THE STATEWIDE ADVOCATE FOR HISTORIC PLACES
Around the Block e-News
Voters Approve Help for RI’s Historic Buildings
As a result of the March 2nd special election, $1 million will be available to cities, towns, and nonprofit organizations to help fund their historic preservation projects. RI has an unmatched wealth of historic buildings, but each one poses financial challenges as increasing age demands maintenance and updating. In the past State Preservation Grants have provided crucial support in keeping the buildings open to the public.
Now, thanks to approval of the $7 million bond issue for arts and cultural grants, $1 million will go toward reinstating the Preservation Grants program.

Thank YOU for voting to save Rhode Island’s historic places.
Removing Barriers — Strengthening Democracy: A Community Conversation
Why should everyone care that some community members are not active participants in our civic society? Join Lippitt House Museum’s discussion on Monday March 22 for a program exploring “Barriers to Democratic Participation for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals.” Staff and adult students with the Reentry Campus Program will lead a conversation with RI Rep. Scott Slater and Supreme Court Justice Melissa Long about the systematic barriers that keep formerly incarcerated individuals from fully participating in democratic society including employment opportunities and adequate education. 

The program is presented in partnership with the Providence League of Women Voters, 

FREE. Monday, March 22, 6:00 pm Preregistration required. 

For highlights of the first Community Conversation about barriers to civic education held March 15 with youth leaders of Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education (ARISE), see “ARISE Youth and Civil Rights Leaders Discuss Access to Civic education RI Schools” in The Brown Daily Herald.
401GIVES: A Day to Show You Care 
The big event is coming! April 1st is Rhode Island's day of giving. Organized by the United Way of Rhode Island, 401Gives unites 100s of non-profits across the state to help them continue their important work.

Preserve RI needs your help to make 401Gives successful this year! Will you tell your friends and family members about the important work we do to protect RI’s historic treasures? Ask them to join us in helping to make a difference. No gift is too small.

Get ready to give! On April 1st, starting at 12 AM, visit 401Gives.org and make a donation to Preserve RI and your other favorite non-profits in Rhode Island. All giving will end at 11:59 PM, so make sure to get your gift in on time! 

Let’s show how philanthropic Rhode Islanders can be! 
Come Back to the Future: RI’s 35th historic preservation conference 
It may be virtual, but it will be packed with engaging events about preservation in today’s world. Wednesday, April 21 to Friday, April 23, the Rhode Island Historic Preservation & Heritage Commission and partners will present Come Back to the Future, their first-ever virtual conference. 

Keynoting the event: George Smart (USModernist radio podcast) on discovering, documenting and preserving Modernist houses; and Kofi Boone, Professor of Landscape Architecture at N.C. State U., on “Black Landscapes Matter.” Choose from over a dozen breakout sessions on preservation topics, take virtual tours of special places in Rhode Island, enjoy networking and conversation.

View full schedule (including bonus content and tour additions) and register ($25) at preservationconferenceri.com. Student rates available.  
Meet Our Newest Board Members 
Preserve RI is thrilled to have 5 new trustees join our board. We will be featuring a profile each month.
Brett N. Pelletier 
Chief Operating Officer Kirk & Company, Real Estate Counselors
Hometown:Tiverton, RI
Brett Pelletier is a finance and land economics professional who specializes in commercial real estate problem solving and Affordable Housing finance, advisory, and policy. He has been with Kirk & Company in Boston and Newport since 2005 and is responsible for operations of the firm and direct consulting assignments. Additionally, Brett is an adjunct professor of finance and economics at Salve Regina University. Brett has in-depth experience with all aspects of the real estate life cycle, including due diligence and analysis for development, redevelopment, acquisition, historic rehabilitation and adaptive reuse. 

A graduate of Bentley College, Bryant University and the Harvard University Extension School, he is a passionate learner who strives to bridge dissimilar disciplines in solving problems involving both economics and the built environment.

Brett's excited to get to work. “Preserve RI is such a powerful organization that is actively engaged in the business of preservation and providing creative solutions to vexing preservation problems. I’m so happy to join a group of passionate doers in not only preserving historic architecture but ultimately seeing buildings used and enjoyed by as many people as possible, for generations to come.”
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