Challenge grants give Women & Infants campaign a boost

PROVIDENCE – Two challenge grants for a combined $2.5 million have helped Women & Infants Hospital raise $5.6 million as of last month for its ONWARD capital campaign, an effort to raise about $20 million for a new addition to the hospital and to support operations.
The campaign has been in its leadership phase since January 2005 and will be entering the public phase in the coming weeks. During that initial phase, the hospital received a $2 million challenge grant from the Carter Family Charitable Trust, the hospital’s largest gift ever from a family trust. In addition, The Champlin Foundations gave a challenge grant of $500,000.
Both have already been fully matched, and Champlin has followed up with another $250,000.
“We are delighted at the enthusiasm across the hospital and throughout the community,” said Constance A. Howes, the hospital’s president and CEO, in a news release. “This spirit has translated into wonderfully generous early gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations, and our board members and staff.”