Dear Friends,

Like so many Rhode Islanders, I am deeply grateful for our state’s nonprofit organizations and leaders. From social service providers and artists to educators and healthcare professionals, these mission-focused teams aspired to improve the lives of each person they served in 2025, despite significant headwinds.

In last year’s New Year Message, I foresaw substantial changes coming, fueled by new federal policies, workforce shortages, inflation and supply chain disruptions, and shifts in the funding landscape. Those forecasts came true with frightening upheaval and created an overwhelming sense of uncertainty not only in the sector but for individuals. On more than 90 site visits in 2025, we heard consistently about this collective experience and how it has affected outcomes.

These conversations were sobering and reinforced why Champlin takes so seriously its role as a consistent, transparent funding partner with a clear focus.

Champlin understands and is happy to ensure that the spaces where critical services are delivered are safe, accessible, innovative, and well-maintained. When external pressures mount, as they did in 2025, we know operating and program expenses often take precedence. But capital investments are essential and often harder to raise funding for. If there is one message we want to convey for 2026, it is that addressing deferred maintenance can make for a very compelling application to The Champlin Foundation. We are not a funder looking for the next big thing—especially in this climate. This is why we encourage applicants to reach out with questions so we can help assemble the strongest application possible.

At the same time, we know that for some organizations, a change of facility may be a necessity. In the coming year, we will again be offering our capacity building seminars on facility planning, construction project management, and capital campaigns. There are many organizations doing this work well, and we will continue to highlight those success stories on our website so other nonprofits can learn and adopt effective solutions.

Capital projects are, by their very nature, longer-term investments, whether in buildings or equipment. Because of this, the Foundation looks beyond the basic project specs to support organizations that think strategically and work collaboratively.

Nationally, we are seeing a growing trend toward substantive nonprofit partnerships, including organizations merging or sharing space and services. It is encouraging to see nonprofits considering new ways to increase efficiency in service of their missions. The Westerly Land Trust, for example, is using Champlin funds to clear and prepare open land that the Jonnycake Center of Westerly will farm, ultimately providing food to families in need. These are two distinct organizations, yet their goals are aligned. They realized that they could achieve more, together.

In a state as small as Rhode Island, we believe that there are more productive partnerships like that within reach, and we encourage our grantees to consider the possibilities. We recognize these are often complex decisions—decisions that require not only the bold vision of a chief executive, but the leadership and buy-in of an engaged board of directors.

I’ll offer no predictions for 2026 but instead restate my immense gratitude for the people who carry forward this work of providing help and inspiring hope. The Rhode Island nonprofit community is resilient, and the services they provide are absolutely essential to the health, strength, and well-being—physical and

emotional—of our state. Thank you to all who work for, volunteer with, and donate to our nonprofit partners; your extraordinary support has never been more important.

With deep appreciation,

Nina Stack

Executive Director