Our current grant cycle is closed and is not expected to reopen until 2022.
June 12, 2020: The Women’s Fund of Rhode Island (WFRI) is excited to announce financial commitments totalling $120,000 in grant funding to seven organizations over the next two years for their innovative proposals to advance gender equity and help level the playing field for women and girls in Rhode Island. $60,000 will be distributed in 2020 and the same amount in 2021. 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 advance 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 $810,000 to organizations and programs in Rhode Island that empower women and girls. This year’s grants were made possible through the generosity of donors of the WFRI.
The grants impact a variety of gender related issues. While the gender wage and wealth gap has been extensively covered over the years and particularly for women of color, the COVID-19 crisis shines a spotlight on how these gaps impact women in the U.S. Women disproportionately hold low wage jobs in industries with little to no paid family and sick leave, including fields that expose them to the virus, and many are unable to work in a virtual environment. Funding to RI Community & Justice, SEIU and the Center for Women and Enterprise tackle these issues.
Racial disparities in health have also been exacerbated, particularly in reproductive health. Even before the current health crisis, domestic violence was already a global pandemic. Paired with restrictions meant to protect people from catching the coronavirus, the stage is set for a growing domestic violence crisis. Funding for SistaFire, Sojourner House, RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Planned Parenthood of Southern New England address these issues.
“The projects this funding supports could not have come at a better time, as the concurrent health and racial disparities crises have thrown our world into turmoil,” said Kelly Nevins, Executive Director of the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island. ‘With our two year financial commitment, we are investing in longer term impact for these programs.”
The grant recipients and awarded programs are:
“The grant process was very competitive. 24 non-profit organizations submitted proposals for a combined request of $208,000 in funding,” said Christina Castle, WFRI Board Member and Chair of the Grant Review Team. “Each proposal was subject to a rigorous review by a team of community volunteers with training in gender-lens giving. These programs clearly rose to the top.”
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.
Please download the complete application guidelines 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 begun 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:
