All Entries Tagged With: "education"
Rhode Island Foundation accepting applications for $300,000 Genius Grants
PROVIDENCE, RI – The Rhode Island Foundation is accepting applications for $300,000 grants to develop, test and implement innovative ideas that have the potential to dramatically move Rhode Island forward. The 2017 Innovation Fellowship program focuses on proposals that increase or improve civic engagement.
“We are marking our 100th anniversary with a year-long celebration of community. As we come to the end of our centennial, we could think of no better tribute than to encourage Rhode Islanders to think creatively about what that means to them,” said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “With this targeted emphasis, we hope to engage and inspire people to become agents of change and progress.”
This is the sixth consecutive year that the Foundation has offered the fellowships, which are made possible through the vision and generosity of philanthropists Letitia and John Carter.
“By encouraging bold thinkers to bring their best ideas to life, Letitia and John Carter bolster our state’s reputation as a home of creativity and resourcefulness,” said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO.
Up to two recipients will receive up to $100,000 a year for three years. Preference will be given to proposals with the potential to generate the greatest good for the greatest number of Rhode Islanders, a small idea that has the promise to be built to scale or new approaches to long-standing challenges.
“Letitia and I believe deeply in the capacity of everyday Rhode Islanders to solve the issues that affect our state. We are committed to making our state a better place to live and hope the public is inspired to submit proposals with the potential to lead the way,” said John Carter.
The Foundation will also give priority to applications that propose a new, novel or re-energized approach that has not been tried meaningfully in Rhode Island, the unique fit of the fellowship for the idea and the idea’s potential to generate excitement within a broader community and leverage resources from other sources.
Only individuals may apply. Although applicants do not have to be residents of Rhode Island when they apply, they must commit to living in Rhode Island during the term of their fellowship. All the eligibility requirements are posted on the Foundation’s website at rifoundation.org.
The deadline to apply is Fri., Dec. 16. The initial, one-page application asks applicants to summarize their idea in no more than 150 words and to describe how it would promote civic engagement. An informational session for potential applicants is scheduled for Mon., Nov. 14.
Steinberg will chair the selection committee. The other members are Elan Babchuk, director of innovation at Clal – The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership; Central Falls School Supt. Victor Capellan, Theresa Moore, president of T-Time Productions; Aidan Petrie, co-founder and chief innovation officer at Ximedica; Rhode Island College President Frank Sánchez, Dan Shedd, president of Taylor Box Company; and Leslie Taito, senior vice president of corporate operations at Hope Global.
In February 2017, the selection panel will ask a group of semi-finalists to submit a more detailed application and a short video. The Foundation expects to announce the winners in April.
The five previous rounds of fellowships generated more than 1,450 applications. The 2016 recipient is Ray Two Hawks Watson.
Watson is boosting the state’s tourism industry and improving social cohesion by capitalizing on Rhode Island’s cultural heritage, history and diversity through his Providence Cultural Equity Initiative.
The other previous recipients are Amy Bernhardt, David Dadekian, Adrienne Gagnon, John Haley, Daniel Kamil and Emily Steffian, Soren Ryherd, Dr. Lynn Taylor and Allan Tear.
The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. In 2015, the Foundation awarded $41.5 million in grants to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities. Through leadership, fundraising and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit rifoundation.org.
United Way Presents Awards, Honoring Local Champions for Efforts on Behalf of Rhode Island Children and Helping to Improve our Communities
Providence, R.I. (October 27, 2016) Guided by the principle that addressing the issues that impact our communities and creating positive, lasting change in the lives of others is best accomplished by working together, United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI) recently presented awards to four local champions, honoring their selfless contributions to make Rhode Island a better place to live.
The awards were presented during UWRI’s 90th Annual Celebration, and this year’s honorees are:
- 2016 Corporate Partner Award: Hasbro, Inc.
