversaw the fund and deferred grantmaking until 1922, when the foundation issued its first awards, including a $25 grant to the American Red Cross and a $10 grant to the Providence YMCA.[4]
The passage of the Tax Reform Act of 1969 increased the attractiveness of community foundations relative to private foundations, accelerating the foundation’s growth. During the 1970s, it absorbed the Hope Charitable Foundation’s $4.9 million in assets and hired its first executive director, John E. Marshall III. By 1977, assets reached $20 million and annual grants exceeded $1 million.[4]
In 1984, the foundation created a parallel entity, the Rhode Island Community Foundation, enabling diversified investment management and acceptance of donor‑advised funds with broader geographic grantmaking.[4]
The foundation marked its 100th anniversary in 2016. A centennial editorial noted that “for 100 years, the Rhode Island Foundation has invested in the betterment of the Ocean State.”[3] Centennial activities included a statewide community grant program and a $10 million campaign to restore Roger Williams Park.[6]
Operations and programs
[edit source]The foundation is headquartered at One Union Station in downtown Providence. The foundation manages more than 1,000 permanent and donor‑advised funds, including unrestricted funds, designated funds, field‑of‑interest funds, and scholarship funds. These funds reflect a wide range of donor priorities and community needs.[4]
The foundation distributes grants to nonprofit organizations across Rhode Island, supporting areas such as health care, housing, education, the environment, arts and culture, and economic mobility.[4] The foundation administers hundreds of scholarship funds guided by donor intent. Scholarships may support general educational assistance or target specific fields of study, geographic areas, or student backgrounds.[4] The foundation supports statewide initiatives such as the Equity Leadership Initiative, which develops leaders of color, and sector‑support programs for nonprofit capacity building.[4]
In 2025, the foundation distributed a record $93 million in grants to more than 2,600 organizations statewide.[4] in July 2025, the foundation awarded $6.1 million in grants to 147 organizations through its Community Priority and Capacity Building program. Approximately $2 million supported nonprofits that had recently lost federal funding.[7] President and CEO David Cicilline noted that federal budget cuts were “making the work that these nonprofit organizations do even more challenging.”[7]
Leadership
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The foundation is governed by a board of directors and advised by an external investment committee. Former U.S. Representative David Cicilline serves as president and chief executive officer.[4]
| Name | Title | Years |
|---|---|---|
| John E. Marshall III | Executive Director | 1975–1979[8] |
| Doug Jansson | Executive Director | 1979–1993[9] |
| Ronald Gallo | President and CEO | 1993–2007[10] |
| George Graboys | Acting President | 2007–2008[10] |
| Neil D. Steinberg | President and CEO | 2008–2023[10] |
| David N. Cicilline | President and CEO | 2023–present[10] |
Five‑year action plan (2024–2029)
[edit source]In December 2024, the foundation launched a five‑year action plan through its Community Priority and Capacity Building program. The plan organizes discretionary grantmaking around six statewide priorities:[7]
- Advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility
- Expanding civic and cultural opportunities
- Reducing the effects of climate change
- Improving education and strengthening student and educator support
- Lowering barriers to affordable housing and generational wealth
- Expanding equitable access to quality health care
See also
[edit source]Notes
[edit source]- ↑ https://rifoundation.org/about/our-history
- ↑ https://rifoundation.org/about
- 1 2 Providence Journal 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rhode Island Foundation 2024.
- ↑ DiVeglia 2026.
- ↑ PBN 2015.
- 1 2 3 New England Council 2025.
- ↑ Nauffts 2006, p. 81.
- ↑ Greater Milwaukee Foundation 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 Rhode Island Foundation, Our History.
References
[edit source]- "Rhode Island Foundation Annual Report 2024". Rhode Island Foundation. 2024.
- "Rhode Island Foundation awards $6.1 million in grants". New England Council. 2025-07-22.
- DiVeglia, Angela (2026). "Metcalf Estate". Rhode Tour.
- "Editorial: R.I. Foundation turns 100". The Providence Journal. 2016-06-12.
- "R.I. Foundation launches statewide community grant program to celebrate centennial". Providence Business News. 2015-12-08.
- Nauffts, Mitch, ed. (2006). Philanthropy in the 21st Century: The Foundation Center's 50th Anniversary Interviews (PDF). New York: The Foundation Center. ISBN 1-59542-163-7.
- Greater Milwaukee Foundation (June 17, 2014). "Community organizer recognized for leadership". Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service.
- Rhode Island Foundation. "Our History". Rhode Island Foundation.
External links
[edit source]- Official website
- "Rhode Island Foundation". Internal Revenue Service filings. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.