Federal grants in Rhode Island
Federal agencies awarded $27 billion in grants to recipients in Rhode Island from fiscal 2021 to 2025. The largest program was Grants to States for Medicaid, with $12 billion.
- Rhode Island ranks 44th of the 50 states and DC for federal grant awards over five years.
- Federal grant money to recipients in Rhode Island fell from $5.9 billion in fiscal 2021 to $5.5 billion in fiscal 2025.
- State and local governments received the largest share, 82%.
- Grants to States for Medicaid alone accounted for 44%.
Grants in Rhode Island by type of organization
- Grants for state and local governments in Rhode Island
- Grants for colleges and universities in Rhode Island
- Grants for nonprofits in Rhode Island
- Grants for businesses in Rhode Island
- Grants for tribes in Rhode Island
- Grants for small businesses in Rhode Island
- Grants for individuals in Rhode Island
Private foundations based in Rhode Island: 389 foundations, with who accepts applications.
Project grants won in Rhode Island
Most federal grant money is formula and block grants that go to the state by law: $17 billion in Rhode Island, 61% of the total. Programs that pay project grants and cooperative agreements, which organizations apply for, brought $6.1 billion to recipients in Rhode Island. These are the largest:
Largest federal grant programs in Rhode Island
Largest grant recipients in Rhode Island
| Recipient | Type | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| State of Rhode Island Department of Administration | State and local governments | 52 | $13 billion |
| Rhode Island Dot | State and local governments | 1,194 | $2.8 billion |
| RI Department of Elementary and Secondary Education | State and local governments | 160 | $1.8 billion |
| Brown University | Colleges and universities | 1,136 | $1.0 billion |
| Service Members Assistance Fund | State and local governments | 61 | $920 million |
| Rhode Island Department of Human Services | State and local governments | 49 | $674 million |
| State of Rhode Island Department of Health | State and local governments | 230 | $656 million |
| University of Rhode Island | Colleges and universities | 521 | $530 million |
| Human Services RI Department | State and local governments | 52 | $461 million |
| Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank | State and local governments | 37 | $386 million |
| Rhode Island Public Transit Authority | Other | 43 | $365 million |
| State of Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources | State and local governments | 34 | $323 million |
| Labor & Training Rhode Island Department | State and local governments | 90 | $233 million |
| Rhode Island Airport Corp | State and local governments | 62 | $198 million |
| Rhode Island Hospital | Nonprofits | 190 | $196 million |
| RI Department of Children Youth & Families | State and local governments | 77 | $174 million |
| Rhode Island. Department of Environmental Management | State and local governments | 264 | $162 million |
| The Capital Good Fund Inc | Nonprofits | 4 | $158 million |
| Providence Housing Authority | Nonprofits | 74 | $146 million |
| RI Dept. of Behavioral Healthcare Devel | State and local governments | 43 | $139 million |
Browse all 261 federal grant recipients in Rhode Island
Where the work happens
The totals above count grants by where the recipient is based. Counted by place of performance, where the funded work happens, grants in Rhode Island came to $27 billion. Grants for statewide or multi-county work count in no county, so county totals add up to less.
| County | Awards | Grants |
|---|---|---|
| Providence County | 3,316 | $6.8 billion |
| Kent County | 688 | $909 million |
| Washington County | 911 | $799 million |
| Newport County | 321 | $349 million |
| Bristol County | 129 | $159 million |