Rhode Island Foundation’s response to COVID-19

Updated March 18, 2020

In just a few days donors have contributed $2.3 million to the COVID-19 Response Fund at Rhode Island Foundation. And, contributions to United Way are nearing $500,000, bringing the total to approximately $2.8 million. Thank you, Rhode Island!

Donors to this effort include Delta Dental of RI, BankNewport, the Salem Foundation, Navigant Credit Union, the Partnership for Rhode Island, the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, AAA and many generous individuals and families from across our state.

On behalf of a community in need, we are grateful for this outpouring of support and know it will continue as response efforts evolve.

To give today click here or call (401) 274-4564.

Also, please note, the Rhode Island Foundation remains open with many team members working remotely and operations continuing. That said, One Union Station will be closed to the public starting tomorrow – Thursday, March 19 – and extending through the end of April. If you are scheduled to attend an event or meeting at our building, you will receive information about postponements or virtual meeting opportunities directly. Finally, the Racial Equity Groundwater trainings scheduled for April 17 at CCRI Newport and April 21 at San Miguel School have been cancelled.

Updated March 17, 2020

We are in the midst of an unpredictable, rapidly changing public health emergency - one that is having immediate impact on the community we care so deeply about, and that will likely have lasting, consequential effects.

Given the circumstances Rhode Island Foundation and United Way of Rhode Island have jointly established the COVID-19 Response Fund. The Foundation contributed $250,000 to seed the fund. Individuals, local philanthropic organizations, and corporate donors quickly joined in. While the fund is launching with $1.5 million to allocate immediately, donations will be accepted as long as the need continues.

Contributions in any amount can be made directly to either Rhode Island Foundation or United Way of Rhode Island. We welcome your contribution.

In partnership with the United Way, we will form a joint grantmaking committee to rapidly deploy financial resources to nonprofit organizations that are assisting vulnerable populations on the front line of COVID-19 response in our state. Details on the application and grantmaking process are being determined and will be rolled out in the coming days.

We are confident that this collaborative effort will complement the work of public health officials by expanding local capacity to address the outbreak’s social, health, and economic impacts.

Also, we want to hear about what local nonprofits are experiencing so that we are able to determine, with our partners, what types of resources are needed as response and recovery efforts come together.

Please click here to complete a short questionnaire about the impact of COVID-19 on your organization and the community you serve. Atención, organizaciones sin fines de lucro afectadas por COVID-19 en Rhode Island, comparta sus experiencias con nosotros aquí.
 

Posted March 14, 2020

As your community foundation, we are doing all that we can to take precautions and contribute to preparedness and response efforts related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In this case, we’re hopeful that more than an ounce of prevention will aid the community that we, and you, care so deeply about.

The Foundation has a disaster preparedness and recovery plan in place which is updated regularly as situations evolve. Overall, the plan instructs us to keep the health and safety of our staff and constituents at the very top of our priority list when evaluating a disaster, and to determine how best to mitigate disruption of our critical business functions so that we can continue to meet the needs of our community.

In line with state-level guidance and our disaster preparedness and recovery plan, here are some of the preventative steps we are taking:

• Encouraging our team members to be vigilant about handwashing and social distancing, to stay home if they are not feeling well, and to share information about recent or planned travel.

• Encouraging our team members to work remotely if needed.

• Temporarily adjusting personnel policies to be sure we are providing team members with adequate paid leave time if they are unable to work – either in the office, or remotely – due to the effects of the virus on themselves or members of their household.

• Cancelling events and workshops led or hosted by the Foundation where we anticipate that a significant group of people will be in attendance, through the end of March. And, moving many small-group meetings to a virtual platform.

• Monitoring community need by connecting with agencies who are on the frontline, listening to the needs of our community partners, evaluating how we might be able to assist, and responding quickly.

We encourage our community partners to take similar steps, and to regularly monitor guidance from the Rhode Island Department of Health, available here and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), available here.

Most specifically:

• Provide clarity to staff around sick leave and telecommuting policies. Proactively share policies and expectations about time off and coming to work when ill with employees.

• Consider adapting your personnel policies if they might inhibit someone from taking sick leave or caring for family members who are sick. For more information on the enacted emergency TDI benefits in Rhode Island click here.

We recognize the concern regarding the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and its potential impacts on Rhode Island nonprofits as employers, conveners, and service providers.

We want to hear about what local nonprofits are experiencing so that we are able to determine, with our partners, what types of resources are needed as response and recovery efforts come together.

Please click here to complete a short questionnaire about the impact of COVID-19 on your organization and the community you serve.

As the state’s community Foundation our role is to address both short and long term need in Rhode Island. With that, we will continue to adjust our approach and will be very closely monitoring the impact that COVID-19 is having on the community. If you identify increased needs, or are interested in supporting frontline organizations, please feel free to contact us.