Partnership for Rhode Island

What Partnership for Rhode Island does

The Partnership for Rhode Island is a nonprofit CEO roundtable founded in 2017 and headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, with a staff of 1-10 employees. It is governed by chief executives from roughly 15 of the state's largest employers, including CVS Health, Bank of America, Citizens Financial Group, Brown University, Brown University Health, IGT, FM Global, Bally's, Care New England, AAA Northeast, Amica, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Gilbane Building Company, Ørsted, and the Rhode Island Foundation. The organization pursues four initiative areas: K-12 Education, Infrastructure, Workforce Development, and Business & Investment Attraction.

Its programs operate through partnerships rather than proprietary technology. Notable initiatives include the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy report that catalyzed the state takeover of Providence Public Schools, a $295,000 Ernst & Young financial analysis of the Providence Schools budget, the LeadRI Partnership for school leadership development with the Rhode Island Department of Education, the SMART® Clinics co-funded with CVS Health and the Rhode Island Foundation, and $150,000 in co-funded teacher projects through DonorsChoose.org. Infrastructure work centers on CompeteRI, a collaboration with the McKee Administration that helps Rhode Island municipalities maximize federal infrastructure funding via a dedicated portal at CompeteRI.org. Workforce work partners with the Community College of Rhode Island on talent pipeline development. The Partnership has also deployed $50,000 each to the Rhode Island Black Business Association and the Rhode Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The Partnership does not sell commercial products or services and therefore has no traditional pricing or revenue model. It is funded by contributions from its member companies, with programs delivered through direct CEO engagement, government partnerships, and collaborations with nonprofits, foundations, and academic institutions. Liz Catucci serves as Executive Director. As a nonprofit CEO roundtable, its outputs are policy outcomes, research, grants, and program delivery rather than recurring revenue.

Name

Partnership for Rhode Island

Legal name

Partnership for Rhode Island

Website

https://partnershipforrhodeisland.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Partnership for Rhode Island is a nonprofit CEO roundtable of Rhode Island's largest employers, driving systemic initiatives across K-12 education, infrastructure, workforce development, and business attraction to improve the state's economy and communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Policy Advocacy and Community Development

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in Education (EDADALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Employer-Led Workforce Partnerships & Sector Strategies (EDAAAOAB), Real Estate Public-Private Partnership (PPP) & Infrastructure-Adjacent Real Estate Advisory (BPAJANAL), Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender (EDADALAF)

Keywords

• Nonprofit policy advocacy
• K-12 education initiatives
• Workforce development programs
• Infrastructure investment collaboration
• CEO roundtable

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Partnership for Rhode Island is a nonprofit CEO roundtable that convenes chief executives from Rhode Island's largest employers to drive systemic change through programs and initiatives in K-12 education, infrastructure, workforce development, and business & investment attraction. It delivers these through strategic investments in named programs (CompeteRI, SMART® Clinics, LeadRI Partnership, Workforce Education with CCRI, DonorsChoose.org teacher funding, School Buildings campaign) and commissioned research that informs state policy.

Product overview

The Partnership for Rhode Island is a nonprofit CEO roundtable focused on four key initiative areas: K-12 Education, Infrastructure, Workforce Development, and Business & Investment Attraction. The organization operates programs rather than traditional products, including CompeteRI (infrastructure funding optimization), SMART® Clinics (school-based healthcare), LeadRI Partnership (education leadership development), and teacher project funding through DonorsChoose.org. These initiatives are collaborative programs designed to benefit the Rhode Island community rather than commercial offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CompeteRI

Quantifiable outcome

• Funded 261 teacher projects costing $131,648 through DonorsChoose.org, with additional funding available for remaining applicants
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CVS HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCVS Health is a board member company and key partner in funding SMART Clinics in two Providence Public Schools, providing full-service healthcare for teachers, staff, students, and families regardless of insurance or immigration status.
• Rhode Island FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funder of SMART Clinics in Providence Public Schools alongside CVS Health. The Foundation also committed $1 million to public education and partnered on a long-term education plan for Rhode Island's pre-K through grade 12 system.
• McKee AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched CompeteRI collaboration to help Rhode Island cities and towns maximize federal infrastructure funding. This partnership helps the state compete, innovate, and build.
• Community College of Rhode IslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Community College of Rhode Island focused on workforce education and developing the next generation of employees for Rhode Island businesses.
• DonorsChoose.orgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational web-based giving platform that matches donors with teachers. The Partnership and Theresia Gouw funded 261 teacher projects across Rhode Island through this platform.
• Johns Hopkins Institute for Education PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned by the Partnership to produce a 2019 report on Providence Public Schools that revealed widespread issues and challenges, leading to the state's takeover of Providence Public Schools.
• Ernst & Young LLPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted a $295,000 financial analysis of Providence Schools budget at the Partnership's expense, identifying budget flexibility and cost disparities compared to peer cities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Business Roundtable: The national association of CEOs of major U.S. corporations advocating on workforce, education, and economic policy. Shares the Partnership's CEO-led convening model and policy focus, but operates at a national scale and does not specialize in a single state's outcomes.

Direct peers

• Allegheny Conference on Community Development: A CEO-led public-private partnership in the Pittsburgh region coordinating business, civic, and government leaders around economic development, education, and infrastructure. Highly comparable in structure and PPP-style operating model, though at a larger regional scale.
• Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce: The leading regional business association serving the greater Providence area, with overlapping member companies and shared policy priorities in workforce, education, and economic development. The closest in-state peer, though structured as a traditional chamber rather than a CEO roundtable.
• Rhode Island Foundation: Rhode Island's largest community foundation and a direct co-funder of SMART Clinics and LeadRI alongside the Partnership. Comparable as a state-level civic and grantmaking institution pursuing education and equity outcomes, though operating as a foundation rather than an employer coalition.
• Massachusetts Business Roundtable: A nonprofit CEO roundtable of Massachusetts's largest employers focused on education, workforce, and economic competitiveness. Functionally the closest analogue to the Partnership for Rhode Island — same membership model, same cross-sector policy agenda, and similar convening role with state government.

Others

• Council on Foundations: A national membership association for foundations and corporate giving programs, providing research, convening, and advocacy infrastructure. Adjacent rather than directly competitive — relevant as an enabling ecosystem organization that supports the kind of public-private, cross-sector civic work the Partnership performs.

Emerging players

• The Boston Foundation: A major community foundation in Greater Boston focused on education, workforce, and economic inclusion through grantmaking and civic leadership. Comparable as a civic institution funding research, convening, and program delivery — though operating in Massachusetts rather than Rhode Island.

Regional players

• Pittsburgh Regional Alliance: A regional economic-development partnership linking business, government, and civic leaders in southwestern Pennsylvania. Comparable public-private partnership structure focused on infrastructure, talent, and competitiveness — but operating at a multi-county regional scale rather than a single state.
• Connecticut Business and Industry Association: A statewide business association representing Connecticut employers on policy, workforce, and economic issues. Comparable as a state-level business advocacy body, but structured as a traditional trade association rather than a tightly-defined CEO roundtable.
• Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce: A regional business leadership organization convening CEOs from major Massachusetts employers to advocate for economic competitiveness, workforce, and infrastructure priorities. Comparable to the Partnership as a state-level CEO convener driving civic and policy outcomes, but operating in a larger adjacent market rather than Rhode Island.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/partnership-for-rhode-island

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Partnership for Rhode Island