Nina Stack |
The Champlin Foundation executive director
1. Have the requests for donations from The Champlin Foundation remained high in the past year? The need for support continues to increase and is reflective of the tremendous demand being felt by our nonprofit community. These organizations were hit hard by the [COVID-19] pandemic, adding programs [such as] food delivery, health services and client transportation, yet even as recovery continues, the demand has not subsided. Organizations such as Higher Ground International, the Center for Southeast Asians, and the Women’s Refugee Center – even Community Libraries of Providence – all saw the demand for services grow substantially and they continue to deliver above and beyond their mission.
2. What kinds of nonprofits have sought donations from the foundation the most as of late? The Champlin Foundation works across nine areas of focus: arts and culture, conservation and parks, education, health care, historic preservation and heritage, libraries, social services, youth services and welfare of animals. We consistently see and support requests across all these areas, but certainly social services stand out when we look at the past year. There are a lot of organizations doing great work in this space: Sojourner House Inc., Amenity Aid and Better Lives Rhode Island are just a few examples.
3. Can you offer some examples of nonprofits that have benefited from grants they received from the foundation? It’s the communities that benefit most, as that’s where the impact of nonprofits is most deeply felt. There are examples in every city and town, from Mt. Hope Learning Center, where children and adults build critical life skills, and CODAC [Behavioral Healthcare], which provides lifesaving substance abuse intervention, to the Ocean Community [YMCA]. Last year alone, we supported 30 first-time grantees, and it’s exciting to see these organizations – some new and others just new to Champlin – bring forward services that make a meaningful difference for Rhode Islanders.
4. Recently, The Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum, Crossroads Rhode Island and the Boys and Girls Club of Providence each received $1 million from Champlin. What about those organizations stood out to the foundation for them to receive those large grants? In all three cases, they presented transformational projects that expand their reach and impact exponentially. These organizations have proven records of success in their respective fields, and they put forward well-conceived, thorough project plans with clear visions for progress. Honoring the region’s Indigenous history, addressing the state’s urgent housing crisis and expanding services [such as] academic intervention and career readiness for students – these are exactly the kinds of priorities that transform lives and communities, and that we’re privileged to be able to help.
5. What, if any, new donation initiatives does the foundation have planned for the future? Capital funding has a massive impact but is often the hardest to raise. The Champlin tradition of supporting bricks, mortar and equipment is our anchor, yet we continue to evolve and learn from our grantees. We are more focused on bringing a racial-equity lens to grantmaking and understanding how applicants are serving historically marginalized communities. We also recognize that access to “know-how” on facility expansion is a significant need for many organizations, and we are exploring how to help close that knowledge gap.
