Grow Smart Rhode Island

Grow Smart Rhode Island is a statewide nonprofit whose mission is to lead and engage Rhode Islanders in advancing neighborhood revitalization, environmental stewardship, and economic opportunity for all. We envision Rhode Island as a national model for smart growth and for inclusive, informed decision making, a state where everyone benefits from thriving neighborhoods and downtowns, protected natural resources, and a just and resilient economy. Grow Smart RI came out of a 1997 conference that drew 600 Rhode Islanders concerned about sprawl, and in the years since we have built a coalition spanning business and faith leaders, university presidents, builders and realtors, preservationists, environmentalists, housing experts, and municipal planners.

Grow Smart Rhode Island organizes its work around three strategic areas: strengthening the state's economy, revitalizing town and city centers, and expanding transportation options. That work takes the form of policy advocacy and research at the State House and in municipalities, technical assistance and peer learning through the Main Street Rhode Island program, and public education through our annual Power of Place Summit, the Main Street Together Conference, Smart Growth Awards, Jane's Walk RI, Rhody Streets Network convenings, and workshops for planning and zoning boards.