About Us
About the Initiative
 The Initiative for Nonprofit Excellence at The Rhode Island Foundation builds the capacity of nonprofit organizations so they can better achieve their missions.
Nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island play critical roles:
- Providing a safety net for people in need
- Nurturing our children
- Improving our quality of life
- Preserving our quality of place
- Enriching our communities with arts and culture
- Advocating for systemic change
The Rhode Island Foundation values our nonprofit partners and the work they do. We are committed to strengthening the sector.
After a year of extensive research and community outreach, the Foundation launched the Initiative in 2008 with programs organized into four key areas of work:
Sharing best practices
Education and peer learning are key components of the Initiative. The Fidelity Investments Board Development Program offers a series of workshops on good governance. The Peer Mentors Program – currently under development – will link experienced nonprofit leaders with emerging leaders, promoting the development of individual leaders and sharing valuable knowledge across the sector. The Initiative also has plans to offer financial sustainability workshops in the coming months.
Providing tools
The Initiative’s website is a clearinghouse of information and resources for nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. We feature several well-respected self-assessment tools to help nonprofits analyze their needs and a collection of resources and publications. Information is also available by calling our helpline at (401) 274-4564.
Doing good research
The Initiative will collect and analyze data to inform our work. One of our first goals is to develop a comprehensive profile of the state’s nonprofit sector. Additional research about and for the sector is planned.
Encouraging leadership
The Initiative will develop convening opportunities to bring together nonprofit leaders to share best practices and engage in high-level thinking about the needs of the sector.
In the months and years to come, we expect to expand and build on our work. Stay tuned for more details!
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