• Grant Program for Rhode Island on Pause (FAQ) – Documentation to Apply

• Small Business Development Fund Now Taking Applications

  Enhanced Capital Rhode Island (ECRI) has opened applications for its $20 million small business loan program which is part of the Rhode Island Small Business Development Fund Program. The program’s primary focus is to provide financial assistance to businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

  Loans to eligible Rhode Island-based small businesses will be offered in the following two categories: 

  • Micro Loans of $10,000 to $50,000 per company
  • Larger Term Loans of up to $1 million per company

  At least $15 million of loans will be provided to “COVID Impacted Businesses” defined as Rhode Island based businesses with a 33% revenue loss for the period January 2020 through May 2020 versus the same period for the prior year, or such other impacted businesses as may be approved on a case by case basis.  Information and Application

• Business Adaptation Grant Awards

  Enhanced Capital Rhode Island (ECRI) has opened applications for its $20M small business loan program which is part of the Rhode Island Small Business Development Fund Program. The program’s primary focus is to provide financial assistance to businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• Remote Work

  Social Enterprise Greenhouse and District Hall Providence have been selected as intermediary organizations for the Remote Work Grant Program. Through these two intermediaries, Commerce RI will purchase and distribute technology needed for businesses and nonprofits to bring their employees to effective, at-home remote work.

  In-kind technology grants are available for businesses and nonprofits with between two and 100 employees. Businesses can apply to receive hardware or software needed to bring their employees to remote work at CommerceRI.

• Town of Smithfield Business Microenterprise Stabilization Grant (MicroE) Program

  The Town of Smithfield, with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds provided by the R. I. Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is offering working capital grants to qualifying small business microenterprises adversely impacted by COVID-19. Information and Application

The Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging (OHA) is working closely with the Rhode Island Department of Health and Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency to coordinate the state’s response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Older Rhode Islanders and individuals with underlying conditions are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness. Governor Raimondo and the
Rhode Island Department of Health are encouraging our higher-risk populations to practice social distancing during this time and use technology, whenever possible, to remain in touch with family and friends.

Click the image below for the full (.pdf) document

Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health: Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation During an Infectious Disease Outbreak (click image for full .pdf document)

Click the logo above to go to the registration site

The Town of Smithfield has transitioned to the Code Red Resident Emergency Notification System. Code Red replaces the Nixle emergency notification system and will allow the town to be compatible with state emergency agencies and more communities in Rhode Island.

In the event of a town-wide emergency or a localized geographical emergency, the town’s police department, fire department, emergency management agency or designated local official will be able to call, email, and text thousands of residents at once, notifying them of the emergency and also give instructions if needed. Using mapping databases Code Red can target a notification to a few residents on one street, or expand to any designated area within the town.

Messages regarding the safety, property or welfare of our residents will be disseminated using the Code Red system. These may include local AMBER alerts, locations of shelters for weather events, emergency instructions due to a large fire or chemical incident, boil water advisories, evacuation notices, etc.

Please Register Your Cell Phone
Technology plays a vital role in everyone’s day-to-day life. We know that not everyone uses a house phone today. In Rhode Island, most 9-1-1 calls are made from a cell phone. The 9-1-1 call-out database is compiled of home phone numbers, there is no 9-1-1 database for cell phones. More people use email and texting to communicate and the town wants to ensure that we can use those avenues to communicate with our residents for official information.

We encourage everyone to register with Code Red. To do so click on the Code Red logo above to go to the registration site. Users can register for emergency notifications only and can also register for general notifications as well. Residents should know that the information they provide on the link is safe. Information is not, and will not be, shared with anyone. No one has access to the account but local and state emergency officials authorized to activate warnings and alerts to the public.

Enrolling in the Special Needs Emergency Registry lets police, fire and other first responders in your community better prepare for, and respond to your needs during a hurricane, storm or other emergency.

• Many people may need extra help during a time of emergency including people who:
• Use life support systems such as oxygen, respirator, ventilator, dialysis, pacemaker, or are insulin dependent;
• Have mobility disabilities and use a wheelchair, scooter, walker, cane, or other mobility device;
• Are visually impaired, blind, hard of hearing, or deaf;
• Have speech, cognitive, developmental or mental health disabilities; or
• Use assistive animals or a prosthesis.

The information submitted to the Rhode Island Special Needs Emergency Registry is shared with local and state first responders and emergency management officials. Your information is held confidentially and only accessed to assist in your safety and well-being. The Department of Health and Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency have worked with E-911 to notify first responders when they are responding to a household that may have someone enrolled in the Registry. This notification allows first responders additional time to consider how to best respond to that incident. Please note that strict confidentiality is maintained at all times and only those that have a reason to access the information are authorized to do so.

Click here for more information
or to enroll 

This page will be deployed in case of any type of town, state or national emergency and during severe weather events. 

Should those types of situations occur, this page will be prominently linked from the front page of SmithfieldRI.com for as long as it is required.  

During an event, we will continually update this page – blog-style – as information is received, with the most recent information appearing at the top of the page – please scroll down for more information.  

We will also be utilizing Twitter & Facebook to post this same information.  Other helpful information is posted in the left & right sidebars of this page.

To Follow Smithfield Agencies Online:

Town Government:  www.smithfieldri.com or follow on Twitter @SmithfieldRI or Facebook

Emergency Management:  www.smithfieldema.org or follow on Twitter @SmfldEM

Police Department:  www.smithfieldpd.com or follow on Twitter @Smithfield_PD or Facebook 

Fire Department: www.smithfieldfire.com or follow on Twitter @SmithfieldFire

In a power outage, you may find it useful to utilize a smart-phone and follow one or all of these agencies on Twitter.  These accounts can easily be viewed without signing up for a Twitter account and will keep you up-to-date. You can see a feed of the Town’s Twitter account in the right column.