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read Singer's piece here:

https://www.oceanstatemedia.org/economy/2026-09-28/we-do-not-want-to-turn-people-away-r-i-nonprofits-face-financial-crisis

Rhode Island’s nonprofit fiscal cliff and the future of local public media

Bill Bartholomew talks with Singer, Chief Strategy and Audience Officer at Ocean State Media, about a growing crisis hitting Rhode Island nonprofits, public media, and the people who rely on both. The conversation starts with Singer’s reporting on how funding pressure is rippling through the nonprofit ecosystem, then expands into bigger questions about whether direct government service, philanthropy, or a stronger tax base can realistically fill the gap.We discuss how Ocean State Media is reshaping itself as a community-driven local news operation, and why the story emerged from listening sessions in Bristol rather than a newsroom assignment. Singer also explains why the crisis is bigger than one grant, one organization, or one budget cycle.

Key topics

• In this episode: Singer explains his role at Ocean State Media and how the merged PBS and NPR operation is rebuilding as a multi-platform local news organization.
• We discuss how “Ocean State Media in Motion” brought staff into communities around Rhode Island, including a coffee hour in Bristol where the nonprofit funding story first surfaced.
• Singer describes a widening demand crisis across housing, food assistance, mental health care, and substance-use treatment, with need rising even after the pandemic.
• We break down the Matthewson Street Church roof grant example, where federal funding approved under one administration was lost under new ideological conditions tied to trans people and migrants.
• Bill and Singer wrestle with the “middleman” argument: whether nonprofits should be bypassed and services delivered directly by the state.
• Singer argues that even if direct delivery sounds simpler, the service systems already built by nonprofits are hard to replicate and often more effective than starting from scratch.
• The conversation turns to Rhode Island’s tax base, the limits of private philanthropy, and whether the next governor will inherit an unworkable fiscal situation.
• Singer notes that some proposals may land too late, especially with Medicaid changes and emergency-room spillover already looming.
• The discussion widens into the role of local journalism, the decline of regional newspapers, and Ocean State Media’s effort to surface stories from local communities and make them relevant statewide.
• Bill and Singer close by talking about audience engagement, local call-in culture, and why the most useful media often comes from informed community disagreement rather than social media noise.

Timestamps

(0:00) Rhode Island’s nonprofit funding crisis begins
 (0:58) Singer introduces his role at Ocean State Media
 (1:27) Rebuilding a merged PBS and NPR newsroom
 (2:56) How community listening in Bristol surfaced the story
 (3:26) Volunteer shortages and the widening nonprofit strain
 (4:26) Demand keeps rising after the pandemic
 (5:52) Why the Matthewson Street Church grant became a flashpoint
 (7:12) The “limited pie” problem for donors and institutions
 (8:56) Can government replace nonprofits directly?
 (9:45) Are nonprofits really just middlemen?
 (11:20) The central question: where does the money come from?
 (12:38) Governor’s office response and a budget coming too late
 (13:27) Why the next governor may inherit the crisis
 (15:21) Addressing root causes before people hit catastrophe
 (17:34) Community-led journalism and reporting from the ground
 (18:47) Why local stories need broader statewide relevance
 (20:13) Building audience trust through real community conversation
 (21:49) Talk radio, local disagreement, and what people actually care about
 (23:17) Volunteer-hour Medicaid ideas and why implementation is messy

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How the Morales campaign turned branding, video, and community trust into a winning Providence message

This episode looks at the communications strategy behind David Morales’ Providence campaign and why it connected so strongly with voters. Bill Bartholomew is joined by Ross Lippman, Lindsey Bond, and Louis Morales to break down the brand identity, short-form video strategy, and the people-first messaging that helped the campaign cut through fear-based attacks.We discuss how the team built a campaign that felt like Providence rather than generic politics, and why authenticity, consistency, and local relationships mattered more than money and negative ads.

