We are no longer accepting grant proposals for the 2022-2023 grant cycle. Our next application window will open in January 2024.
The Women’s Fund of Rhode Island (WFRI) is excited to announce financial commitments totaling $130,000 in grant funding to seven organizations over the next two years for their innovative proposals to achieve gender equity and help level the playing field for women and girls in Rhode Island. $65,000 will be distributed in 2022 and the same amount in 2023. Several of the grants include a racial justice component and all are relevant to concurrent health and racial disparities.
WFRI uses social change grantmaking to achieve gender equity and social justice, focus on systemic solutions and address the unique needs of women and girls. Since its launch in 2001, the WFRI Grant Program has awarded more than $900,000 to organizations and programs in Rhode Island that empower women and girls. These grants are made possible through the generosity of donors of the WFRI.
To give you a sense of what we mean by funding gender equity through systemic change, our most recent grant recipients and awarded programs include:
Launched in 2001
Supporting programs that empower women and girls to address gender inequity
More than $810,000 has been distributed to gender lens programming to date
Made possible by donations to Women’s Fund of Rhode Island
Civic engagement and leadership
Economic self-sufficiency and justice, particularly fair/equal pay and increased/living wages
Women and girls health and well-being, particularly freedom and access to reproductive health and/or freedom from sexual harassment
WFRI's grant making supports systemic change. Proposals need to demonstrate one or more of the following:
A capacity to address root causes of problems, challenges and issues
Impact on societal attitudes or behaviors
Positive long-term change for women and girls
Expanded choice for women and girls
Empowerment of women and girls to challenge the status quo
Changes in policies and systems to provide full participation by women and girls
Current funding includes a two year commitment to funded organizations, provided they use funding for the same/similar purposes, provide WFRI with periodic updates on project progress, and with the understanding that we can only provide funds if they are available. Donations are key to our ability to grant funds. A new proposal must be submitted each time a grant is requested. Previous funding does not guarantee continued funding, either for an organization or a project. Go to https://wfri-glga-2022.paperform.co/ for the online portal or download a .pdf of the application below.
This powerpoint gives an example of what it means to give "through a gender lens." WFRI volunteers are trained in gender lens giving concepts prior to embarking on the grant review process. The grant review team is made up of a diverse group of volunteers trained in gender lens giving. After a thorough review and discussion process, the grant review team recommends which proposals the WFRI Board should fund. The next grant review process will not begin until 2022. If you would like to be considered as a volunteer for the review process, please contact our Executive Director at info@wfri.org.
Funding Restrictions
We will not fund the following:
