Climate Action Rhode Island

Climate Action Rhode Island is an environmentalist advocacy groupt led by volunteers in Rhode Island. The nonprofit opposed the SAVE Act, a law that would require voters to prove citizenship before registering for federal elections.1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(4)
Issue Areas: Environmental Policy, Elections Policy
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(4)

Website:

actionnetwork.org/groups/climate-action-ri

Location:

Providence, RI

Contents

    Background

    Climate Action Rhode Island (CARI) is a left-of-center environmental group led by volunteers in Rhode Island. Members of the nonprofit are dedicated to advancing environmentalist causes, including the promotion of weather-dependent energy like wind and solar.1

    CARI was founded in April 2017 as a spin-off from Resist Hate RI, a left-of-center activist group formed in response to the first election of President Donald Trump.2

    The nonprofit operates a CARI Youth Team to engage individuals aged 14 to 24 who are interested in supporting its mission. 3

    Staff

    As of August 2025, Justin Boyan was the president of Climate Action Rhode Island.4 Jeff Migneault led Climate Action Rhode Island as its executive director.5

    Caitlin Sanford assumed the role of co-executive director at Climate Action Rhode Island in 2023.6

    Campaigns

    Three months after Climate Action Rhode Island was founded, CARI led a rally at the 2017 National Governors Association meeting to demand a 100 percent transition to weather-dependent energy, a ban on fossil fuel infrastructure, and the implementation of a carbon tax in Rhode Island.7

    The nonprofit also held a protest in October 2017 in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to stop three of its scientists from speaking at a climate change workshop in Providence.8

    In 2023, CARI members staged a protest outside a Chase Bank branch in Barrington, Rhode Island, to highlight the bank’s role in financing conventional energy.9

    In 2025, CARI partnered with other left-wing organizations and labor unions like the Providence Student Union and Rhode Island AFL-CIO to launch the “Save RIPTA” campaign. 10 The RIPTA (Rhode Island Public Transit Authority) campaign advocated adopting Appropriation Bill S342, which aimed to cover RIPTA’s projected operating deficit for fiscal year 2026. Following a $15 million bailout to RIPTA in the previous year, the bill was recommended for further study by the Senate.11

    The nonprofit also collaborated with 350.org on a “#YesToWind” campaign, which advocated increased investment in offshore wind projects.12

    During the 2024 election cycle, CARI endorsed Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Representative Seth Magaziner (D-RI), while also supporting CARI volunteers who canvassed for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania.13

    In May 2025, CARI partnered with the Rhode Island Voting Access Coalition (RIVAC) to file a petition opposing the SAVE Act, which would require voters to prove citizenship. RIVAC is a coalition of over thirty left-of-center organizations in Rhode Island, including the Latino Policy Institute and the Rhode Island AFL-CIO.14

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    References

    1. “About Climate Action RI.” 350.org. Accessed August 16, 2025. https://world.350.org/rhodeisland/about/.
    2. Lhowe, Mary. “Climate Action Group Invites All Rhode Islanders to Fight Climate Change.” ecoRI News, March 19, 2025. https://ecori.org/climate-action-group-invites-all-rhode-islanders-to-fight-climate-change/.  
    3. 2025-2026 final state budget agreement – action network. Accessed August 1, 2025  https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/126/854/original/final_2025_cari-picnic_program-book.pdf.
    4. Justin Boyan – Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Accessed August 1, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/boyan
    5. Ahlquist, Steve. A funeral for the 19 bills endorsed by Climate Action Rhode Island this year that did not pass, July 1, 2025. https://steveahlquist.substack.com/p/a-funeral-for-the-19-bills-endorsed
    6. “Caitlin Sanford – Speed & Scale.” LinkedIn. Accessed July 31, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlin-sanfords-curious/
    7. Brookins, Avory. “RI Environmental Activists Rally for More Aggressive Climate Action during Nga Meeting.” TPR: The Public’s Radio, December 5, 2023. https://thepublicsradio.org/article/ri-environmental-activists-rally-more-aggressive-climate-action-during-nga-meeting/#stream/0
    8. Beavers, Olivia. “EPA Cancels Climate-Change Talk to Be Delivered by Agency Scientists.” The Hill, October 23, 2017. https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/356623-epa-cancels-climate-change-talk-by-agency-scientists-report/
    9. “Cari Members and Local Citizens Protest Fossil Fuel Funder Chase Bank.” Climate Action RI • 350 RI. Accessed July 31, 2025. https://world.350.org/rhodeisland/cari-members-and-local-citizens-protest-fossil-fuel-funder-chase-bank/
    10. “Save Ripta.” Providence Streets Coalition, July 31, 2025. https://pvdstreets.org/save-ripta/
    11. Ahlquist, Steve. “Public Transportation Needs Funding, and the Save Ripta Coalition Has Ideas. Will the General Assembly Come Through?” Public transportation needs funding, and the Save RIPTA Coalition has ideas. Will the General Assembly come through?, March 3, 2025. https://steveahlquist.substack.com/p/public-transportation-needs-funding
    12. “Yes to Wind.” Climate Action RI • 350 RI. Accessed August 3, 2025. https://world.350.org/rhodeisland/yes-to-wind/
    13. final_2025_cari-picnic_program-book. Accessed August 1, 2025.  https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/126/854/original/final_2025_cari-picnic_program-book.pdf
    14. “Coalition Urges Sens. Reed, Whitehouse to Oppose Anti-Voter Save Act.” Common Cause Rhode Island. Accessed July 31, 2025. https://www.commoncause.org/rhode-island/press/coalition-urges-sens-reed-whitehouse-to-oppose-anti-voter-save-act/