Key topics

• Ross Lippman explains his role as Video and Communications Director and how he came into the campaign just before launch.
• Lindsey Bond shares how she moved from events work into communications, then helped shape email, social, and digital strategy.
• Louis Morales describes designing the campaign’s visual identity, including the distinct typography and the monarch butterfly symbol.
• The team explains the goal of breaking away from the standard political look and creating something community-driven and neighbor-focused.
• Ross talks about studying progressive political videos, especially the first 3 to 5 seconds, to make content substantive and engaging.
• Lindsey explains how the campaign used social media to show David Morales as a real person, not just a candidate.
• The conversation covers how the campaign built trust early, before the opponent’s attacks fully arrived.
• Ross and Lindsey discuss how negative messaging, including anti-socialism attacks, lost force because the campaign had already established a clear identity.
• Louis reflects on the emotional meaning of seeing a candidate who looks like him and speaks to immigrant families and first-generation Rhode Islanders.
• The episode closes with the team emphasizing that the campaign was people-powered, not money-powered, and that the model could apply to other local races.

Timestamps

00:00 - Why the Morales campaign mattered in Providence
 01:28 - Ross Lippman’s role in video and communications
 01:52 - Lindsey Bond’s path from events into comms
 02:14 - Louis Morales on building the campaign’s visual identity
 03:03 - Creating a brand that felt community-driven, not generic
 04:44 - Early logo sketches and why the chosen design stood out
 06:12 - The monarch butterfly as a symbol for immigrant communities
 07:25 - Ross on joining the campaign after Ocean State Media
 09:49 - Adapting video for TikTok, reels, and platform behavior
 10:22 - Making campaign videos substantive, not just “brain rot”
 12:08 - Lindsey on joining through friendship and events organizing
 13:32 - How digital strategy grew from email to social to web
 14:52 - Why the campaign message had to overcome fear and misinformation
 16:14 - Messaging for neighbors, not against an opponent
 17:38 - Building early equity before the challenger fully engaged
 19:40 - Why the anti-Morales attacks failed to land
 21:39 - Lindsey on underestimated voters and broken establishment politics
 25:55 - What the Providence win means for future local races
 27:25 - Authenticity and education as the core of social content
 30:03 - Louis on the underdog story and Latino representation
 31:46 - Ross on skepticism, early coverage, and believing the campaign could win

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Megan Cotter on rural politics, voter conversations, and calling out toxic school committee behavior

Bill Bartholomew speaks with Rhode Island State Representative Megan Cotter, District 39, about her reelection campaign, what she is hearing while knocking on doors, and why she resists rigid political labels. The conversation turns to a disturbing Facebook exchange involving Cotter, her opponent Jasmine Roy, and Chariho school committee members Polly Hopkins and Phelps, centered on online bullying and body shaming by elected officials.In this episode:

• Cotter says she is running an active, full-throttle campaign and has knocked on more than 1,000 doors

• She says door-to-door conversations are making her a better representative because they reveal what people actually care about

• She points to the biggest issues in her district as healthcare, insurance costs, groceries, utilities, and housing for young adults

• Cotter argues that political labels often become purity tests that do more harm than good

• She describes one constituent encounter where she calmly handled being called socialist and un-American

• Cotter shares her personal health journey, including losing 120 pounds over two years after her father died of colorectal cancer

• The discussion moves to a Facebook thread involving Cotter, Jasmine Roy, Polly Hopkins, and another school committee member, with comments mocking Cotter’s body and implying she ran for office for access to GLP 1 drugs

• Cotter says elected officials should be held to a higher standard and should not normalize online harassment or bullying

• Bartholomew and Cotter argue that school committee members, especially in a district serving children, should model better behavior and be held accountable

• Cotter says voters need to pay attention and stop allowing this kind of conduct to slide

