Very Unofficial Rhode Island Grants Report
With RISCA’s 2026 application window opening in a few days, I thought I'd offer a little rundown of where people get money from projects here in the greater Providence, Rhode Island area.
Awesome Foundation Rhode Island (not a grant, really) is entering a 3rd year! AFRI has issued $24,000 so far, help them make it $25,000. The next funding cycle opens this Sunday February 1st. Learn more and apply here.
On Feb 1, select RISCA grants open. Reminder: RISCA changed format and there is only one main cycle per calendar year now. Don't miss it! You likely won't get funded but the practice of knowing these processes, forms, and flow is important.
The Dept of Art, Culture, and Tourism (ACT) just sent out a mailer with some cool opportunities. They also jammed out a 2025 Annual Report which offers a comprehensive overview of all they do. They are great people working way over capacity.
RI Humanities' grants are still paused because of Nazi ghouls, but you should keep tabs on all they do here. They will be back! (Also if anyone from RIH is reading this I know I owe you a grant report. Sorry! I will do it, I swear.)
I recently attended the Interlace Grant Fund's 2026 cohort celebration and wow! Amazing ideas and people. Projects ranged from like ... abstract paintings created via slow absorption as a critical rebuttal of the patriarchy, to...amateur wolf research. Their next cycle isn't for a bit but they do offer emergency relief funding on a monthly basis-learn more here.
The Providence Tourism Council grants are open; rolling basis. This is an interesting one because it's not a city org. A portion of taxes from gross hotel room revenue funds it. So in theory, your cool event increases RevPar and keys-sold, and in turn the funding allocations increase? Talk to me about hotels! Get more creative with your FF&E / OS&E budgets!
New England Foundation for the Arts is pretty in-the-weeds re: professional grant language, keywords, and has some red tape BUT they do really good work. Here's all their grants. I've never applied (I think?) but, I have learned a lot reading through the site.
The Rhode Island Foundation has a ton of money but seems less in the world of small, individual grants and more support bigger 501c3s / organizations. You may have heard they somewhat recently brought Micah Salkind over from ACT; he's their new Director, Civic and Cultural Life. I would watch that space for cool things.
Some readers may be in MA so, there's also the Barr Foundation. With Barr it's like ... very cool that they gave the Dorchester Art Project $100k while at the same...Rhode Island is RIGHT HERE, BUDS. Come on, Barr. Expand the giving circle a bit and throw some coins at the Creative Capital? My DMs are open.
Michael Rose's New England Art News substack is also a great resource for grants, residencies, workshops, openings, etc.
