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WHY DESIGN MATTERS
Design is the foundation of how we live, work, connect, and imagine what’s possible.
Design is all around us. It shapes the places we live, the products we use, the technology we rely on, the businesses we build, and the experiences that connect us. It influences how we navigate our communities, access information, solve problems, and interact with the world.
Design is about more than making things look good. It’s a way of thinking, questioning, problem-solving, and imagining what comes next. It brings together creativity, technology, strategy, and practical knowledge to address challenges and create opportunities.
Design Matters. So Does the Community Behind It.
Rhode Island has an extraordinary concentration of creative talent, innovative businesses, and people who use design to make things better. But talent alone isn’t enough. Designers need access to resources, professional networks, business development opportunities, and a community that recognizes the value of what they do.
That’s where DESIGNxRI comes in.
As Rhode Island’s only nonprofit dedicated exclusively to the design sector, DESIGNxRI is a catalyst for its growth and success. We connect talent with opportunity, champion the economic and social value of design, and create the resources, relationships, and pathways that help designers and businesses build sustainable futures in Rhode Island.
Here’s what your support made possible last year:
- 26 design entrepreneurs supported through the Design Catalyst Program, providing business education, mentorship, professional development, and resources to help creative businesses grow.
- $113,000 invested in RI’s small business ecosystem through regrants, helping entrepreneurs access the resources and opportunities they need.
- 5 Clambake gatherings hosted, spotlighting 10 local designers and creating opportunities for creative exchange, professional connections, and community building.
- Over 2,000 people engaged through the 13th annual Design Week RI, with more than 40 events and Open Studios celebrating design talent and creativity across the state.
These aren’t just programs and events. They are investments in people, businesses, ideas, and the connections that make Rhode Island’s design community stronger.
Your Gift Is an Investment in What’s Next.
When we invest in design, we invest in the people who help Rhode Island move forward.
We invest in emerging entrepreneurs who need the tools and confidence to build sustainable businesses. We invest in designers who bring new ideas to established industries. We invest in connections between creative talent and the companies, organizations, and communities that need their expertise. And we invest in making Rhode Island a place where talented people can build meaningful careers and businesses without having to leave the state to find opportunity.
DESIGNxRI makes these investments possible by creating the programs, partnerships, and platforms that help the design community grow.
WHY YOUR GIFT MATTERS
A year-end gift to DESIGNxRI is more than support for an individual program or event. It is an investment in the people, businesses, and creative capacity that will help shape Rhode Island’s future.
Whether you are a designer, a business owner, an employer, or simply someone who wants to see Rhode Island thrive, you have a stake in a strong and connected design community.
Make your year-end gift today. Invest in design. Invest in Rhode Island.
Donate your stock to DESIGNxRI. Donating stock is a smart and impactful way to support our work. When you give publicly traded stock that has appreciated in value and you’ve held for at least one year, you can avoid paying capital gains tax while also receiving a tax deduction based on the stock’s full value. The donation is simple to complete, and you’ll receive written confirmation for your tax records. This approach allows you to maximize your charitable impact while also benefiting from potential tax savings, making stock donations a win-win for both donors and our organization.
With the resources and the education that I had during the Providence Design Catalyst Program…
We were able to level up our Westminster Pop-up into a year-long lease and create a new vegan bath line with additional 8 new products.
One of the most beneficial parts of the program was learning side-by-side with unique- like-minded entrepreneurs who were part of the catalyst and the DESIGNxRI staff that helped us throughout the whole process.
We learned that we, as creatives and our business is very young…
The program helped us realize how much we know and how much we do not, which help prepare us for what is to come. The program also encouraged us to do things at our own pace and appreciate what we have achieved (Thanks to our mentor Sara <3).