Innovate. Collaborate. Compete.
Compete RI has supported Rhode Island cities, towns, state agencies, the Narragansett Indian Tribe, higher ed institutions, and cross sector coalitions pursue funding opportunities, build stronger applications, and leverage resources to strengthen Rhode Island’s infrastructure, economic and community development efforts.
01 Funding Identification / Research
There's more money available for Rhode Island than most people realize. We help communities find it and connect it to the projects that will move the state forward. We track funding opportunities, amplify them to partners and provide detailed grant application overviews upon request.
02 Support applications
We help with grant strategy, narrative drafting, and review — making sure applications reflect what communities are actually trying to accomplish and make a compelling case for funding.
03 Stay aligned with what Rhode Island needs
Rhode Island has a clear economic development strategy — Ocean State Accelerates — covering priorities like the blue economy, food systems, workforce, housing, and climate resilience. We use that as our guide, so the funding we help communities pursue moves the state's actual priorities forward, not just individual projects.
year Compete RI launched
in grant applications we've provided pro bono support on
Rhode Island cities and towns touched through direct assistance, events, or technical support
Recent work
Examples of applications and partnerships we've supported.
The Narragansett Indian Tribe
We've supported the Narragansett Indian Tribe in securing three grants and have initiated philanthropic partnerships to advance their economic development priorities.
Strategic collaboration
Rhode Island communities are stronger when they work together. Rather than submitting multiple competing applications, we built a coalition of municipal applicants that successfully secured USDOT's Safe Streets for All funding with one unified application.
Grow Blue
We helped launch a blue economy coalition with the URI Research Foundation, engaging hundreds of industry representatives to develop Rhode Island's blue economy action plan.
Regional engagement
Rhode Island can't always go it alone. From co-hosting a 250+ person regional convening to attract climate and energy funding to New England, to coordinating a regional Department of Energy grant, we work across state lines when it moves Rhode Island forward.
Hosting funders in Rhode Island
From inviting a federal agency to tour Rhode Island projects and meet with key stakeholders, to hosting an economic data event with Argonne National Laboratory, to supporting a regional philanthropy convening — we bring the right people to Rhode Island.
Representing Rhode Island
From being selected as a White House model for technical assistance in 2023, to enabling Rhode Island stakeholders to attend national economic development conferences in 2026, we make sure Rhode Island is in the rooms where strategy and resources are being shaped.