Charity and Nonprofit Offices Across Rhode Island

Rhode Island is the smallest state by land area, but it has a dense network of charities, social-service agencies, private foundations and volunteer groups. This page covers 57 charity and nonprofit listings in 20 cities and towns. They range from large Providence organizations to small community groups in places such as Burrillville and Charlestown. Short drives put almost every office within about an hour of any resident, yet the kind of help on offer differs a great deal from one part of the state to another.

The word "charity" covers several different things. Some listings are direct-service agencies that feed, house, counsel or transport people. Others are grant-making foundations that fund other groups and do not take walk-in requests. A third group supports people with one specific condition, such as autism or a rare disease. Knowing which type you need before you call saves a lot of time.

Rhode Island also has no working county government. The five counties are geographic and court divisions, so most local services run through city and town halls, school departments and private nonprofits. That makes the nonprofit sector unusually important. An agency such as East Bay Community Action, listed at 100 Bullocks Point Avenue in East Providence, fills a role that a county department would handle in many other states.

Who Regulates Charities in Rhode Island

Nonprofit corporations are formed by filing with the Rhode Island Secretary of State under the state's nonprofit corporation law. Forming a corporation does not make a group tax-exempt. Federal exemption, most often under section 501(c)(3) of the tax code, comes from the Internal Revenue Service. Anyone can check an organization's federal status through the IRS's public search tool for exempt organizations.

Groups that ask the public for money generally have to register for charitable solicitation. In Rhode Island that registration is handled by the Department of Business Regulation, and the Attorney General's office has authority over charitable assets and donor complaints. If you think a fundraiser is misleading donors, those are the two state offices to contact. Filing rules and exemptions vary with an organization's size and type, so confirm current requirements with the agency itself.

A few quick checks before you give money or time will protect you:

Names can mislead. Many Rhode Island groups use similar words such as "foundation," "project" or "society," and a few have the same name as a national organization without being part of it. The phone number and address in each listing help you confirm you have reached the local office you meant to reach.

Providence County: Where Most Rhode Island Charity Offices Are

Providence County holds the large majority of our listings, and Providence alone accounts for 20 of them. The reason is practical. The county contains the state's biggest population centers, its hospitals and universities, and most of its older industrial cities, where need and donor money have long sat close together.

In the capital, the Ace Bailey Childrens Foundation is listed at 135 Langdon Street. Just east of the city, East Providence has a cluster of its own. The Warren Alpert Foundation is at 37 Village Green North, The Elisha Project is at 65 Newport Avenue, and the Ri Rare Disease Foundation is at 46 Kenton Avenue. Together with East Bay Community Action, they show how one city can hold both a broad community agency and several narrowly focused groups.

The Blackstone Valley mill cities form another cluster. Pawtucket's Woodlawn Community Development Center is at 210 West Avenue, and in Central Falls the Blackstone Valley Emergency Food Center is at 402 Dexter Street. Woonsocket, near the Massachusetts line, lists the Arc of Northern Rhode Island Child & Family Services at 1 Cumberland Street. These cities are densely built and many households have limited incomes, so food, family support and neighborhood development groups are especially active.

Cranston, which sits in Providence County despite its closeness to Warwick, has three listings. They include the Autism Project of Rhode Island at 51 Sockanosset Cross Road, The Papitto Foundation at 960 Reservoir Avenue and the Gabrielle Dinsmore Heart & Hope Fund at 845 Oaklawn Avenue. Farther northwest the pattern thins out. The county's rural towns list the Salvation Army in Burrillville, the St Vincent De Paul Society in Glocester, the Dora C Howard Center in Smithfield and the North Smithfield Mini Bus Service. A transport service like that one matters in towns where buses are few and a car is almost a requirement for getting to appointments.

Kent, Newport and Washington Counties Work Differently

Outside Providence County the picture changes. Kent County is mostly suburban, centered on Warwick, which has five listings. The American Cancer Society office is at 931 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick, close to the airport and the major highway links, which makes it easy to reach from across the state. West Warwick lists the Crompton Veterans Organization at 37 Hepburn Street, and East Greenwich lists the Zartarian Foundation at 201 Tanglewood Drive. Kent County organizations tend to be either regional offices serving many towns or small, locally rooted groups.

Newport County is shaped by Aquidneck Island and a seasonal economy. The Newport Gallery Organization is at 4 Equality Park Place in Newport, the National Autism Association is at 1 Park Avenue in Portsmouth, and the Chaves Maher Horticulture Center is at 906 Aquidneck Avenue in Middletown. Arts, gardens and visitor-oriented groups sit beside service providers, and summer crowds can make roads slow, so allow extra travel time between June and September.

Washington County, often called South County, is the most rural of the four counties in our listings. Offices are spread thinly along the coast and inland. The Andrea Rizzo Foundation is at 10 East Beach Road in Charlestown, the Wildlife Rehabilitators Association is at 25 Shermantown Road in North Kingstown, and the Domestic Violence Resource Center is at 100 High Street in South Kingstown. With fewer offices, residents here often travel between towns, so calling ahead matters more than it does in Providence.

Bristol County has no listings in our database, so residents of Bristol, Warren and Barrington often turn to East Providence or Newport County organizations.

How to Get Help From a Rhode Island Nonprofit

Most charity offices are small. Many are open only on certain weekdays, some rely on volunteers, and a number answer by voicemail. Calling before you travel is the single most useful step. Use the phone numbers shown in each listing, ask whether you need an appointment, and ask what the office can and cannot do.

