Newport County women and nonprofits that provide programs supporting the self-sufficiency and independence of local girls and women have until April 7 to apply for scholarships and grants through the Miss Swinburne Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation.
In 2016, the Miss Swinburne Fund awarded $42,000 in scholarships to 17 students and $18,460 in grants to local nonprofits, including the Boys & Girls Club of Newport, East Bay Community Action and Lucy’s Hearth.
The fund memorializes Elizabeth H. Swinburne, a civic-minded woman of the early 1900s who established a school in her Newport home to educate young women. Following her death, the Civic League of Newport continued her mission until transferring its remaining assets to the Foundation in 2002 to establish a permanent endowment.
Over the years, the Swinburne fund has awarded nearly $800,000 in scholarships and grants to benefit young women from Newport County.
The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in the state. In 2016, the Foundation awarded a record $45 million in grants to organizations addressing Rhode Island’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities. Through leadership, fundraising and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information about applying for Swinburne grants or scholarships, visit rifoundation.org.