Following please find some general guidance for Rhode Island Foundation grantees.

Impact and Learning

Learning from grantees about the impact of their work is very important to the Foundation and the generous donors that we partner with to help strengthen our communities and enhance the quality of life in our state.  

The Foundation welcomes updates from grantees and invites them to provide reports on the goals, activities, and outcomes detailed in their grant proposals at some point before or shortly after the end of a grant term.

The Foundation welcomes grantees to share relevant news, upcoming events related to efforts supported by grant funds, research or policy changes related to their work, or to coordinate site visits. To share updates, grantees should feel free to connect with the member of the Foundation’s Grants and Community Investments team assigned as the primary contact for their organization, or our Director of Evaluation and Learning, Katie Murray, at kmurray@rifoundation.org or (401) 427-4021.

Public Relations

If a grantee wishes to make a public announcement of a grant awarded by the Foundation, we welcome the opportunity to coordinate regarding plans for such an announcement. Grantees can contact Senior Communications and Marketing Officer, Chris Barnett, at cbarnett@rifoundation.org or (401) 427-4055 to discuss announcing their grant award.

Transparency is important to us, and generous donors frequently express interest in learning more about grantees and our community investments. We regularly share lists of recent grants publicly.

At times, we are contacted by members of the media who wish to be connected to a particular organization or type of project. We make these introductions at our discretion and in coordination with grantees. 

Open Dialogue

We understand that grant projects do not always proceed exactly as they were originally conceived. Some grants do not play out in execution as anticipated in planning, changes can occur in the environment which impact a grantee’s work, and some experiments do not turn out as expected. We are always available to hear what grantees are learning along the way.

Should a grantee’s project or work take an unexpected turn, or if a change in the original purpose for which a grant was awarded may be needed, we ask that grantees consult with a member of our Grants and Community Investment Team as soon as possible.

The Foundation wants to be a helpful resource to grantees, particularly during any moments of change or challenge. Grantees should feel comfortable informing us of any relevant issues at their organization that may occur during a grant period, including any considerable changes in their board membership, organization leadership, staffing, or finances.

We always welcome grantees to share with us any good news about their project and/or organization, such as substantial new grants, growth opportunities, exciting collaborations, and promising results.

Other Supports

The Rhode Island Foundation offers capacity building assistance to nonprofits. Updated programs and resources are available on our website. Grantees may hear from us occasionally with capacity building offerings.

If there are other ways in which the Foundation can support a grantee’s organization or goals, we may be able to offer specialized guidance and coaching.

The Foundation learns best from the community we serve, so grantees should always feel free to reach out with suggestions they may have for us, our mission, and our work.

Further Questions

For any questions grantees may have regarding this information, please contact Grants & Community Investments Senior Associate, Helen Morales, at hmorales@rifoundation.org or (401) 427-4013.