Six Newport County organizations are among 43 recipients sharing $1 million in capital grants awarded by the Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corporation (RIHEBC) to support essential infrastructure improvements and equipment purchases.
Child and Family Services of Newport County, Lucy’s Hearth, the Town of Middletown, Middletown Public Library, Portsmouth School Department, and Jamestown Public Schools each received significant funding to advance their respective missions and better serve the local community.
Local Recipients Address Diverse Community Needs
Child and Family Services of Newport County received $25,000 for HVAC upgrades, funding that will improve the comfort and air quality for families accessing critical social services throughout the region.
Lucy’s Hearth, which provides transitional housing and support services for homeless families, was awarded $24,500 for playground structures and a new basketball hoop. These improvements will enhance recreational opportunities for children staying at the facility while their families work toward stable housing.
The Town of Middletown secured $25,000 for historic preservation work at the Witherbee School House, helping to maintain an important piece of the community’s educational heritage.
Middletown Public Library received $25,000 to upgrade laptops, ensuring patrons have access to modern technology for research, education, and digital literacy programs.
Portsmouth School Department was awarded $25,000 for asbestos abatement, addressing critical health and safety concerns in school buildings to protect students and staff.
Jamestown Public Schools received $20,000 for a STEAM laboratory, enhancing science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics education opportunities for students.
Part of Expanded Statewide Initiative
The grants, all capped at $25,000, are part of RIHEBC’s Capital Grant Program designed to support smaller-scale projects that don’t typically qualify for the corporation’s traditional financing programs. RIHEBC’s board unanimously agreed to double the program’s funding from an initial $500,000 to $1 million after reviewing the quality and number of applications received.
“Our state’s nonprofit health, education, and community service organizations need to continually invest in their equipment and facilities, and that’s why RIHEBC created our Capital Grant Program,” said Dylan Zelazo, Executive Director of RIHEBC. “From funding for medical equipment, to classroom technology, to building repairs, to ADA accessibility improvements, and security upgrades, these grants will allow recipients to meet their missions and continue to provide the health and education services Rhode Islanders depend on.”
The awarded projects span a wide range of critical infrastructure needs, from medical equipment and classroom technology to building repairs and accessibility improvements. The total Newport County awards amount to $139,500.
Supporting Essential Community Services
The grants highlight the ongoing infrastructure needs faced by nonprofit organizations and municipal entities that provide essential services to Rhode Island residents. For organizations like Child and Family Services of Newport County and Lucy’s Hearth, which serve some of the community’s most vulnerable populations, the funding represents a significant investment in their ability to maintain safe, comfortable environments for their clients.
The awards also demonstrate the diverse needs across Newport County’s communities, from historic preservation in Middletown to educational technology upgrades at the public library, and critical health and safety improvements in Portsmouth schools.
Since 1966, RIHEBC has provided financing for nonprofit health and educational institutions throughout Rhode Island, as well as municipalities for school projects. The corporation has issued over $10 billion in tax-exempt bonds and serves as the state’s largest financing agency.
The Capital Grant Program represents RIHEBC’s recognition that smaller-scale infrastructure needs, while not suitable for traditional bond financing, are equally critical to the organizations’ ability to fulfill their missions and serve Rhode Island communities.
