Black Philanthropy Bannister Fund Grants

The Black Philanthropy Bannister Fund is a grantmaking program managed by the Rhode Island Foundation, a long-standing philanthropic institution committed to improving the lives of Rhode Islanders. Originally, the Bannister House operated as a nursing home in Providence, serving retired African American domestic workers. When the facility was sold, its board chose to invest the proceeds in the Black Philanthropy Initiative. In 2016, the fund was officially renamed the Black Philanthropy Bannister Fund, continuing the legacy and focus of its predecessors. Its primary mission is to support initiatives that address the most pressing needs of Rhode Island’s Black community. The Fund prioritizes two major focus areas. First, it supports community-based organizations working to uplift low-income Black Rhode Islanders by improving financial stability, promoting economic empowerment, and addressing structural inequities. Such programs may also contribute to the celebration and preservation of Black Rhode Island history and culture. Second, the Fund supports youth development and mentoring initiatives aimed at Black youth, with objectives including educational success, avoidance of high-risk behaviors, and fostering of positive decision-making and future aspirations. Eligibility for funding is inclusive and flexible. While applicants are not required to be Black-led or exclusively serve the Black community, their proposed activities must clearly advance the purpose of the Fund. This allows a broad array of community-based organizations to apply, provided they are aligned with the Fund's mission. The Rhode Island Foundation encourages submissions from all organizations committed to this cause, regardless of leadership composition or broader audience focus. Applications are submitted through the Rhode Island Foundation’s online system. The application portal opens approximately six weeks before the deadline, which for the current cycle is November 24, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. Requests of up to $15,000 will be considered. No additional pre-application steps such as letters of intent or concept papers are required. Only fully completed applications submitted online by the deadline will be reviewed. Donna Sowden, Grants & Community Investments Officer at the Rhode Island Foundation, is the designated contact for applicants with questions about the program or submission process. She can be reached by phone at (401) 427-4029 or via email. No specific application components or evaluation metrics are listed in the available material, and no submission platform name beyond “online system” is provided. The Fund appears to operate on an annual cycle, with applications opening six weeks before the late November deadline. Based on this cadence, the next anticipated round is expected to open in October 2026. This provides prospective applicants with a useful timeframe to begin preparing future proposals aligned with the Fund's core priorities.