United Way Commits to $100 Million to Build Racial Equity in RI Over 5 Years
Friday, January 15, 2021
The United Way of Rhode Island announced a commitment to invest $100 million over the next 5 years focused on building racial equity in Rhode Island
The commitment is embodied in the launch of LIVE UNITED 2025, the organization’s new strategic plan and roadmap to transformational change.
“This plan requires that we go deep, rather than wide. It is intentional and focused so our investments make the biggest impact toward reversing the racial inequities holding back Rhode Island,” said Cortney Nicolato, United Way’s president and CEO. “Where we began developing our plan prior to the pandemic, COVID-19 reinforced the painful reminder of the work that lies ahead and the disparities we must overcome.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWATCH CORTNEY NICOLATO ON GOLOCAL LIVE ON FRIDAY MORNING AT 9AM
The result of significant community input over a span of 20 months, LIVE UNITED 2025 is built upon four pillars with racial equity at the center of each. It focuses on advancing childhood reading proficiency and access to out-of-school time programs for BIPOC youth, making housing safe and affordable for all, advancing workforce development and adult education, altering policies that perpetuate inequities for people of color, and building community and nonprofit capacity.
Specific goals include doubling the number of R.I. cities and towns that meet the 10 percent affordable housing threshold; increase by 50 percent access to and participation in out-of-school time learning in low income communities; invest $5 million in capacity-building and operational funding for local nonprofits; reduce by 25 percent the number of people of color who are underemployed unemployed, and more.
United Way has received backing from major Rhode Island stakeholders across various sectors, further validating its importance. Brown University has committed $600,000 over 4 years, with others such as Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, CVS Health, Rhode Island AFL-CIO, state leadership, R.I. Dept. of Education, and more having signed on.
“Brown is proud to deepen our relationship with United Way, an organization that makes an enormous difference in people’s day-to-day lives,” said Brown University President Christina H. Paxson. “United Way’s dedication to engaging the community in its strategic planning process reflects an ongoing commitment to meet the real needs of our region’s most vulnerable populations in meaningful and lasting ways.”
In December 2020, United Way received a $10 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott — former wife of the second richest man in the world Jeff Bezos — in support of its vision for a Rhode Island where every individual in each community has equal opportunity for prosperity.
“Rhode Islanders have a tremendous amount of pride for their state,” said Nicolato. “And we are committed to leveraging all of our assets – advocacy, strategic investments, convening and awareness building – to creating the best Rhode Island possible.”
Related Articles
- Cortney Nicolato: 19 to Watch in 2019
- Cortney Nicolato: 20 Who Made a Difference in 2020
- United Way CEO Nicolato Talks Launch of 2018 Program For Winter Heating Bill Support on LIVE
- United Way of RI Names Nicolato President & CEO
- United Way’s Nicolato on Goal of Raising $1M—on One Day—for Rhode Island Nonprofits
- RI Nonprofits In Need of Nearly $5M — United Way of RI’s Nicolato LIVE
- Missing Out: Guest MINDSETTERS™ Casimiro, Melvan and Nicolato
- $3.8 Billion at Stake - United Way’s Nicolato Urges Rhode Islanders to Complete Census This Week
- $8.5M Raised in RI to Help Community During COVID-19 & Much More Needed - United Way’s Nicolato LIVE
