Rhode Island Free Clinic

What Rhode Island Free Clinic does

Rhode Island Free Clinic is a 501c3 non-profit, community-based healthcare organization founded in 1998 and headquartered at 655 Broad Street in Providence, Rhode Island. Its mission is to provide free, comprehensive medical care and preventive health services to Rhode Island adults who lack health insurance and cannot afford healthcare, and to serve as an educational training site for aspiring healthcare professionals.

The clinic delivers a full suite of services free of charge — including primary and preventive care, dental health, ophthalmology, behavioral health, physical therapy, podiatry, gynecology, urology, nephrology, labs and diagnostic imaging, limited prescription medications, and approximately 20+ specialty referral pathways — supported by volunteer physicians, dentists, and other professionals, supplemented by a small professional staff and AmeriCorps VISTA team members. Care delivery leverages formal partnerships with Brown University's Warren Alpert Medical School, the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing, Lifespan Pharmacy, Dispensary of Hope, Brown Physicians/Brown Medicine, and CVS Minute Clinic for after-hours coverage.

The business model is charitable rather than commercial: revenue is generated from individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants from foundations such as the Direct Relief Fund for Health Equity, the Champlin Foundation, Bank of America, and the New England Patriots Foundation. The organization does not charge patients; eligibility is determined by insurance status, income, and Rhode Island residency, with access managed through a phone/email-based waitlist. In 2023, the clinic served 1,877 patients across 8,474 appointments against an addressable population of more than 45,000 uninsured Rhode Islanders, operating on a claimed efficiency of $0.95 of every dollar directed to patient care and education.

Name

Rhode Island Free Clinic

Legal name

Rhode Island Free Clinic

Website

https://rifreeclinic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rhode Island Free Clinic is a 501c3 non-profit providing free comprehensive medical, dental, behavioral health, and specialty care to uninsured, low-income Rhode Island adults through volunteer providers and community partnerships at its Providence clinic.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Clinic (Free Healthcare Services)

NAICS

Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (621111), Ambulatory Health Care Services (621)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Primary Care for Underserved Populations (e.g., migrant, homeless, refugee clinics) (HLAFAGAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community-Based Preventive & Health Promotion Clinics (HLAFAGAO), Independent Primary Care Practices (HLAFAGAA)

Keywords

• Free healthcare services
• Community health clinic
• Primary medical care
• Uninsured patient services
• Volunteer medical clinic

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The clinic operates as a 501c3 tax-exempt non-profit organization funded primarily through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization states that $0.95 of every dollar goes directly to patient care and education.
2. Grants and Foundation Funding: The clinic receives grant funding from organizations such as Direct Relief's Fund for Health Equity, Bank of America Economic Mobility grants, and other foundation support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rhode Island Free Clinic provides free, comprehensive medical care and preventive health services to Rhode Island adults aged 18 and older who have no health insurance and cannot afford healthcare. Services include primary care, dental, ophthalmology, behavioral health, labs and diagnostic imaging, prescriptions, specialty referrals, physical therapy, podiatry, gynecology, urology, nephrology, and social services, all delivered through volunteer healthcare professionals at its Providence clinic. The clinic also serves as an AHEC educational training site for aspiring healthcare professionals.

Product overview

Rhode Island Free Clinic is a single, unified healthcare service organization that provides free comprehensive medical care and preventive health services to uninsured Rhode Island adults who cannot afford healthcare. The clinic operates as a coordination hub connecting patients with volunteer medical professionals across multiple service lines including primary care, dental, behavioral health, specialty referrals, and prescriptions. The organization also serves as an educational training site through its AHEC (Area Health Education Center) partnership program, placing student trainees from various healthcare disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Primary Medical Care Comprehensive preventive and primary medical care provided free of charge to uninsured Rhode Island adults aged 18 and older who meet income and residency eligibility requirements.
• Dental Health Services Free dental care including comprehensive oral exams, restorative treatment, endodontics, and oral surgery, delivered by volunteer dentists.
• Ophthalmology Services Free eye care services provided to uninsured adult patients.
• Behavioral Health Services Mental health services including care coordination and behavioral health support for uninsured patients.
• Prescription Medications Limited prescription medications provided free of charge to patients through partnerships with Lifespan Pharmacy and Dispensary of Hope.
• Labs and Diagnostic Imaging Laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging services provided at no cost to eligible patients.
• Specialty Referrals Referrals to approximately 20+ medical specialties including cardiology, physical therapy, endocrinology, dermatology, podiatry, gynecology, urology, and nephrology.
• Social Services Support Social services assistance to help uninsured patients navigate healthcare and community resources.
• COVID-19 Vaccines and Testing

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and major.

