RI Foundation Awards $87K to LGBTQ Community Organizations

Nonprofit organizations serving Rhode Island's LGBTQ communities will share $87,000 in grants through the Rhode Island Foundation's Equity Action Fund, the Foundation announced.

"The Foundation has offered uninterrupted grant support to organizations on the front lines of housing, health, advocacy and youth services for more than 20 years," said Foundation President and CEO David N. Cicilline.

Grant recipients include East Providence Public Library; Woonsocket Pride; Pride in Aging RI; Black and Pink Providence; GLAD; Haus of Codec; Newport Community School; Planned Parenthood of Southern New England; Project Weber/RENEW; Sojourner House; Thundermist Health Center; Wanderground Lesbian Archive Library; Woonasquatucket Valley Community Build; and Youth Pride Inc.

The Equity Action Fund has distributed more than $1.4 million since its inception, with an additional $2.3 million awarded since 2017 to support LGBTQ housing and health services. The funding comes as LGBTQ-serving nonprofits continue to face growing demand for services alongside increased political and financial pressure.

LGBTQ-Affirming Senior Housing Project Planned for East Providence

Aldersbridge Communities has announced plans for The Landing at East Point, an affordable, LGBTQ-affirming independent living community for adults 55 and older in East Providence.

The nonprofit organization describes the project as Rhode Island's first affordable housing development specifically designed for LGBTQ older adults and their allies, with an emphasis on safety, dignity, and community. Advocates have long warned that LGBTQ seniors face heightened risks of housing insecurity, isolation, and discrimination in traditional senior living settings, particularly for those who came of age before broader legal protections were in place.

Project details, including financing and construction timelines, remain in development and have not yet been consolidated in a single public filing.

New Hampshire Bill Would Restrict Flags Displayed in Public Schools

A bill introduced in the New Hampshire House would limit which flags may be displayed in public schools and public charter schools, a proposal that has drawn sharp debate over classroom neutrality and student inclusion.

House Bill 1132 would allow only the U.S. flag, New Hampshire state flag, and POW/MIA flag, with narrow exceptions for municipal flags, military branch flags, and instructional use. Violations could result in civil penalties of up to $1,000.

Supporters argue the measure would prevent political messaging in schools, while opponents say it would effectively prohibit Pride flags and other symbols that LGBTQ students and allies view as indicators of safety and acceptance in educational spaces. The bill has received a public hearing and awaits further legislative action.

Federal Civil Rights Investigation Opened in Maine Over Transgender Student Participation

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has opened a Title IX investigation involving a Maine school district following a complaint related to a transgender student's participation on a school athletic team.

The investigation is part of a broader federal enforcement action in which the Department confirmed it opened 18 Title IX investigations nationwide based on similar complaints. Maine officials have said most districts continue to follow the Maine Human Rights Act, which explicitly protects transgender students' rights to participate in school activities consistent with their gender identity.

The case underscores the growing conflict between state-level civil rights protections and shifting federal interpretations of Title IX, with immediate implications for school policies and transgender students' access to extracurricular activities. The specific OCR notification letter sent to the district has not been publicly released.

Written with information provided by the Rhode Island Foundation; Aldersbridge Communities; the New Hampshire General Court; the U.S. Department of Education; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit; GLAD Law