Timestamps: (0:00) Reintroducing Megan Cotter and why a rural sandwich stop led to the conversation
 (1:34) Why Cotter welcomes a contested race and stays active in the district
 (2:43) What voters in District 39 are saying about healthcare, costs, and housing
 (4:02) Why Cotter says labels and purity tests are a disservice
 (5:46) Handling polarized conversations at the door without losing respect
 (7:20) Setting up the Facebook post and Cotter’s health story
 (7:46) Losing 120 pounds, training, and how the journey changed her campaigning
 (9:47) How the Facebook post escalated into body shaming and harassment
 (11:22) Why elected officials should not excuse cruel behavior as free speech
 (12:23) Confirming the school committee members involved
 (13:11) Why Cotter says Polly Hopkins should resign
 (14:24) Why this matters as an example for kids and the public
 (16:12) Why elected officials should hold themselves to a higher standard
 (17:36) What message this sends to students in Cherhoe
 (18:14) The broader district context and why accountability matters
 (19:17) Why voters in Hopkinton need to do better
 (19:45) Closing thoughts and final thanks

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Bill Bartholomew talks with independent Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Ken Block about a newly released poll, the three-way race against Helena Foulkes and Aaron Guckian, and what the numbers suggest about the final stretch. The conversation also digs into fundraising, outside spending, and whether debates and forums can give voters a real contrast between the candidates.

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Lost and Found with Pamela Fernandez on WaterFire Accelerate

Bill Bartholomew speaks with artist Pamela Fernandez about WaterFire Accelerate, the professional development program for artists 30 and under, and the culminating group exhibition Lost and Found at the WaterFire Arts Center. The conversation moves from Providence’s creative ecosystem to Fernandez’s Dominican and Providence roots, and how both shape her work in textiles, printmaking, and painting.In this episode, Fernandez reflects on community, institutional support, and the challenge of making art that is both personally meaningful and socially responsive.

Key topics

• Pamela Fernandez explains that WaterFire Accelerate is a professional development program for artists 30 and under, offering mentorship, studio space, and a final group exhibition.
• The conversation highlights how the cohort became a real support network, with artists helping one another professionally and personally through an active group chat and shared resources.
• Fernandez talks about being born in the Dominican Republic and growing up in Providence since age five, and how that identity deeply informs her work.
• She describes Providence as a place where she wants to stay and create, while also noting that London has long felt like an interesting art destination to her.
• Bill and Fernandez discuss the role of Providence institutions and nonprofits in shaping artists’ careers, including WaterFire, RISD Museum workshops, libraries, New Urban Arts, and Project Open Door.
• Fernandez emphasizes that artist communities matter just as much as institutions, especially when peers offer studio access, screen printing space, or a wood shop for free.
• Her work is rooted in questions of Dominican history, Dominican presence in Providence, family history, and what it means to feel both connected to and distanced from culture.
• Fernandez says she is currently negotiating what her art should be about now, moving between printmaking, painting, and a return to textiles.
• She explains why textiles remain meaningful to her, especially because fabric can carry history through clothing, curtains, and inherited materials.
• The interview closes with a deeper discussion of art and politics, including how Fernandez balances making work in a difficult moment with staying intentional, authentic, and humane.

Timestamps

00:00 - WaterFire Accelerate and the Lost and Found exhibition
 00:39 - How the artist development program works
 01:41 - Why cohort support extends beyond the studio
 02:47 - Fernandez’s Providence and Dominican roots
 03:42 - Why Providence feels like the right art city for now
 05:21 - Building a career through nonprofits and local institutions
 07:35 - How Dominican identity and Providence shape her work
 09:28 - Choosing what her art should say now
 10:56 - Why textiles still matter in her practice
 12:17 - Artist panel details and exhibition closing date
 13:12 - Balancing political responsibility with personal expression
 15:51 - Why artists still matter in social movements
 17:46 - Closing thoughts on WaterFire and the exhibition

Notable quotes

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“I feel like community is what is gonna keep us all afloat, especially in these times.”

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“I feel like for me, Providence to me is the place where I wanna be.”

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“I feel like you gotta figure out how you wanna show up, even if it’s not in your work, like how are you showing up in your day to day?”

