![THE RHODE ISLAND Foundation on Thursday announced it has awarded more than $15.6 million in grants throughout the state during the first half of the year, grants that President and CEO Neil D. Steinberg, pictured above, said help to empower nonprofits to take on issues critical to the state. / COURTESY THE R.I. FOUNDATION THE RHODE ISLAND Foundation on Thursday announced it has awarded more than $15.6 million in grants throughout the state during the first half of the year, grants that President and CEO Neil D. Steinberg, pictured above, said help to empower nonprofits to take on issues critical to the state. / COURTESY THE R.I. FOUNDATION](https://assets.pbn.com/uploads/2014/08/1347038730_aec9-696x464.jpg)
PROVIDENCE – In the first half of 2014, the Rhode Island Foundation awarded more than 320 grants totaling more than $15.6 million to programs that serve Rhode Island.
Foundation grants support nonprofits, organizations and individuals spanning the state’s economic sectors, including health care, the arts, culture, education and and minority-owned small businesses. Through its awards, the foundation aims to address issues ranging from hunger to the state’s capacity to withstand natural disasters, said Daniel Kertzner, vice president for grant programs at the Rhode Island Foundation.
“We connect the dreams of our donors with the needs of Rhode Islanders,” added Neil D. Steinberg, the foundation’s president and CEO. “By encouraging innovation, collaboration and advocacy, we empower nonprofits to take on the issues that are critical to moving the state forward.”
The largest single grant of $200,000 will allow the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority to provide a loan forgiveness program for primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Significant awards included $193,115 in organizational-development grants to nonprofit groups including the Center for Southeast Asians, Save the Bay and the Rhode Island Health Center Association. An additional $148,500 went to food banks, homeless shelters and free clinics, including the East Bay Community Action Program and the Salvation Army.
Other nonprofits received funding under the Rhode Island Foundation’s competitive strategy grant program, which targets seven sectors: arts and culture, children and families, basic human needs, economic security, education, the environment and healthy living.
Two such competitive strategy grants were $45,000 for the Mental Health Link, which connects young adults and family members to affordable and long-term outpatient psychiatric services, and $30,000 to the Center for Women & Enterprise to expand its educational programs and consulting services for women who own or start small businesses.
In addition, the foundation awarded three-year, $300,000 Innovation Fellowships to Amy Bernhardt for the creation of a facility to design and produce digitally printed textiles, and to David Dadekian for the Eat Drink Rhode Island Central Market, which will include a public market, a commercial food production and processing facility.