The vision shared by local nonprofits and led by United Way of Rhode Island to create a statewide Nonprofit Resource Center has received a major boost in the form of a $1 million commitment from the Papitto Opportunity Connection (POC). The funding will help United Way accelerate the development of the business model of what will be a central, multi-faceted entity aimed at strengthening the state’s nonprofit sector as a whole, and will be spread across four years.
United Way announced plans to establish a nonprofit resource hub in late January and placed a call for applicants to serve on the Design Team that will help guide its creation. The initiative will serve the state’s entire nonprofit ecosystem and work to enhance its capacity while prioritizing the needs and perspectives of BIPOC-led and other small and mid-size nonprofits. Programming may include training, advocacy, visibility, and research to advance organizational resiliency and infrastructure.
United Way also received funding from Rhode Island Commerce Corporation as part of their Network Matching Grant program, which was designed to build support systems for Rhode Island’s small business community.