
The URI Foundation unites passion and purpose by engaging alumni, donors, and friends to strengthen the University of Rhode Island’s growth through generosity, impact, and enduring connections.
University of Rhode Island Foundation & Alumni Engagement’s recent grant record is dominated by large donor-restricted support to the University of Rhode Island in Kingston. The three largest recent grants on file all went to the university itself, including $26,038,061 in 2024, $23,176,811 in 2023, and $17,758,493 in 2025 for general program expenditures from donor-restricted funds. That pattern points to a funder that channels major support into the institution’s core operations and academic priorities rather than making broad external grants. Its stated focus areas show how that support is organized across higher education, scholarships and fellowships, research support, faculty support, campus facilities, and student emergency funds. The foundation’s active scholarship and fellowship programs include RhodyNow, Endowed Scholarship Fund options, and graduate fellowship support, all tied to student access and persistence at URI. A separate Research Impact Fund is designed to keep research projects moving, retain talent, and support student researchers. The grant history and program structure together show a foundation built around strengthening the university through restricted giving, endowment support, and immediate-use funds for students, faculty, and research.
Scholarship and fellowship support is a central theme. Through RhodyNow: Partners in Scholarship, the foundation provides immediate-use scholarship aid, and the Endowed Scholarship Fund supports perpetual student aid through the university endowment. It also offers scholarships and graduate fellowships through programs such as Rhody Scholars and RhodyNow. Research support is another clear priority. The Research Impact Fund channels immediate support to faculty and students so research projects can continue, talent can be retained, and student researchers can be funded. Related launch grants have also been approved to cover full tuition and stipends for doctoral students. Student stability appears in the Students First Fund, which covers unexpected financial difficulties, basic needs, and reasonable emergency expenses to help students stay on their academic path.
The foundation’s typical grant size is very large: p25 is $20,467,652, the median is $23,176,811, and p75 is $24,607,436. The recent record also shows repeat support to the same recipient across multiple years, with the University of Rhode Island receiving the top three listed grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Grantmaking is donor-restricted and oriented around operational and program expense funding rather than individuals. Some programs accept unsolicited support, including Scholarships & Graduate Fellowships and RhodyNow: Partners in Scholarship.
$17.8M
$320M
$39.1M
$32.8M
Most grants fall between $20.5M and $24.6M, with a median of $23.2M.
25th Percentile
$20.5M
Median
$23.2M
75th Percentile
$24.6M
About 100% of grants go to recipients in RI.
ADAM QUINLAN
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeRegístrate gratis para ver qué tan bien se adapta tu organización sin fines de lucro a este financiador, obtener un pitch generado por IA y descubrir fundaciones similares.
Grantmaking is entirely local, with 100% of grants to recipients in Rhode Island and the top state by grant count also Rhode Island. The recent grants list points to Kingston as the primary recipient city, since the University of Rhode Island appears there across the largest awards. Program geography is also Rhode Island-centered, especially for scholarships, research support, and student emergency funds. Where broader scopes appear, they are tied to URI programs rather than a wider multi-state or international grant portfolio.
Its stated focus areas are higher education, scholarships and fellowships, research support, faculty support, campus facilities, and student emergency and immediate-use funds. Active programs include Scholarships & Graduate Fellowships, the Research Impact Fund, Endowed Graduate Fellowships, and the Students First Fund.
No. The foundation is marked as not funding individuals directly, and the grant record centers on support to the University of Rhode Island and its programs rather than personal grants.
The typical grant size is very high: p25 is $20,467,652, the median is $23,176,811, and p75 is $24,607,436. The largest recent awards on file are all in the tens of millions and went to the University of Rhode Island in Kingston.
Giving is local. Every grant in the provided recipient-country distribution is in the US, and 100% of grants are to recipients in Rhode Island. Kingston appears in the largest recent grants because the University of Rhode Island is located there.
Yes, for some programs. Scholarships & Graduate Fellowships accepts unsolicited support, and RhodyNow: Partners in Scholarship also accepts unsolicited support. The Endowed Scholarship Fund and Research Impact Fund do not list unsolicited acceptance.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND | KINGSTON, RI | $17,758,493 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM EXPENDITURES FROM DONOR RESTRICTED FUNDS |
| UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND | KINGSTON, RI | $26,038,061 | 2024 | GENERAL PROGRAM EXPENDITURES FROM DONOR RESTRICTED FUNDS |
| UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND | KINGSTON, RI | $23,176,811 | 2023 | GENERAL PROGRAM EXPENDITURES FROM DONOR RESTRICTED FUNDS |
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
$17,758,493GENERAL PROGRAM EXPENDITURES FROM DONOR RESTRICTED FUNDS
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
$26,038,061GENERAL PROGRAM EXPENDITURES FROM DONOR RESTRICTED FUNDS
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
$23,176,811GENERAL PROGRAM EXPENDITURES FROM DONOR RESTRICTED FUNDS