Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless

What Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless does

The Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness (RICEH), formerly known as the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 1988 and headquartered at 372 Wayland Avenue in Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the HUD-designated HMIS and Coordinated Entry System (CES) Lead for the Rhode Island Continuum of Care, functioning as the central data and service-coordination authority for the statewide Homeless Response System. The organization's two core technology platforms are the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), a statewide data repository used by nearly 200 projects to track every person experiencing homelessness, and the Coordinated Entry System (CES), which connects individuals to appropriate services through a 365-day-per-year help hotline (401-277-4316) and a network of regional access points. It also operates the annual Point-In-Time Count, the SOAR benefits access program, youth services under the federal YHDP framework, warming/cooling centers, and the Voices of Homelessness Bureau for constituent engagement.

The Coalition's programs fall into three functional pillars: data and infrastructure (HMIS, CES, PIT Count), advocacy and policy (state budget advocacy that helped shape the $30M FY2025 funding line, the Homeless Bill of Rights campaign, eviction record sealing, payday lending reform), and direct services and convening (Housing is Health Collaborative, youth programs, street outreach coordination, and constituent engagement). It does not deliver direct housing stock but orchestrates the network of ~200 partner projects that do, including partners such as OpenDoors R.I., the RI Emergency Management Agency, and HousingWorks RI at Roger Williams University.

The organization is funded through a diversified nonprofit revenue mix consisting of federal and state government grants (HUD Continuum of Care, VOCA, FY2025 state allocation), foundation and corporate grants (e.g., Bank Rhode Island), individual donations including recurring donor programs, and fundraising events such as the annual Making Waves gala and participation in the United Way's 401 Gives day of giving. It is governed by a volunteer board of directors and led by Executive Director Kimberly Simmons, with a senior team spanning HMIS system management, community programs, constituent engagement, youth systems, street outreach coordination, and CES help center operations.

Name

Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless

Legal name

Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness

Website

https://rihomeless.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that serves as the HUD-designated HMIS and Coordinated Entry System Lead for Rhode Island's Continuum of Care, managing statewide homelessness data across nearly 200 partner projects and delivering advocacy, street outreach, and constituent engagement services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Services Coordination

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

Keywords

• Homeless services coordination
• Housing advocacy programs
• Nonprofit coalition services
• Statewide data management
• Constituent engagement programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Pawtucket

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: The organization accepts donations from individuals and corporations, including recurring donor programs. The 401 Gives annual fundraising campaign generated over $5,000 in April 2025. Individual donations support programmatic work to help unhoused Rhode Islanders.
2. Government Grants and Funding: Federal and state funding including HUD grants, emergency funding, and legislative budget allocations. Governor McKee proposed $30 million for FY2025 for homelessness services. Also receives federal VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) funding.
3. Corporate Grants: Received $95,100 in charitable grants from Bank Rhode Island distributed to 36 nonprofit organizations across the state, with the Coalition being one recipient.
4. Fundraising Events: Annual Making Waves fundraiser held at venues like Rhode Island Spirits, featuring silent auctions and community attendance. Also participates in 401 Gives day of giving facilitated by United Way.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness is a statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit that coordinates Rhode Island's homeless response system. It operates the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), manages the Coordinated Entry System (CES), conducts annual Point-In-Time counts, advocates for policy reform, and centers the voices of people with lived experience of homelessness through the Voices of Homelessness Bureau.