• AmeriCorpscoreOthers · 1 January 2023AmeriCorps VISTA program members support the clinic through fundraising, grant writing, research, volunteer recruitment, and capacity building projects. Full-time volunteers commit to one year of service.
• New England Patriots Foundation and Bank of AmericaflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Community Captain award providing $50,000 over two years, in-kind donations, and support. Partnership focuses on fighting breast cancer and improving community health access.
• Brown University School of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through RI AHEC State Program Office at Warren Alpert Medical School for student training and workforce development.
• University of Rhode Island College of Nursing (Southern Rhode Island AHEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Southern Rhode Island AHEC to advance AHEC goals in the state.
• Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode IslandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership ensuring access to quality care for the uninsured. BCBSRI has provided support and partnership in community health initiatives.
• Lifespan Pharmacy and Dispensary of HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing limited medications free of cost to patients through pharmacy and dispensary programs.
• Brown Physicians/Brown MedicinemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Partner providing physician and specialist support for patient care.
• CVS Health/Minute CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCVS Minute Clinic locations serve as after-hours care option for current patients on weekends.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Providence Community Health Centers: Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) operating in Providence, RI, serving uninsured and low-income patients with comprehensive primary care, dental, and behavioral health. Directly comparable in target population, geography, and service lines to RIFC, though it operates on a sliding-fee model rather than fully free.
• Thundermist Health Center: Federally Qualified Health Center with multiple Rhode Island locations, serving over 50,000 patients including uninsured adults. Directly comparable to RIFC in mission and patient demographics; notably, RIFC's incoming CEO previously served as Practice Director here.
• Clinic by the Bay: San Francisco free clinic providing comprehensive medical care to working uninsured adults via volunteer clinicians. Closest operational analog to RIFC outside the Northeast — same volunteer-driven model, NAFC member, and underserved-population focus.
• CommunityHealth (Chicago): Largest volunteer-driven free clinic in the U.S., providing free comprehensive medical, dental, and vision care to low-income uninsured adults in Chicago. Highly comparable operating model (volunteer providers, free care, broad specialty services) and is an NAFC Quality Standards peer.
• Crossroads Rhode Island: Providence-based nonprofit providing health, housing, and social services to uninsured and homeless Rhode Islanders. Comparable mission and population to RIFC, with overlapping referral pathways for low-income patients in the same geography.

Others

• National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC): The trade association of which RIFC is a Gold-rated member; comparable as a sector backbone that aggregates data, advocacy, and quality standards across ~1,400 free clinics serving uninsured populations nationwide.
• Volunteers in Medicine America: National network that supports the establishment and operation of free clinics across the U.S. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler and peer network for RIFC's operating model rather than a direct care competitor; provides shared learning, advocacy, and standards.
• Rhode Island Health Center Association: Statewide association of community health centers in Rhode Island. Functionally comparable as a peer network for RIFC's FQHC and free-clinic counterparts operating in the same geography, providing policy voice and operational benchmarks.

Regional players

• Open Door Health (formerly South Boston Community Health Center's free clinic): Massachusetts-based free clinic serving uninsured residents of greater Boston. Comparable in mission, free-care model, and patient population, and is a useful peer for understanding dynamics of free-clinic operations in a neighboring New England state with its own Medicaid policy.
• Wood River Health: Rhode Island-based FQHC serving uninsured and underinsured residents with primary care, dental, and behavioral health across southern RI. Comparable patient base and service mix to RIFC, but operates outside the Providence core.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rifreeclinic
• Facebookfacebook.com/rifreeclinic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ri-free-clinic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rhode Island Free Clinic