PROVIDENCE — The impact of federal funding cuts is already looking grim at the Southside Community Land Trust, Executive Director Margaret DeVos said.
The nonprofit has lost $600,000 due to federal funding freezes and contract cancellations. As an organization that helps feed roughly 25,000 Rhode Islanders through food pantries and community meal sites, that means empty stomachs, according to its leaders. Their programs also support nearly three dozen small, family farm businesses.
“This isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet — it’s about real people who depend on our programs every day,” DeVos said. “We’re now forced to make difficult decisions about staffing and program capacity that will directly impact the communities we serve.”
The Southside Community Land Trust, which is based in Providence, is one of the organizations that plans to apply for new grants from the Rhode Island Foundation as part of a new $3 million initiative announced on Thursday to support local nonprofits affected by federal funding cuts under President Trump’s administration.
“Imagine empty shelves at local food pantries, the end of job training programs, small business assistance drying up, Head Start programs going dark, or children going hungry,” said David N. Cicilline, the Foundation’s president and CEO.
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A former congressman until he resigned in 2023 to run the Foundation, Cicilline has a history of going up against Trump. In a statement, he said the Foundation “understand(s) the harm these policies may pose to the work of our nonprofit partners, and most importantly, to the thousands of Rhode Islanders they serve every day.”
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“If Washington’s funding freezes and proposed cuts happen as feared, many of our neighbors, friends and communities will lose vital services they rely on for health care, housing, education, public safety, jobs and more,” he said.
Other nonprofits have launched similar initiatives.
Earlier this month, the United Way of Rhode Island’s board of directors committed an initial $500,000 to support community-based organizations facing federal funding cuts as they provide critical resources for Rhode Islanders. The board-driven initiative sought to support nonprofits whose budgets have been hit, using funds from the United Way’s reserves.
The Rhode Island Foundation will award $1 million in grants through its new Community Partner Resilience Fund. Qualifying organizations will have to demonstrate potentially significant and long-term federal funding losses, and can apply for grants of up to $50,000. The Foundation has also earmarked $2 million in funding across two rounds of its Community Priority and Capacity Building Grant Programs.
The Foundation began with $500,000 from its own reserves, matched through the support of donors. Initial funding may be used for scenario planning, financial planning, crisis communications, development consulting and other supportive professional services, according to information shared with the Globe. The public can contribute to the fund online.
The first application round opened in January and closed earlier this month. The Foundation is reviewing those applications to prioritize organizations that have been directly affected by recent federal actions. The second application period will open Aug. 1.
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In addition to the $3 million in grants, the Foundation is also expected to commit $200,000 from its Civic Leadership Fund to help fund legal assistance, training, and other supports for nonprofits impacted by federal funding cuts.
“The magnitude of potential federal funding decreases or service demand increases that may result from Washington’s actions would create a financial void that cannot be filled by philanthropy alone,” said Cicilline.
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.