Product overview

The Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness operates as a nonprofit service organization rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings consist of program services including the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) - a statewide database tracking homelessness data, the Coordinated Entry System (CES) - a centralized help center connecting individuals to services, annual Point In Time Count censuses, the Voices of Homelessness Bureau for constituent engagement, the SOAR benefits access program, Housing is Health Collaborative initiatives, youth programs, and warming/cooling centers. These programs work together to prevent and end homelessness through data management, service coordination, advocacy, and community empowerment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)

Quantifiable outcome

• 34.9% increase in homelessness documented from 2023-2024, demonstrating data accuracy and system-wide tracking capability
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• Balise Subaru of WarwicknotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Balise Subaru of Warwick and Family Service RI for coat handout program. Served over 150 children through this partnership.
• HousingWorks RI at Roger Williams UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual collaboration on Housing Fact Book publication that outlines housing affordability data for Rhode Island's 39 municipalities. Coalition uses this data combined with HMIS and PIT data for advocacy.
• Rhode Island Emergency Management AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on warming and cooling centers information and emergency response for people experiencing homelessness.
• Overlap Gallery (Newport)notableGTM or Marketing PartnerArt exhibition fundraiser 'No Place Like Home' where 50% of artwork sales went to the Coalition and Housing Hotline of Newport. Voices of Homelessness speakers participated in the gallery events.
• Voices of Homelessness BureaucoreOthersCoalition program that centers and empowers voices of those with lived experience of housing instability and homelessness. Members include individuals like Jacqueline Mercado, Kayla Serrano, and Wendy Thomas who share their stories and provide input on programs and policies.
• Housing Hotline of NewportnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint beneficiary of Overlap Gallery fundraiser. Shares proceeds from art sales with Coalition.
• RI Coalition for Children and FamiliesnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in collective advocacy efforts alongside HousingWorks RI, Homes RI, RI Housing Advocacy Project, Protect our Healthcare, RAMP and others.
• Housing is Health CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition-convened group with representatives from housing, healthcare and State sectors meeting monthly to discuss best practices and collective action around housing-health intersection.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• New Hampshire Coalition to End Homelessness: Statewide New Hampshire organization focused on preventing and ending homelessness through HMIS, advocacy, and coalition building. Closely matches RICEH's model as a small-state, single-jurisdiction coalition lead.
• Maine Continuum of Care Coalition: Maine's coalition network coordinating homelessness response across the state. Comparable to RICEH as another New England state-level homelessness coalition working through a similar HUD-aligned model.
• Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness: Connecticut's statewide coalition working to prevent and end homelessness through policy advocacy, data systems, and provider support. Highly comparable in mission, structure, and geographic scale (single New England state).
• Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless: Statewide Massachusetts nonprofit advocating to prevent and end homelessness, providing training, advocacy, and data. Functions as the most structurally comparable state-level homeless coalition peer to RICEH.
• Vermont Council on Homelessness: Statewide body coordinating Vermont's homelessness response, data, and policy. Comparable as a small-state coalition with similar HMIS, advocacy, and Continuum of Care coordination functions.

Emerging players

• Family Promise: National nonprofit addressing family homelessness through shelter, prevention, and stabilization programs. Comparable to RICEH in mission focus on homelessness but oriented around direct family service delivery rather than data/convener leadership.

Broad incumbents

• Corporation for Supportive Housing: National nonprofit advancing supportive housing for highly vulnerable populations. Comparable to RICEH's Housing is Health Collaborative and supportive housing advocacy work, but at a multi-state scale.
• National Low Income Housing Coalition: National advocacy organization dedicated to ending the affordable housing crisis. Comparable to RICEH's policy and advocacy function, particularly around state-level housing and homelessness budget fights.
• National Alliance to End Homelessness: The leading national advocacy and research organization on homelessness in the U.S., convening Continuums of Care and shaping federal policy. Directly comparable to RICEH's advocacy, data, and convening role but at a national scope rather than a single state.

Regional players

• Family Service of Rhode Island: Rhode Island's largest human services nonprofit, partnering with RICEH on programs such as the coat handout. Comparable as a regional Rhode Island nonprofit serving overlapping vulnerable populations but with broader human-services scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rihomeless
• YouTubeyoutube.com/rihomeless
• Facebookfacebook.com/rihomeless
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rihomeless
• Instagraminstagram.com/rihomeless

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless