Rhode Island Foundation Awards $375,000 In Grants

NEWPORT, RI — Dozens of nonprofit organizations serving Newport County residents will share $375,000 in grants from the Rhode Island Foundation. The funding will support work ranging from educational programs for children and recreation to meal programs and domestic violence prevention.

“We are fortunate to be able to help our partners carry out their critical work. We are grateful for the dedicated donors who make it possible for us to support nonprofits that are on the frontlines of serving the needs of their communities,” David N. Cicilline, the Foundation’s president and CEO, said in a media release.

Aquidneck Island Village, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Newport, the Little Compton Community Center and the Newport County YMCA in Middletown are among the grant recipients.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County received $5,000 to support its Anchor Academy, which offers intensive leadership training and skill development to approximately 20 Middletown High School freshmen. Participants attend meetings at Middletown High School from October to April and also go through a separate eight-week essential skills training to help them build key interpersonal and professional skills. The newly-minted peer leaders then lead the rest of the freshman class in a day-long team-building retreat at the Club's Camp Grosvenor in Saunderstown. As sophomores, the peer leaders meet with incoming freshmen to help them adjust to their new environs.

“Our program addresses the challenges many youth experience during the critical transition between middle and high school. Students’ experiences in their first year of high school often determine their success throughout high school and beyond,” Bill Parks, interim executive director, said in the release. "We are proud to partner with Middletown High School and its guidance department to make a positive impact on students through this program.”

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in Newport received $10,000 for need-based scholarships for preschool for children from low-income, working families. The MLK Community Center expects to serve up to 45 children age 3 to 5 in three fully equipped classrooms and an outdoor play space.

“We opened a third preschool classroom in September 2024 to help meet the gap in preschool openings on Aquidneck Island. In addition to English language learning, literacy and math, our program supports social and emotional wellness,” Heather Hole Strout, Executive Director, said in the release. “Creative play inside and outdoors is part of every school day. The Children also enjoy music lessons, art, cooking classes, and lots of STEAM activities. Our in-house chef prepares a healthy breakfast, lunch, and two snacks every day. All families also have full access to our onsite hunger relief programs. Because of this funding, parents can go to work knowing their kids are thriving at the MLK.”

The Little Compton Community Center received $10,000 to support its Senior Lunch Program, which is staffed by two full-time employees and more than 25 volunteers who assist with meal prep, meal service and meal delivery.

The Newport County YMCA in Middletown received $7,500 to support RhodySquash, an afterschool program for area students grades four through eight that combines squash instruction and competition with mentorship, tutoring and character-building opportunities.

The Village Common received $5,650 to strengthen its two local chapters, including Aquidneck Island Village, which serves Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth. The volunteer organization helps older adults stay active, connected and independent in their own homes and communities. The Aquidneck Island Village has 57 volunteers and 64 clients.

“The concept is neighbors helping neighbors in a formal, sustainable way. Older adults can get trusted help when they need it and also stay social, preventing the negative effects of isolation,” said Mary Alice Smith of Newport, a member of the Aquidneck Island Village steering committee. "Our volunteers assist members in a myriad of ways, from driving them to medical appointments and running errands, to doing household minor repairs, to providing technology assistance, to making friendly calls and visits, and so much more.”

The Aquidneck Island Planning Commission, BikeNewport, Conexion Latina Newport, FabNewport and the Little Compton Food Bank are among other organizations that won funding. The full list of recipients is posted at rifoundation.org.

The grants are through the Foundation’s Newport County Fund, which awards grants of up $10,000 to strengthen or expand established programs, to support policy or advocacy efforts on behalf of community concerns, to fund new projects that focus on significant problems or opportunities, and to leverage strategic collaborations and partnerships.

In making the funding decisions, the Foundation worked with an advisory committee comprised of residents from every community in Newport County.

Established in 2002, the Fund has awarded more than $6 million in grants for programs and services for residents of Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth and Tiverton over the years.

It is just one of the grant programs that enable the Foundation to serve Newport County communities. Just since 2023, the Foundation has awarded nearly $12 million in grants to Newport County nonprofits.