About the Anchor of Hope

The Anchor of Hope Fund was established in the year 2001 by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence. Originally named the Inner City Scholarship Fund, the Anchor of Hope provides significant need based financial assistance to students attending Rhode Island Catholic schools irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, or religious affiliation.

Today, this fund seeks to provide a quality Catholic education to the economically disadvantaged children of our state. The Anchor of Hope also attempts to cultivate the intellect, self-confidence, and faith of students who could not otherwise afford a Catholic elementary or secondary school education. The Anchor of Hope also supports families and their children in building stronger communities with a hope-filled future for society. Every year more and more families seek assistance in meeting rising tuition costs. The reality is that a majority of these schools are in Rhode Island's urban areas. Many of the children they educate are those most at risk due to challenging socio-economic factors. Our Catholic schools are crucial to the success of these students who - as experience shows - thrive academically and socially in a Catholic school environment.

99.5% of Rhode Island Catholic secondary school students graduate, an 98% of those graduates continue on to college and ultimately serve our nation as leaders in business, public service, medicine, law, and education. Perhaps most importantly, Catholic school students leave Catholic schools not only with a high quality education but also with an education that is steeped in ethical and moral values that will serve them well as productive citizens in the global community. Although the success of Catholic schools is unparalleled, school operating expenses necessitate unavoidable increases in tuition. The need is significant, and with the support of faith-filled leaders like you, we can continue to provide the value of a Catholic school education to Rhode Island children who are most in need of our help.