- Young Leader Spark! Award: Meghan Grady, COO, YWCA of Rhode Island
- Dante Mollo Labor Award: Valerie Staples, Children’s Fund Coordinator, NEARI
- John H. Chafee Lifetime Service Award: Todd Flaherty, (retired) President & CEO, College Crusade
“Nothing that United Way has been able to accomplish would be possible without the help and support of so many Rhode Islanders, from all walks of life, working together with the shared goal of strengthening our communities,” said Anthony Maione, President and CEO, United Way of Rhode Island. “Supporting the development and growth of children—our leaders of tomorrow—remains a primary focus and each of this year’s honorees have committed themselves to this work, setting an example we all can follow.”
In honor of their longstanding contributions to UWRI and deep commitment to children, Anthony Maione presented the 2016 Corporate Partnership Award to Hasbro, Inc. The award was accepted on the company’s behalf by EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, Dolph Johnson.
A dedicated partner of UWRI’s work and the signature Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative, which replaces summer learning loss with skills gains in math and reading for students by engaging them in active learning opportunities during the summer months, Hasbro, Inc.’s commitment to improving the lives of others knows no bounds. Hasbro, Inc. employees are active volunteers in a variety of UWRI initiatives, contribute thoughts and ideas to advance programs, and lend their knowledge of children’s needs in our state. The company also coordinates a highly-successful workplace giving campaign each year.
The second award, the Young Leader Spark! Award, was given to a member of UWRI’s Young Leaders Circle (YLC) in recognition of their efforts to spark change in Rhode Island. Receiving the award was Meghan Grady, Chief Operating Officer of YWCA Rhode Island. It was presented by Jocelyn Kelly, Vice Chair of the Young Leaders Circle. Meghan is a founding member of the YLC and has been instrumental in its growth to become the largest network of service-minded young leaders in the state. At YWCA, Meghan oversees a multitude of programs that encourage young Rhode Island women further their education and pursue their dreams, stressing that they can accomplish anything they put their minds to.
The Dante Mollo Labor Award recognizes the strong partnership between the Labor community and UWRI. Presented by Valarie Lawson of the East Providence Education Association, this year’s recipient is Valerie Staples, Children’s Fund Coordinator for the National Education Association of RI. For more than 25-years, Valerie has worked with local teachers and schools to help some of Rhode Island’s neediest students and their families on a day-to-day basis. She also oversees the Gingerbread Express, which spreads the joy of the holidays to more than 2,000 at-risk children each year by granting their clothing and gift wishes.
The John H. Chafee Lifetime Service Award, presented by Zechariah Chafee, son of late Rhode Island Senator John H. Chafee, was awarded to Todd Flaherty, who retired in June as President and CEO of the College Crusade of Rhode Island and a distinguished career of educational leadership at state, local and national levels. Having dedicated his life to educating youth, Todd’s career touched the lives of tens of thousands of students. He is a former high school principal in Narragansett and North Carolina, previous Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Coventry, and served as Senior Policy Advisor for the National High School Center in Washington, D.C. After joining College Crusade in 2009, Todd oversaw the growth of offered programs to more than 60 available today in 30 local high schools, and helped improve the high school graduation rate of College Crusade participants to 81 percent, which exceeds the state’s overall graduation rate across all Rhode Island districts.
About United Way of Rhode Island
United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI) has been working to improve the quality of life in Rhode Island for nearly 90 years. Together with its partners, UWRI is changing lives and strengthening our communities by investing in proven programs that work over the short-term, and are scalable over the long-term. For more information, visit www.LIVEUNITEDri.org.
The Newly Created Institute for Education in Healthcare at Rhode Island College Launches its First Conference
WHAT:
The new Institute for Education in Healthcare at Rhode Island College will hold its first conference – “Building Partnerships to Build the Healthcare Workforce in Rhode Island.”
WHEN:
Friday, Oct. 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
WHERE:
Rhode Island College
Alger Hall 110
600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue
Providence, RI 02908
COST:
Free and open to the healthcare community
ABOUT:
This conference features keynote speakers: Michael Hoge, professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine and senior science and policy advisor for The Annapolis Coalition on the Behavioral Health Workforce; and Laura Spada, executive director of the Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare.
Established in 2016, the Institute for Education in Healthcare is designed to provide interprofessional education, training and workforce development for the health care workforce in Rhode Island and to meet the needs of health care organizations. Led by Executive Director Marianne Raimondo, the institute is a cross-disciplinary, collaborative effort supported by numerous academic departments: Addiction and Behavioral Health Studies, Community Health and Wellness, Counseling, Health Care Administration, Health Sciences, Nursing, Psychology and Social Work.
