The Providence Shelter Foundation established two funds at the Rhode Island Foundation: a donor advised fund in 2014 through which the Shelter's Board of Managers recommends grants for the community, and an organization endowment in 2016 from which grants are made back to the Shelter to ensure a secure funding stream for the organization.

About the Providence Shelter

The Providence Shelter was founded in 1838, when white Quaker women noticed Black families needing a place to care for their children if, for example, the mother was a live-in maid to a white family, or the father was at sea. Existing children’s homes in Providence were closed to children of color, so a building on Wickenden Street was purchased to provide accommodation for such children.

More than a century later, the Shelter, by then in a larger building on Olive Street, closed its doors. Assets from selling the property were invested in an endowment and the Providence Shelter became a grantmaking foundation in 1951, using funds generated through its endowment to support a wide variety of agencies in Greater Providence.

Providence Shelter Foundation’s Role Today

In their role as a grantmaking foundation, the Providence Shelter remains dedicated to supporting organizations serving historically marginalized children of color and their families in Rhode Island, with a focus on programs that offer well-being, mental health support, educational advancement, and leadership opportunities. Prudent financial management and the dedicated oversight of a diverse Board of Managers have enabled the Providence Shelter to navigate the 21st century effectively while continuing to support its core mission.

For more information, please visit the Providence Shelter Foundation website or explore their history through resources at the Rhode Island Historical Society.

Apply for Funding

The Providence Shelter Foundation supports organizations serving historically marginalized children of color and their families in Rhode Island.  

Specific information regarding this grant program can be found on the Providence Shelter Foundation website.

The Rhode Island Foundation facilitates the grant application process for funding through the Providence Shelter Foundation Fund. Applications from all organizations that advance the purpose of the Fund will be accepted. Eligible grantees often serve communities of color, but they are not required to exclusively support communities of color, nor must they be an organization led by people of color.

A complete application package includes:

• Completed application form, submitted through the Rhode Island Foundation’s online system; and
• Completed budget form, also submitted through our online system;  

To complete an application that is already in progress, and to submit, please click here.

Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted by 3:00 p.m. (EST) on March 24, 2026.