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Trauma-Informed Policing in Rhode Island and Beyond

Bill Bartholomew speaks with Liz Gledhill, director of the Center for Trauma Informed Policing at Family Service of Rhode Island, about a Rhode Island-built model that trains law enforcement to respond to families and children in crisis with more empathy, better situational awareness, and less additional harm. The conversation focuses on how the Go Team model evolved, why it matters at the first point of police contact, and what it takes to scale trauma-informed policing nationally.In this episode, they also discuss the balance between public safety and trauma-informed response, how community trust is built one interaction at a time, and why state funding matters when agencies are asked to adopt new trainings.

Key topics

• Liz Gledhill explains her role as director of the Center for Trauma Informed Policing at Family Service of Rhode Island and the center’s Rhode Island roots.
• The Trauma Informed Policing Center launched this summer as a national training initiative built from Rhode Island experience and made available to law enforcement agencies across the country.
• Family Service of Rhode Island has worked with police for about 25 years, including long-running partnership work with the Providence Police Department.
• The model is designed to help officers respond to children and families exposed to trauma without compounding the harm already happening in the moment.
• Bill and Liz discuss how trauma-informed policing can interrupt the cycle of additional trauma during police interactions, especially when children are present at scenes such as domestic violence calls.
• The conversation highlights the importance of first contact, with Liz emphasizing that children and families need to feel safe at the moment police arrive.
• They talk about how co-response models and community-based partnerships help connect people to family services and other resources instead of relying on police to solve every problem alone.
• Liz describes Rhode Island’s Go Team model, which grew from an adapted version of a Connecticut approach and has expanded into seven communities, with more planned.
• The episode addresses trust between police and communities, with Liz noting that even one better interaction can help build a bridge or change expectations.
• They discuss officer skepticism at the outset of training, and how practical results often win people over once they see the model improve interactions and make their jobs easier.
• Bill asks about state support, and Liz says funding has increased, but warns against unfunded training mandates and argues that if the state wants departments to adopt these tools, it should help pay for them.

Timestamps

00:00 - Why trauma-informed policing matters now
 00:59 - Liz Gledhill introduces the Center for Trauma Informed Policing
 01:12 - How a Rhode Island pilot became a national training initiative
 01:45 - 25 years of police partnership and the SAMHSA grant that launched the center
 02:20 - How the training helps officers reduce harm during crisis response
 03:21 - Why children at crisis scenes need protection even when they are not the focus
 04:20 - Public safety and trauma-informed training can work together
 05:36 - Rhode Island’s Go Team model and what it borrowed from Connecticut
 06:58 - The ripple effect of police interactions on trust and lived experience
 07:28 - How one safe interaction can start rebuilding community trust
 08:57 - What rank-and-file officers think when the model is first introduced
 09:21 - Why skepticism often turns into support after officers see the results
 10:35 - Police unions, stakeholder input, and why the model has staying power
 11:05 - What the state can do beyond grants and good intentions
 11:21 - Why unfunded training mandates undermine real implementation
 12:26 - Closing thoughts and thanks

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Rhode Island Transit, Smart Growth, and the Real Cost of Underfunding RIPTA

Bill Bartholomew talks with Scott Wolf, executive director of Grow Smart Rhode Island, about why transit is much more than a social service and how better funding could support housing, economic development, tourism, and affordability across the state. They also dig into the governor’s race, the gap between rhetoric and real transit investment, and what Rhode Island can learn from places like Chattanooga, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, and Ithaca.

