Governor McKee and First Lady Highlight Litter-Free Rhode Island Spring Microgrant Recipients
Program awarded more than $38k to community groups
PROVIDENCE, RI — Today, Governor Dan McKee, First Lady Susan McKee, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) Director Terry Gray, and the Litter-Free Rhode Island (LFRI) program announced that it distributed more than $38,000 in microgrant and grant awards through the program’s Spring 2026 Microgrant program.
70 community groups applied for this microgrant opportunity, which supported local litter cleanups this past spring.
“There is a clear desire for a cleaner Rhode Island, as shown by the continued support and interest from our community partners and municipalities,” said Governor McKee. “You can’t spell ‘pride’ without ‘R-I,’ and the success of these programs demonstrates how deeply Rhode Islanders care for and want to see a healthy, litter-free state.”
“I got to see firsthand the impact of these programs this spring, and the message was clear: there are good, hard-working people who want to make our state a more beautiful place to live, work, and raise a family,” said First Lady Susan McKee. “I’m encouraged by the continued efforts from our program to empower those community groups and cities and towns to do the work to better their local parks, playgrounds, beaches, and public areas.”
“The Spring 2026 round of litter grants was another huge success and mobilized people across the state for a Litter-Free Rhode Island. DEM is proud to continue partnering with the Governor and First Lady on this program to support community-driven efforts to keep Rhode Island clean and beautiful,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “These grants support organizations and volunteers across the state to take action in their communities. Litter not only diminishes the beauty of our neighborhoods and public spaces but also harms wildlife and pollutes our land and waterways. To all our Spring grantees, thank you and congratulations on a job well done!”
Since the program launched its first microgrant in April 2024, LFRI has awarded 273 grants totaling nearly $161,000, and more than 16,000 community trash bags have been filled.
Governor McKee and the First Lady encourage all Rhode Islanders to take the Litter-Free Rhode Island pledge by visiting LitterFree.RI.Gov.
