United Way of Rhode Island Commits $100 Million to Racial Equality January 26, 2021 United Way of Rhode Island, Providence, R.I., has earmarked $100 million over the next five years to promote racial equality in Rhode Island. The funding was announced alongside the launch of Live United 2025, a new social good program. Live United 2025 aims to advance core pillars of racial equality: increasing reading proficiency and access to out-of-school programs for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) youth; universal affordable housing; advancements in adult education and workforce development; changing policies that perpetuate racial inequities; and building nonprofit capacity. “This plan is intentional and focused so our investments make the biggest impact toward reversing the racial inequities holding back Rhode Island,” United Way’s President and CEO Cortney Nicolato said via a statement. “Where we began developing our plan before the pandemic, COVID-19 reinforced the painful reminder of the work ahead and the disparities we must overcome.”