Coventry Man Given $300,000 to Pursue Dream

The Rhode Island Foundation has awarded a Coventry man $300,000 to pursue his bold idea for improving life in Rhode Island.

David Dadekian of Coventry received a 2014 Rhode Island Innovation Fellowship, made possible through the vision and generosity of philanthropists Letitia and John Carter.

“We recognize David for his ambitious strategies for addressing challenges and creating change in Rhode Island,” said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “We are appreciative of Letitia and John Carter’s devotion to Rhode Island and are pleased to play a role in transforming their dreams into one of our boldest initiatives.”

Now in its third year, the program is designed to stimulate solutions by Rhode Islanders to Rhode Island challenges. Dadekian's proposal was selected from more than 340 applications.

“Letitia and I applaud each of the applicants on their talent, ambition and commitment to our state. We look forward to seeing the constructive change they generate as a result of these fellowships,” said John Carter.

Dadekian’s project, the Eat Drink Rhode Island Central Market, will house a number of food and drink related businesses, including a public market, commercial production and processing facilities, and an educational component.

"My plan is to create a centralized culinary hub for Rhode Island, a complete business-to-business and business-to-consumer center, as well as being a destination for visitors to Rhode Island. This culinary hub would be integral to the way Rhode Islanders eat and create a model for wider emulation in other regions of the country," said Dadekian.

"Ultimately a stronger connected food industry touches many aspects of the life of every person. Food is a health issue, an economy issue, a climate issue, a sustaining life issue and purely a pleasure. Rhode Island can be at the forefront of all these things and more," he said.

A second applicant, Amy Bernhardt of Providence, also received a $300,000 Fellowship. Her Colorfast project will create a state-of-the-art research and manufacturing pilot facility for the design and production of digitally printed textiles.

In addition to the two winners, the selection panel also named a number of finalists including:

•             Maeve Donohue of Barrington proposed creating a suite of common services connected to a single state-wide database that would enable users to manage their memberships, preferences and privacy with a single login.

•             Mary Flynn of Narragansett aimed to reduce public health care costs by showing low-income RITE Care insurance recipients how to improve their diet and health through healthy, low-cost recipes.

•             Deborah Perry of East Providence proposed creating the “Fantastic Girltastic Code Company” to increase the number of women holding college degrees in computer sciences through intensive girl-centric training, access to female role models and mentors, and connections to local institutions of higher education and employers.

•             Tom Shevlin of Little Compton suggested creating a collaborative mentoring and shop space aimed at cultivating Rhode Island's next generation of small-scale manufacturers.

•             Barbara Somers and Laura Skrobe of South Kingstown and Kathleen Castro of Saunderstown proposed exploring the feasibility of rearing blue crabs in fresh water ponds in Rhode Island.

The seven-member selection panel looked for proposals that represented pioneering work, exceptional leadership, bold vision, risk-taking, potential to scale up and statewide impact.

Chaired by Steinberg, the selection panel also included David Dooley, president, University of Rhode Island; Ann-Marie Harrington, president and founder, Embolden; Charlie Kroll, founder and CEO, Andera; Marie Langlois, retired managing director, Washington Trust Investors, and director, Rhode Island Foundation; Lisa Utman Randall, executive director, Jamestown Arts Center; and Don Stanford, chief innovation officer, GTECH.

This is the third round of funding. Previous rounds generated more than 600 applications. Soren Ryherd and Allan Tear received the inaugural grants in 2012.

Ryherd’s “The Retail Project” has created three on-line stores to date, Felix Chien, a retailer of upscale fashion for dogs; Urbilis, a concept built around high-design products for the urban gardener; and Slumbersome, which offers an array of bedding, masks and other products for people with insomnia. The goal is to open at least one so-called brick and mortar store in 2014. Follow his progress at www.retailprojectri.com.

Tear is building platforms to help entrepreneurs launch start-ups in sectors such as art and design, food and beverage and advanced manufacturing. Follow his progress on www.rallyri.co.

The 2013 fellows are Adrienne Gagnon and Dr. Lynn Taylor.

Gagnon’s “Innovation by Design” project will help foster the next generation of Rhode Island innovators by introducing the tools of Design Thinking to educators across the state. She is designing a set of fun, hands-on learning activities that will help kids tackle any challenge they've identified, in any subject, using the same process that designers use in their work. She is also offering students free, after-school design/build programs in which they create tangible community improvements, using Mobile Design Labs as their base of operations. Follow her progress on www.innovation-by-design.org.

Dr. Lynn Taylor’s project, “Rhode Island Defeats Hep C,” aims to make Rhode Island the first state to eliminate the hepatitis C virus infection using a comprehensive approach that includes increasing awareness, enhanced screening, developing further linkages to care, building infrastructure for a sustainable model and evaluation. Her outreach will be highlighted by a conference in Providence May 16 and a WaterFire event July 26. Follow her progress on www.ridefeatshepc.com.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island.  In 2013, the Foundation made grants of more than $31 million to organizations addressing the most pressing issues and needs of the state’s diverse communities. Through leadership, fundraising and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit rifoundation.org.