Civic Leadership
To create a stronger, more vibrant community, all voices must be heard. All of us must collaborate to solve important issues and seize emerging opportunities, with decision-making backed by quality data. This is Civic Leadership.
Stepping in and stepping up
At the Foundation, civic leadership is a linchpin of our strategy. We are focused on convening community leaders and creating conversation, commissioning research, advocating for policy change, and using our resources to meet immediate needs for Rhode Islanders. Using these engagement tools, above and beyond our traditional grant programs, we are able to make a significant impact on issues that are critical for our state. Whether that means convening a summit to spur economic recovery after the Great Recession, funding efforts to increase Census participation, leading state-wide long-term health and long-term education planning, working with partners and the community to structure a proposal for use of American Rescue Plan Act dollars, or commissioning research to encourage statewide action on housing and homelessness – the Foundation steps in, and steps up.
Addressing the state's housing crisis
As a proactive next step to jump start action, the Foundation commissioned a study of Rhode Island's housing environment to assist and inform our state's strategic planning.
Access the full report here
Civic leadership in action
The Neil D. Steinberg Civic Leadership Fund gives the Foundation real-time flexibility to seize emerging opportunities and test innovative ways to solve community challenges.
Recent civic leadership efforts
Education in Rhode Island
Stay(ing) the Course is a two-year progress report intended to indicate where we, as a state, are in meeting the educational priorities, strategies and next steps that were identified in Chart A Course, Stay the Course published in January, 2020.
Our data-informed website, www.edinri.com, identifies a number of indicators tied to the priorities and strategies highlighted in the Chart a Course, Stay the Course report and is used to help benchmark, measure progress and drive local strategies and tactics on an ongoing basis.
Health in Rhode Island
Local health and health care industry experts on the Foundation-led Long Term Health Planning Committee developed a 10-year plan for improving health in Rhode Island. More than healthcare alone, Rhode Island’s efforts are deeply focused on health equity and healthy residents. Our Health in Rhode Island dashboard, www.healthinri.com, presents critical data related to behaviors, care, equity, access, quality and outcomes.
Be a Rhode Island change maker
The Neil D. Steinberg Civic Leadership Fund is one of the tools that provides the Foundation with the ability to respond in real-time to seize new opportunities, or as a crisis unfolds and need emerges. Annual contributions allow us to:
- Advocate for policy change;
- Respond quickly to community need;
- Examine issues by commissioning research;
- Inspire conversation through public affairs programs;
- Convene leaders and incubate innovative ideas to craft solutions and;
- Create a vision where Rhode Islanders with diverse interests and backgrounds come together for the greater good.
Now, more than ever, our state needs you to step forward. Join previous Civic Leadership Fund donors to support critical, ongoing activities.