Nonprofit organizations that serve residents of Newport County’s six cities and towns have until Feb. 11 to apply for more than $270,000 in grants from the Rhode Island Foundation.
“The funds provided by the Newport County Fund grant program focus on serving the distinct needs of the residents of these communities. Working with partners that have a presence in Newport County communities provides the structure and context to address local priorities,” said Adrian Bonéy, who oversees special programs for the Foundation.
The Newport County Fund (NCF) offers grants of up to $10,000 to develop new programs, to strengthen or expand established programs and for municipal planning or leadership. Applicants should focus on significant problems or opportunities, strategic partnerships or collaborations, innovation and measuring results.
The NCF does not fund individuals or scholarships, medical research, debt reduction or fundraising. Grants may support faith-based organizations for secular programs or projects. These are annual grants; NCF does not make multi-year commitments.
Last year’s recipients include the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Newport for its after-school and summer programs for children throughout Newport County; Child & Family in Middletown for its Supportive Housing Program and COVID-19 response efforts; and the Island Moving Company in Newport for its art-integrated learning programs in Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth and Little Compton elementary schools.
Over the years, the NCF has invested more than $4 million in funding programs and services for residents of Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth and Tiverton. The fund is supplemented by the Jamestown Community Fund and the Jamestown Fund for the Performing Arts.
The NCF is just one of the grant programs the Foundation uses to support nonprofits that serve Newport County residents. For example, the Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund awarded grants to provide services throughout Newport County last year in response to the pandemic.
The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. Through leadership, fundraising and grant-making activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information about the Newport County Fund, visit rifoundation.org.