Key topics

• In this episode, Bill Bartholomew opens with the transit debate sparked by independent gubernatorial candidate Ken Block’s affordability plan and ties it to broader questions about smart growth and community development.
• Scott Wolf argues that one of the biggest misunderstandings in Rhode Island leadership is treating transit as only a social service instead of a driver of economic activity, housing access, and revitalization.
• The conversation centers on Rhode Island’s congestion, dense development patterns, and the way transit can help downtowns, main streets, and “third spaces” become more vibrant.
• Scott says stronger transit is essential for retaining young talent, noting that younger generations are more pro-transit and that ignoring them is a strategic mistake.
• The Hasbro relocation comes up as an example of why transit access matters to major employers, with Scott stressing that convenience to transit should be a warning signal for policymakers.
• Bill and Scott compare candidate positions, including Helena Folts’ call for stable RIPTA funding and Ken Block’s proposal for a year of free fares, while debating whether transit needs more total budget or better reallocation.
• Scott says Rhode Island needs both more investment and better efficiencies, including a long-overdue efficiency audit of RIDOT, which he argues has not faced the same scrutiny as RIPTA.
• The discussion highlights RIPTA’s service cuts, underfunding, and the negative cycle created when reduced frequency leads to lower ridership and even less support.
• Scott points to the affordability impact of transit, citing research that suggests many Rhode Island households with three or more cars could save around $10,000 a year by giving up one vehicle if service improved.
• Multimodal transit, including biking and pedestrian infrastructure, is presented as part of the same ecosystem and as a necessity for tourism, economic development, and everyday livability.
• The role of municipalities is explored, especially how much influence cities and towns really have over routes, funding, and transportation priorities.
• Scott praises mayors like Bob DeSilva of East Providence and contrasts them with municipalities that resist transit-oriented development, noting that local leadership can speed up or stall progress.
• The conversation closes with Scott’s broader critique of Rhode Island’s low expectations and short-term policy mindset, and his argument for thinking bigger about transit as a foundation for housing, mobility, and long-term prosperity.

Timestamps

00:00 - Why transit entered the governor’s race
 00:43 - Scott Wolf on smart growth and regional credibility
 01:34 - The biggest leadership gap in understanding transit
 03:17 - Transit as an engine for housing and economic vitality
 04:44 - Why young people and employers care about transit
 05:07 - The Hasbro example and transit as a business factor
 06:37 - Stable funding for RIPTA versus free fares
 07:05 - Why Rhode Island needs both new money and efficiencies
 08:33 - RIDOT scrutiny, RIPTA cuts, and the service death spiral
 09:28 - The affordability case for reducing car ownership
 10:29 - Bikes, pedestrians, and the larger multimodal picture
 11:23 - Tourism benefits from a more user-friendly state
 11:48 - How much power municipalities really have
 13:34 - Transit, housing, and the politics of local resistance
 14:31 - The biggest barrier: low expectations and short-term thinking
 16:39 - Transit as the key to housing and economic mobility
 17:05 - Learning from Chattanooga, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, and Ithaca
 18:39 - Why Rhode Island should study what works elsewhere
 20:03 - Restoring RIPTA service cuts for about $5 million
 21:26 - The transit master plan and bold next steps

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Eric Moyal, founder of Project Insulin, joins Bill Bartholomew to explain how his nonprofit is working to create and sell generic insulin directly to patients at cost. The conversation covers the insulin affordability crisis, why Rhode Island can be a powerful place for early-stage startup growth, and what it takes to build a long-term biotech project in a tough fundraising environment.

00:00 - Introduction to Eric Moyal and Project Insulin

00:08 - How Project Insulin plans to sell insulin at cost

00:42 - The real cost of insulin for patients without insurance

01:11 - Why a few for-profit manufacturers control the market

02:10 - Learning the issue through a partner with type 1 diabetes

03:06 - The statistic that pushed him to get involved

03:36 - Why this is a nonprofit and fundraising challenge, not just a science problem

04:27 - Rhode Island’s push into health and sciences

05:26 - Why Rhode Island was a strong place for early-stage growth

06:23 - Social Enterprise Greenhouse and the accelerator experience

07:41 - Why Rhode Island works best as an early-stage startup ecosystem

08:45 - Why building major pharmaceutical infrastructure in-state is difficult

09:11 - Rhode Island’s interpersonal network as its “secret sauce”

