PROVIDENCE – The United Way of Rhode Island’s push to create a statewide nonprofit resource center was given a seven-figure financial boost, courtesy of the Papitto Opportunity Connection.
United Way announced Wednesday that it received a $1 million commitment from the connection to help accelerate developing the business model for the resource center. This multi-faceted center, United Way said, will be aimed at strengthening the Ocean State’s nonprofit sector as a whole and the funding will be spread out over four years.
The funding comes a little more than a month after United Way announced a call seeking 10 nonprofit leaders to be part of a design team to spend seven months developing how a statewide nonprofit resource center would operate. Providence Business News spotlighted in a July 31, 2020, cover story where some local organizations felt the sector might benefit from having a singular nonprofit center or association when it comes to training and funding.
In a statement, United Way CEO and President Cortney Nicolato said Papitto Opportunity Connection’s philanthropy further validates “both the need and desire” in the state “to realize an organization that exists to broadly support our nonprofits.” Barbara Papitto, founder and trustee for the connection, said in her respective statement by supporting both the United Way and its planned resource center, “we can ensure our state’s nonprofit sector is connected to the resources and tools they need to thrive.”
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
