Papitto Opportunity Connection

Private foundation · EIN 85-4150612 · since 2022pocfoundation.com·Rhode Island·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$24.3M
Annual giving, 2024 tax year
From the Form 990-PF filing
$5,000 to $250k
Grant range
From grants in the 990-PF filings
$10,000
Typical grant (median)
257 grants in the latest filing
Open to applications
Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

  • Papitto Opportunity Connection funds Rhode Island-based 501(c)(3) organisations working in education, job skills training, housing, healthcare and entrepreneurial ventures, so fit depends on being based in Rhode Island and working in one of these areas.
  • Most grants are modest: the median grant is $22,500, with about 8 in 10 falling between $5,000 and $250,000, though the Million Dollar Innovation Challenge supports larger programmes aimed at systemic change in these fields and the largest grant recorded was $2,500,000.
  • Applications are made online through the portal during one of two fixed windows each year, 1-15 June and 1-15 December, and are assessed through a competitive RFP process, so timing matters.
  • A large majority of grant dollars have gone to organisations the foundation has also funded in recent filings, suggesting relationships and a track record count for a lot, so new applicants should expect a competitive process and be ready to build a relationship over time, including being prepared for regular conversations about progress if funded.
  • Organisations seeking support for building construction, capital campaigns, lobbying of government entities, or political campaigns or events should not apply, as the foundation does not fund these.

Overview

Papitto Opportunity Connection is a US private foundation based in Providence, RI.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

Papitto Opportunity Connection provides grants to Rhode Island-based 501(c)(3) organisations serving communities most in need. It invests in education, job skills training, housing, healthcare and entrepreneurial ventures, and describes its work as listening and working together with nonprofit organisations. Its funding supports unique, narrative-changing programmes through innovative, creative and thoughtful efforts. The Million Dollar Innovation Challenge supports programming intended to create systemic change in education, skills training, entrepreneurship, healthcare or housing; smaller grants support organisations with demonstrated needs of varying sizes. The foundation uses a trust-based approach and expects grantees to discuss progress and report on outcomes. It particularly seeks to understand where and how it can help support fundamental change.

Themes

  • Education
  • Job skills training
  • Housing
  • Healthcare
  • Entrepreneurial ventures

Geographic Focus

Rhode Island.

What They Don't Fund

  • Building construction
  • Capital campaigns
  • Lobbying of government entities
  • Political campaigns or events

How to apply

Organisations submit an online application through the portal during one of the two annual application periods. Proposals are considered through a competitive RFP process.

Deadlines: Applications are accepted June 1–15 and December 1–15 each year.

Application success factors

  • Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 86% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
  • Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 643 grants to organisations were $22,500 or less.

What the foundation says:

  • The foundation seeks organisations serving Rhode Island communities most in need and wants to understand where and how its support can contribute to fundamental change.
  • For existing programmes, applicants should explain how the programme has performed; for new programmes, they should describe the impact they expect to make.
  • Nonprofits are encouraged to collaborate on Million Dollar Innovation Challenge proposals to leverage resources and cultivate partnerships.
  • Funded organisations should expect regular conversations about progress.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Rhode Island99%
Massachusetts<1%
New York<1%
Connecticut<1%
Ohio<1%
Illinois<1%
  • The largest single recipient received 8% of grant dollars to organisations.
  • In tax year 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to organisations Papitto Opportunity Connection had funded in earlier filings.
  • No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
  • 2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

257 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $10,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 257 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k3%
$2.5k–$5k3%
$5k–$10k32%
$10k–$25k25%
$25k–$50k11%
$50k–$100k8%
$100k–$250k9%
$250k–$500k3%
$500k–$1M3%
$1M and over3%

Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

  • Justice Assistance · Grants
    $2,236,2422024 tax year
  • Brown University · Grants
    $1,751,0002024 tax year
  • DevAccelerator · Grants
    $1,550,0002024 tax year
  • Building Futures Rhode Island · Grants
    $1,500,0002024 tax year
  • Ri Hospital Foundation Development · Grants
    $1,000,0002024 tax year
  • Elisha Project · Grants
    $1,000,0002024 tax year
  • Hasbro Children's Hospital · Grants
    $1,000,0002024 tax year
  • Financial Literacy Initiative · Grants
    $944,0782024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

  • Marcy Reyes — Board Member
  • Junior Jabbie — Board Member
  • Loren Spears — Board Member
  • Arnell Millhouse — Board Member
  • Marcia Goncalves — Board Member
  • Paola Fernandez — Board Member
  • Dennis Coleman — Board Member
  • Fred Butler — Board Member
  • Andrew Cortes — Board Member
  • Saima Chaudhry — Board Member
  • Ting Barnard — Board Member
  • Edward Pieroni — Trustee
  • John Tarantino — Managing Trustee
  • Barbara Papitto — Trustee

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

YearTotal expensesGrants paidAssetsFiling document
2022 tax year$23,261,630$20,938,333$27,110,840Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year$25,646,889$22,791,932$18,618,067Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year$27,412,959$24,335,921$6,819,682Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.

Sources

Other sources

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