Meet the Nominees
March Q1 2025 Nominees
Choreography Project
EIN: 84-2904071
WEBSITE: choreographyproject.org
SOCIAL: INSTAGRAM /choreographyproject/
FACEBOOK /choreographyproject/
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Mission Statement
​Choreography Project (CP) has a core mission to nurture, elevate, and empower artists whose voices are not traditionally heard. The Project serves any choreographer who feels underrepresented regardless of their gender identity.
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Who They Serve
Choreography Project primarily serves artists interested in choreography and professional level dancers. Choreography Project commits to 50% of its artist cohort living or working in Rhode Island--directly benefitting RI's vibrant artist community. The project culminates in two public performances which will be held at Hope HS in 2025.
How Would Funds Be Used
Donated funds will be used to augment artist stipends. Choreography Project is committed to working towards paying participants a living wage for the 3 week residency. Currently choreographers receive a one-time $600 stipend and dancers receive a $400 one-time stipend. CP contracts 6 choreographers and 18 dancers.
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Annual Budget
Annual Operating Budget: $30,000
Annual Operating Costs: $30,000
Sources of Funding
401Gives; corporate funding; individual support; state and institutional granting
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Additional Information From Their Application
CP delivers career education, job skills training and entrepreneurial development through our annual summer residency, which provides female-identifying and nonbinary choreographers with the resources to ensure their individual careers can flourish: rehearsal space, professional dancers who are compensated by our organization (therefore relieving the respective choreographers of that burden), and stipends to create and present new work in a state-of-the-art Rhode Island performance venue.
Our program has empowered over 30 female and nonbinary choreographers and engaged more than 75 dancers. In addition to gender equity, we prioritize racial, cultural, and age diversity. We welcome participants from diverse occupational backgrounds, from environmental scientists to university faculty members, as well as offering space to new and expecting mothers. We believe representation matters in giving talented choreographers the chance to have their art seen. As 2024 choreographer Mira Göksel stated, “There is space for women, trans, and non-binary folks to exist and create work in peace and safety.” Nurturing such a space lies at the heart of our mission.
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What inspired you to nominate this organization?
"Choreography Project (CP) was founded in 2018 and I have been involved with the organization since the very first performance. First as an usher, then part of the leadership team, and now as the Executive Director. As a former professional dancer, I have witnessed first hand the gender imbalance that is the norm in the dance world. I am passionate about the work that CP does to remove barriers for underrepresented and marginalized artists."
Kristy DuBois, 100 Women member
Clothes to Kids
EIN: 81-1292784
Social:
LINKED IN /clothes-to-kids-rhode-island/
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Mission Statement
Founded in 2016, Clothes to Kids Rhode Island (CTKRI) believes that every school-age child should have quality clothing so that they may attend school with the confidence and self-esteem needed to achieve academic success. Our mission therefore is to provide new and quality used clothing to low-income or in-crisis school-age children in the 16 cities and towns of Providence County, every 6 months, FREE OF CHARGE.
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CTKRI creates a full-service shopping experience for kids who visit their large storefront, offering them choice and preserving dignity. Kids sign up for a session and with the aid of a volunteer personal shopper are able to choose a complete wardrobe of clothing. While CTKRI maintains a stock of clothing donations, if they are low on certain items (such as sneakers), it means they are unable to serve more kids until the supply is replenished.
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Who They Serve
Clothes to Kids Rhode Island serves low-to-moderate-income or in-crisis children receiving snap benefits, who live in the 16 cities and towns of Providence county. CTKRI is able to serve approximately 2,100 children annually.
How Would Funds Be Used
Donated funds will be used to offset the cost of purchasing shoes and sneakers not received through clothing donations. In 2023 Clothes to Kids had to expend $7,000 on these purchases. It’s difficult to say how many pairs of sneakers they could buy with a single donation, but through community partnerships and networking they have built up a roster of local businesses and connections who work with them on securing sale items, closeouts and overstock. Through this they are able to leverage their funds to purchase sneakers (and other items such as athletic pants) at a fraction of retail prices. This is why it’s often better for them to do their own buying, rather than for donors to go out and purchase new items to give them.
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Annual Budget
Annual Operating Costs: $185,000
Broken down as:
Payroll $ 64,000
Rent $ 45,000
Clothing Purchases $ 44,000
Utilities $ 6,000
Telephone / Internet $ 3,200
Supplies $ 4,300
Other Misc. $ 18,500
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Sources of Funding
Individuals and corporations, Rhode Island Foundation, community development block grants (Cranston, East Providence, Pawtucket, Providence), RI Senate and House grants
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Additional Information
Clothes to Kids prides itself on being able to provide quality new and used clothing to children in a non-threatening, non-judgemental, respectful retail-like environment. The organization’s incredible staff and loyal volunteers work to make all families feel welcomed and stretch every donated dollar to the maximum. Typically, the thrift value of clothing that is able to be provided on an annual basis is about $540,000. That is on an operating budget of $185,000—leveraging every dollar donated 3 times!
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Refugee Youth Solidarity through Education (RYSE)
EIN: 92-0282647
Website: www.campryse.org
SOCIAL
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Mission Statement
Founded in 2011, the mission of RYSE (Refugee Youth Solidarity through Education) is to foster literacy,
confidence, and community among K-12 refugee youth in Rhode Island through hands-on, joyful summer
learning and leadership development.
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Who They Serve
We serve K-12 refugee and immigrant youth in Rhode Island.​
How Would Funds Be Used
The funds would help to pay the stipends of our junior counselors, who are typically high school-aged
refugee youth and alumni of Camp RYSE.
Annual Budget
Annual operating budget: $248,806
Annual operating costs: $248,806
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Sources of Funding
We hold two annual crowdfunding drives and receive funding from United Way, the Papitto Opportunity
Connection Foundation, AmeriCorps, and a few other smaller foundations.​
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What inspired you to nominate this organization?
"I have been deeply involved with RYSE since 2014, when I served as the third-ever co-director of Camp RYSE, a five-week summer day camp. I am now co-chair of the Board of Directors. I remain so involved because RYSE is a profoundly impactful and hope-restoring organization. Each summer I have watched refugee youth come together and experience joy, literacy-focused learning, and community. For example, in the summer of 2024, Camp RYSE served 90 students, providing 165 total hours of academic and enrichment programming, serving 3250 meals and providing 2100 rides. A few outcomes from Summer 2024: 62% improved their English reading fluency, and 93% reported making a new friend."
VyVy Trinh, 100 Women member
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