RI Foundation offers $300K fellowships to spark innovation

Posted 11/11/14

People who believe they have come up with bold solutions to the state’s challenges can now apply for $300,000 Innovation Fellowships at the Rhode Island Foundation.

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RI Foundation offers $300K fellowships to spark innovation

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People who believe they have come up with bold solutions to the state’s challenges can now apply for $300,000 Innovation Fellowships at the Rhode Island Foundation.

Made possible through the vision and generosity of philanthropists Letitia and John Carter, the program will award two applicants up to $300,000 apiece over three years to develop, test and implement innovative ideas that have the potential to dramatically improve any area of life in Rhode Island.

“This initiative enhances Rhode Island’s reputation as a place of innovation and ingenuity. Letitia and John Carter are to be applauded for having the vision to invest in encouraging bold thinkers to bring their ideas to life,” said Neil Steinberg, the foundation’s president and CEO.

Preference will be given to proposals that promise the greatest good for the greatest number of Rhode Islanders, a small idea that has big potential to be built to scale or new approaches to long-standing, intractable challenges.

“Letitia and I strongly believe in the potential of creative thinking and exceptional originality to power Rhode Island’s growth. We are excited to see the proposals that this platform for change generates,” said John Carter.

Although applicants do not have to be residents of Rhode Island when they apply, they must commit to living in Rhode Island during the term of the fellowship if selected.

The one-page, initial application asks applicants to summarize their proposed innovation in no more than 150 words and to describe how it would benefit Rhode Islanders. The deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 12. The application and answers to frequently asked questions are posted at www.rifoundation.

org/innovation.

This is the fourth round of funding. Previous rounds generated more than 900 applications. Soren Ryherd and Allan Tear received the inaugural fellowships in 2012.

Ryherd’s “The Retail Project” has created three on-line stores to date, with the goal of opening brick and mortar stores in Rhode Island neighborhoods. Follow his progress at www.retailprojectri.co.

Tear is building platforms to help entrepreneurs launch start-ups in sectors such as art and design, food and beverage and advanced manufacturing. Learn more at www.rallyri.org.

The 2013 fellows are Adrienne Gagnon and Dr. Lynn Taylor.

Gagnon’s “Innovation by Design” proposal will help foster the next generation of Rhode Island innovators by sending out mobile design labs to school yards throughout Rhode Island in order to engage students in free, hands-on design programs that will improve our communities. Follow her progress at www.innovation-by-design.org.

Taylor’s project, “Rhode Island Defeats Hep C,” aims to make Rhode Island the first state to eradicate the Hepatitis C virus infection using a comprehensive approach that includes increasing awareness, rapid testing, linkage to health care, building infrastructure for a sustainable model and evaluation.

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