Juanita Sánchez Community Fund Grants

The Juanita Sánchez Community Fund Grants, administered by the Rhode Island Foundation, were established in 1992 to honor Juanita Sánchez, a passionate advocate for Latino rights and needs in Rhode Island. Funded through contributions from her friends and family, the program is committed to enriching and improving the lives of Latinos across the state through targeted support of nonprofit-led projects. The grant program provides funding to nonprofit organizations undertaking projects that directly benefit the Latino community in Rhode Island. Proposals may involve new or existing initiatives, but funding is generally intended for one-time expenses. The Fund explicitly does not prioritize applications that solely request funding for translation or interpretation services, signage, or language-related costs. Grants typically range from $500 to $1,500. The size of each grant award may vary depending on the volume and caliber of applications received in a given cycle. While organizations headquartered outside of Rhode Island are not automatically excluded, they will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must demonstrate clear benefit to the Latino community within the state. Eligibility for this grant is open to any nonprofit organization that advances the stated purpose of the Fund. Organizations do not need to self-identify as Latino-serving or be led by individuals of Latino heritage. What matters is that the proposed project materially serves the Latino population in Rhode Island. Reapplications for the same project in subsequent years are generally not supported. Applications open approximately six weeks prior to the annual deadline, which falls on December 18. All submissions must be completed through the Rhode Island Foundation’s online portal by 3:00 p.m. EST on the due date. For further inquiries, Carmen Diaz-Jusino, Director of Economic Mobility, serves as the contact point for the program and may be reached by phone or email. Awards follow an annual funding cycle.