Attorney General Peter Neronha and the Rhode Island Foundation are accepting proposals for $10 million in grants meant to improve dental care for children in Providence.
The grant deadline for applications is Sept. 10.
Neronha’s 6/10 Children’s Fund was established through a settlement in May when a state contractor, Barletta Heavy Division, admitted using contaminated fill at the 6/10 project site in Providence.
GOP state lawmakers objected, arguing it was illegal for the attorney general to decide how to spend settlement money — regardless of the merit of the spending.
Neronha responded by noting how a judge approved the plan and he said Republicans were free to challenge it in court. That hasn’t happened.
The attorney general has pointed to how a 2024 Providence Journal story outlined how more than 500 children in the capital city need urgent dental care.
“The lack of pediatric dental care for Providence children is an urgent and completely unmet healthcare issue, and my hope is that with this program, we can take immediate action to alleviate this crisis,” Neronha said in a statement announcing the availability of the grants.
Nonprofit groups can apply for the grants through the Rhode Island Foundation.