2016 RI Tech10 Award Winners Announced
Providence, Rhode Island – October 25, 2016 – Tech Collective, Rhode Island’s industry association for Information Technology and Bioscience, in partnership with Rhode Island Monthly, announces its 2016 Tech10 Award recipients. The newly expanded program will honor fourteen Rhode Island individuals and companies within ten technology related categories. Honorees will be recognized at a celebration event on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016 from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Providence Downtown Marriot in Providence, RI.
This year’s Tech10 continues to distinguish Rhode Island’s brightest entrepreneurs and IT practitioners as well as showcasing organizations who are driving innovation and education across Rhode Island. The Tech10 awards celebrate the exceptional participants and organizations within the technology community.
2016 Tech10 Award Recipients:
Entrepreneurship/ Startups
Kerri Lemoie, Founder & CEO, OpenWorks Group
Pat Sabatino, CEO & Founder, Datarista
Techies to watch
Mike Barry, Lead Software Developer, Amica Mutual Insurance
CIO/CTO
Jason Viera, Director – Networking Solutions, Carousel Industries
Community Partner
Junior Achievement
Youth Engagement
Mary Johnson, Executive Director, RI Students of the Future
Tech Education
Skills USA Rhode Island
Don Gregory, Technology Instructor, Providence Public Library
Workforce Champion
Joe Devine, Partner, Bridge Technical Talent
Damian Ewens, Project Director, Opportunity at Work; Director of TechHire Rhode Island
Women in Tech
Carrie Majewski, Director of Marketing, Atrion
Company Innovation
Gerald Deane, President/CEO, Echo Messaging Systems
MojoTech
Corporate Giving
FM Global
“Congratulations 2016 Tech10 Award winners! We are honored to recognize these influential individuals and innovate companies”, said John Smithers, CEO of Tech Collective. “As engines of change, participants’ enthusiasm and dedication contribute to the state’s economic growth. We look forward to their continued successes!”
The 2016 Tech10 Awards are sponsored by Amica Insurance, Cox Business, OSHEAN, Lightower, Bryant University’s Executive Development Center, SkillsUSA Rhode Island and NetCenergy. Award recipients will be honored at a Tech10 Awards recognition event on Thursday, November 10, 2016 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Providence Downtown Marriot in Providence, RI. This year’s recipients are also profiled in the November issue of Rhode Island Monthly, which is on newsstands now.
“We are pleased to highlight the talents of these individuals and all that they do for their businesses and the community,” said John Palumbo, publisher of Rhode Island Monthly. “Our partnership with the Tech Collective is an important one as we celebrate the importance of the work of this group of industry leaders and the key role technology plays as a driver of the Rhode Island economy.”
Tech10 recipients were chosen by this year’s Tech10 Judging Committee based on application submissions collected June – August 2015. View past Award winners, videos, attend the Tech10 Awards recognition event, and learn more at www.tech10awards.com. Follow Tech10 on twitter #Tech10RI.
Rhode Island Monthly Communications, Inc. is a locally owned multi-platform publisher of magazines and specialty publications, including custom publishing projects. Products include several lifestyle and tourism publications serving residents of – and visitors to – Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts.
About Tech Collective
Tech Collective is Rhode Island’s Information Technology and Bioscience Industry Association. We foster the growth, innovation, and economic momentum of Rhode Island’s high-tech industries and workforce. Collaborating with local and national government, industry, and academic partners, Tech Collective programs directly impact Rhode Island. Since its transition from the Rhode Island Technology Council (RITEC) in 2004, Tech Collective has received more than $12M in federal, state, and private grant funding. Awards and funding include Governor’s Workforce Board RI Industry Partnerships, Real Jobs RI, Ready to Work/ Tech Force RI, and national recognition with the state of Rhode Island from President Obama’s TechHire initiative.
Get connected to Tech Collective at www.tech-collective.org, on LinkedIn (Tech-Collective), on Twitter (@Tech_Collective), and on Facebook (TechCollectiveRI).