If you are unsure which organization fits your situation, dial 211, the statewide information and referral line. Operators can point you to food, housing, utility and health resources by town. Community action agencies like East Bay Community Action often help households apply for federal and state benefits such as fuel assistance, so ask about those programs when you call.

When you do get an appointment, bring paperwork that proves who you are and where you live. Offices vary, but the usual items are:

Eligibility is set by each organization or by the program behind it. Some agencies serve only certain towns, some serve people with a particular diagnosis, and others serve anyone who walks in. Food pantries and meal programs usually have the lightest requirements, while financial assistance usually has the most.

Giving and Volunteering Locally

If you want to give rather than receive, start with the groups closest to you. Small organizations often have trouble recruiting steady volunteers and welcome offers of a regular weekly shift. Winter, when heating costs climb, and the weeks before the holidays are the busiest periods for food and basic-needs groups, so donations of time or money in late summer and early fall help them prepare.

Rhode Island also has a well-known community foundation, the Rhode Island Foundation, which makes grants across the state and can help donors learn which causes are active. Whatever route you choose, use the registration and tax-status checks described above, and ask any group how it will use your gift before you hand it over.

Nonprofit organizations operating in Rhode Island must register with the state attorney general's charitable trust section and comply with state solicitation licensing requirements in addition to meeting federal IRS requirements for tax-exempt status. Rhode Island's charity registration process helps protect residents from fraudulent fundraising operations.

Charity Nonprofit locations are available in 20 cities across Rhode Island. They are spread across 4 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Providence, Warwick, Newport, which typically host large concentrations of nonprofits serving regional populations across health, human services, education, and arts sectors.

Donors in Rhode Island can verify that a charity is properly registered with the state by contacting the Rhode Island Attorney General's office or searching the state's online charity registration database before making a contribution.

Charity Nonprofit by Counties

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Nonprofits seeking grant funding in Rhode Island should explore state-level grant programs administered through the Rhode Island Department of Health, Department of Education, or community services block grant programs. Many Rhode Island foundations also fund local nonprofits through competitive grant cycles that typically open annually.

Browse Charity Nonprofit by county across Rhode Island to find the nearest location.

Using the Rhode Island Charity Listings Well

The listings on this page are best treated as a starting point. Each one gives a name, street address and phone number, but programs, hours and eligibility change, and small Rhode Island nonprofits sometimes move or pause services with little notice. A short phone call confirms that the office is open and can help with your request before you spend time and fuel on the trip.

Think about geography as well as category. Providence, East Providence and Pawtucket are close enough for one trip to cover more than one stop, while a Washington County visit to Charlestown or South Kingstown may take most of a morning. Match the office to your need: foundations such as The Papitto Foundation in Cranston or the Zartarian Foundation in East Greenwich usually make grants and do not serve walk-in clients, while the Salvation Army in Burrillville and the St Vincent De Paul Society in Glocester are better first calls for basic needs. When in doubt, ask for a referral, because staff at one nonprofit usually know which neighboring group handles your situation.

Start with three checks. First, search the IRS's public database of exempt organizations to confirm federal tax-exempt status. Second, ask the group whether it is registered to solicit charitable donations in Rhode Island, a filing handled by the Department of Business Regulation. Third, ask for its latest Form 990, the annual return that shows income, spending and leadership. A legitimate organization will share these without hesitation. Also confirm that the name and address match the listing, since similar names are common and a national brand may have no connection to a local office.

Two state offices are the usual contacts. The Department of Business Regulation oversees registration for charitable solicitation, so it can tell you whether a fundraiser is properly registered. The Attorney General's office has authority over charitable assets and can look into misuse of donations or deceptive appeals. Gather your evidence before you call: the group's name, the date and method of the request, any mailings or receipts, and the amount you gave. If a payment was made by card, you can also contact your card issuer about disputing the charge. Complaints are most effective when they are specific and documented.

The Blackstone Valley Emergency Food Center is listed at 402 Dexter Street in Central Falls, phone 401-724-7170. Central Falls, Pawtucket and Woonsocket are tightly packed cities, so you can often reach more than one food provider by bus or a short drive. Call before you go and ask about distribution days, how often you may return, and whether you need to show proof of address. Pantries commonly serve specific communities, so mention your town. If the center cannot help, ask for a referral or dial 211 for other food programs near you.

Three listings are connected to autism or developmental support. The Autism Project of Rhode Island is at 51 Sockanosset Cross Road in Cranston, phone 401-785-2666. The National Autism Association is at 1 Park Avenue in Portsmouth, phone 401-293-5551. The Arc of Northern Rhode Island Child & Family Services is at 1 Cumberland Street in Woonsocket, phone 401-775-1500. Their programs and service areas differ, so call to ask what each offers for your age group and town. Families can also ask these groups how to connect with school-based and state-funded services.

It depends on the organization and its funding. Because Rhode Island has no county government, nonprofits often define their service areas by city, town or region. A group such as East Bay Community Action in East Providence may be tied to the communities it was set up to serve, while the Salvation Army in Burrillville or the St Vincent De Paul Society in Glocester may serve a wider area. Ask about service-area limits at the start of your call, and bring a utility bill or lease as proof of address in case they check.

Rhode Island has five counties, but our charity and nonprofit listings fall in four of them: Providence, Kent, Newport and Washington. Bristol County, which includes Bristol, Warren and Barrington, has no entries in the current data. That does not mean no nonprofits operate there. It means none are listed in this category yet. Residents can look at nearby East Providence listings or Newport County, or dial 211 to find services based in their own town. Listings are updated over time, so check back for additions.