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, including recommendations for the thoughtful and strategic investment of American Recovery Plan Act taxpayer dollars, advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and access through systemic change, and an ongoing response to the COVID-19 health and economic crisis – stepping in and stepping up exactly where leadership is needed the most.
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
A commitment to social justice and racial equity
The goal of the Foundation's Equity Leadership Initiative is to inspire a deeper commitment to social justice and racial equity by working with existing leaders of color.
Equity Leadership Initiative
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 newly created 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 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;
- Advocate for policy change;
- 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.