RIHEBC Awards $1 Million in Capital Grants to 43 Local Health, Education, and Community Service Organizations

June 23, 2025

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corporation (RIHEBC) has announced $1,000,000 in Capital Grant Program awards to 43 local health, education, and community service organizations to assist in the completion of capital projects or equipment purchases critical to advancing their missions. (Full list of grant recipients below.)

“Our state’s nonprofit health, education, and community service organizations need to continually invest in their equipment and facilities, and that’s why RIHEBC created our Capital Grant Program,” said Dylan Zelazo, Executive Director of RIHEBC. “We’re pleased to announce the awarding of $1 million to 43 grant recipients across the state. From funding for medical equipment, to classroom technology, to building repairs, to ADA accessibility improvements, and security upgrades, these grants will allow recipients to meet their missions and continue to provide the health and education services Rhode Islanders depend on.”

“We know there’s a large demand from Rhode Island’s nonprofit sector to invest in equipment and facilities, but sometimes smaller dollar projects don’t make sense for RIHEBC’s traditional programs, and that’s why we created the Capital Grant Program,” said RIHEBC Board Chair Channavy Chhay. “These grants, all under $25,000, will be used for important equipment upgrades and facilities improvements that will allow the 43 grant recipients to better meet their missions. RIHEBC’s board also unanimously agreed to double the amount of grant funding awarded this year from an initial $500,000 to $1 million, once we saw the many worthy organizations and projects that were submitted.”

“Part of our mission is ensuring that all Rhode Islanders have access to dental care, and this $15,000 RIHEBC grant will allow us to purchase a new dental X-ray unit and replace sensors on another X-ray machine,” said Dr. Cristina Pacheco, CEO of Blackstone Valley Community Health Care. “We thank RIHEBC for this Capital Grant Program funding to help us meet our equipment needs and fulfill our mission to provide quality, affordable health care to the residents of Pawtucket and Central Falls.”

“We know that kids learn through play, and that is why we are thrilled to receive this $25,000 grant to purchase new playground equipment for our Richmond Elementary School,” said Chariho Regional School District Superintendent Gina Picard. “We thank RIHEBC for being a partner to our school district for projects both large and small.”

“Providing a comfortable environment for the animals in our care is critical, and that is why we have been looking to replace our building’s outdated boiler,” said Wayne Kezirian, President of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “We want to thank RIHEBC for this $25,000 grant to purchase a new boiler for our headquarters in Warwick.”

2025 RIHEBC Capital Grant Program Awards

  • Apprenticeship Exploration School – $25,000 for school renovations and new equipment.
  • Blackstone Valley Community Health Care – $15,077 for dental X-ray unit and replacement of sensors.
  • Blackstone Valley Prep – $25,000 for furniture purchase for 10 new classrooms.
  • Central Falls Children’s Foundation – $25,000 for pediatric cardiac monitoring and lead testing.
  • Chariho Regional School District Richmond Elementary School – $25,000 for new playground structures.
  • Child and Family Services of Newport County – $25,000 for HVAC upgrades.
  • Children’s Friend and Service – $25,000 for HVAC upgrades.
  • City of Cranston Parks and Recreation Department – $25,000 for playground upgrades
  • Community Blessings Foundation – $17,524 for new laptops, tablets, and carpet replacement.
  • Cranston Public Schools – $25,000 for Bain Middle School security upgrades.
  • East Greenwich Public Schools – $25,000 for fence upgrades at school yard PreK and kindergarten.
  • Excel Academy Rhode Island – $25,000 for construction of additional classroom and other space.
  • Father John V. Doyle School – $25,000 for gymnasium upgrades.
  • Harmony Hill School – $7,800 for water heater replacement.
  • Jamestown Public Schools – $20,000 for STEAM laboratory.
  • Justice Assistance – $25,000 for medical and therapeutic equipment.
  • Linn Health & Rehabilitation / The Loft at Linn – $16,957.22 for security systems upgrades.
  • Lucy’s Hearth – $24,500 for playground structures and new basketball hoop.
  • Meeting Street – $25,000 for drainage and stormwater management upgrades.
  • MENTOR Rhode Island – $16,000 for new laptops and website upgrades.
  • Middletown Public Library – $25,000 to upgrade laptops.
  • Mount Saint Charles Academy – $25,000 for a new campus camera security system.
  • Nowell Academy – $25,000 for architectural and engineering services for new facility.
  • Onward We Learn – $25,000 for audio-visual and hardware upgrades.
  • Portsmouth School Department – $25,000 for asbestos abatement.
  • Providence Country Day School – $25,000 for the construction of a new arts center.
  • Providence Public Library – $25,000 for smoke evacuation system improvements.
  • Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – $25,000 for a boiler replacement.
  • RI Institute for Labor Studies & Research – $25,000 for construction and a new camera system.
  • Saint Elizabeth Home – $25,000 for laundry facility fixes.
  • Sophia Academy – $23,784 to add VIBE boards to classrooms.
  • Tamarisk Senior Living – $25,000 for refrigerator and freezer fix and carpeting replacement.
  • Temple Emanu-El – $25,000 for ADA improvements.
  • The Compass School – $25,000 for accessibility and safety improvements to the school’s farm campus.
  • The Learning Community – $25,000 to renovate flooring in classrooms and extend outdoor irrigation system.
  • The Substance Use and Mental Health Leadership Council of Rhode Island – $25,000 for training space, IT upgrades, and consultants.
  • Thrive Behavioral Health – $24,972 for the purchase of 38 new tablets.
  • Tides Family Services – $24,913 for security improvements.
  • Tockwotton on the Waterfront – $25,000 for the acquisition of a new commercial oven.
  • Town of Middletown – $25,000 for Witherbee School House historic preservation.
  • Warwick Public Schools – $25,000 for PA system upgrades.
  • West Warwick Public Library Association – $2,076 for fire safety improvements.
  • West Warwick Public Schools – $25,000 to replace domestic booster pump.

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About RIHEBC
Since 1966, the R.I. Health and Educational Building Corporation has provided financing for non-profit health and educational institutions in the state as well as municipalities for school projects. It has issued over $10 billion in tax exempt bonds and is the largest financing agency of the state. rihebc.com – Twitter: @RIHEBC1