10:33 - The idea of Rhode Island as a pass-through for talent and growth

11:51 - Why not every business needs to become a billion-dollar unicorn

13:34 - Why raising money for a long-horizon nonprofit is difficult

14:54 - Project Insulin’s current fundraising target and development phase

15:46 - Long-term plans for national and global insulin distribution

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https://global-trade-summit.bryant.edu/

Bryant’s Global Trade Summit at a volatile moment for international business

Bill Bartholomew speaks with Jason Kelly, director of the Chafee Center for International Business at Bryant University, about the 40th anniversary of the Global Trade Summit and why it matters during a period of tariff uncertainty, policy shifts, and supply chain pressure. The conversation focuses on how Bryant is positioning itself as a practical resource for Rhode Island companies that need customized support, not just broad-stroke advice. Kelly also explains Bryant’s new role as the official World Trade Center designee in Rhode Island, and how that designation expands training, international connections, and branding for local businesses.

Key topics

• The 40th anniversary of the Global Trade Summit and why Bryant sees this year as especially timely given global trade disruption
• Jason Kelly’s background in the private sector, including how World Trade Day first connected him to Bryant and eventually led him to the Chafee Center role
• Why the current trade environment makes the summit more relevant, especially around tariffs, supply chain uncertainty, and international market shifts
• What Rhode Island businesses need most right now — interdisciplinary support that combines business expertise, academic resources, and practical consulting
• Bryant’s role as a statewide differentiator, with Kelly emphasizing the university’s rare intersection of higher education, economic development, and innovation
• Conference highlights for September 24, including a conversation with Canada’s Consul General Bernadette Jordan and a panel featuring a Blue Economy robotics company
• Economic and technical expertise on the agenda, including a Moody’s economist, an AI panel, logistics experts, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and trade attorneys
• The new World Trade Center Rhode Island designation, and how it gives the Chafee Center access to a global network, stronger branding, and more training opportunities
• The biggest challenges Rhode Island companies are facing, especially access to capital, talent shortages, and the need to manage AI-related disruption
• How the Chafee Center scales customized support, using Bryant’s practicum programs to deliver company-specific consulting through student and faculty teams

Timestamps

(0:00) Why Bryant is revisiting the Global Trade Summit this year
(1:39) Jason Kelly’s connection to Bryant through World Trade Day
(2:36) Why he says this is the right time for the Chafee Center
(4:02) Why Rhode Island businesses need interdisciplinary support
(4:49) Higher education as an economic development asset
(5:42) September 24 summit date and what attendees can expect
(6:16) Canada, tariffs, and international business at the summit
(7:12) Success stories from companies navigating uncertainty
(7:42) Robotics, AI, and the summit’s technology-focused speakers
(8:41) Monica Sattler and leadership through extreme challenge
(9:09) Logistics, customs, and tariff refund issues
(9:38) A day-long training session on September 23
(10:10) What the World Trade Center designation means
(11:09) How the designation expands training and global connections
(12:08) Building Rhode Island’s international business presence
(13:40) What Rhode Island companies are asking for right now
(16:02) Why companies want customized consulting, not generic training
(17:27) The Bryant practicum model and how it scales support
(18:21) Trade missions, innovation labs, and experiential learning
(19:39) Bryant’s regional role in international trade over the next decade
(20:43) Closing thoughts on the summit and Bryant’s impact

Notable quotes

Copy

“This was the most important time to lean into the unique assets that Bryant University offers Rhode Island companies.”

Copy

“Companies no longer wanted that awareness training. What they really needed were customized consulting engagements.”

Copy

“I really would like to hold on to the word regional because I think that that’s our sweet spot.”

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EVENT LINK!  https://newportfilm.com/films/unbowed/

This episode introduces the documentary Unbowed, a Rhode Island-centered film about Omar Bah, his journey from the Gambia to resettlement in Providence, and the founding of the Refugee Dream Center. It also explores how the film team captured both the personal and policy realities of refugee life during a politically charged era.Bill Bartholomew is joined by co-directors David Wells and Mae Gammino, along with Omar Bah himself, whose lived experience anchors the film and the conversation.

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