Rhode Island requires and rewards evidence-based practices in grants and contracts across state government, including health, environmental management, housing, education, and public safety.

The Rhode Island Department of Education with ServeRI awards AmeriCorps State and National grants to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence informed interventions to strengthen communities. When scoring proposals, up to 20 points (out of 100) are based on evidence quality and tiers defined by the AmeriCorps Evidence Exchange.

Rhode Island’s Recovery Housing Program requires providers to meet National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) standards. NARR embeds evidence-based operations, including structured peer support, recovery-oriented programming, and fidelity to proven practices. This requirement is part of the state’s broader strategy to prevent overdoses and improve outcomes. An inventory of in-state SUD programs further shows a strong reliance on evidence-based models.

Together, these examples show how Rhode Island defines what counts as evidence and prioritizes it in eligibility and scoring, steering grant dollars and competitive contracts toward approaches with demonstrated effectiveness.