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Summer of Soccer Rhode Island Small Business Village

Vendor Application & Expression of Interest

Providence Place Mall | June 4 - August 30, 2026

Coordinated by Skills for Rhode Island's Future

For more information, please contact Cecilia Pirotto: Soccer2026@skillsforri.com or the RI Small Business HUB: risbHUB@skillsforri.com

FIFA World Cup 26 is one of the most anticipated global events of the decade, and SkillsRI is excited to help you showcase your unique products and offerings. Providence is being positioned as a vibrant fan zone destination, creating an inclusive space where residents, visitors, and local businesses can come together to celebrate this global moment. This presents an exceptional opportunity to be part of a once-in-a-generation event that will bring international attention, energy, and visibility to our city.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The 2026 World Cup will bring unprecedented visibility to Rhode Island. This is your opportunity to:

Showcase your business
Reach new customers
Be part of a defining moment for our state

The RI Small Business Village is a curated retail activation designed to feature 100+ Rhode Island small businesses in a professionally-managed environment within Providence Place Mall.

Vendors will have the opportunity to sell products, engage customers and participate in a high-traffic retail setting during one of the busiest tourism periods in the state's history.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: PLANNING & EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

The RI Small Business Village at Providence Place Mall is currently in the final planning and fundraising phase.

This application serves as an Expression of Interest and is intended to help Skills for Rhode Island's Future (SkillsRI) assess demand from small businesses across the state. Responses will directly inform ongoing conversations with sponsors, funders, and partners as we work to bring this opportunity to life.

Please note: Submission of this application does not guarantee participation. Final decisions regarding activation of the space will be made on an ongoing basis, pending confirmation of funding and operational feasiblity.

WHY THIS MOMENT MATTERS

Providence has been designated as a Official FIFA Fan Zone city, with major activations planned at Station Park--directly across from Providence Place Mall.

In addition to World Cup-related activity, Rhode Island will experience an unprecedented convergence of events, including:

International team presence, including the Ghana National Team
The arrival of the Scottish Tartan Army
Independence Day and America's 250th celebrations
Providence Fest and Pride event
Regularly scheduled WaterFire activations

We anticipate:

Hotels at or near capacity
High-volume, sustained foot traffic through June and July
Providence Place Mall serving as a central hub of visitor engagement

OUR INTENT

SkillsRI, in partnership with Providence Place Mall and statewide partners, is working to activate a Small Business Shopping Village that ensures Rhode Island entrepreneurs are positioned to benefit from this surge in economic activity.

Our goal is to create an experience that is:

Affordable and accessible to small businesses
High-quality and professionally curated
Engaging, interactive, and memorable for visitors

WHY YOUR APPLICATION MATTERS

Your response will help us:

Demonstrate demand to sponsors and foundations
Refine the scale and design of the Village
Advocate for resources that directly support small businesses

This application is a critical step in helping us make the case that Rhode Island's small business community is ready--and eager-- to participate in this moment.

IMPORTANT DATES

Application Deadline: Rolling
Vendor Notifications: Ongoing
Move-In Period: Ongoing
Soft Opening: June 4, 2026
Peak Activity Begins: June 9, 2026
Sub-lease Payment Due Dates: Payment dates are negotiable to ensure this opportunity is accessible. Selected vendors will finalize payment arrangements once the sublease agreements are signed.

BUSINESS INFORMATION

Business Name

Business Owner First Name

Business Owner Last Name

Email Address

Cell Phone Number (please add a phone number that allows for texting / WhatsApp)

Business Address

Business City

Business State

Business Zipcode

Business Website URL

Business Social Media Handles or URLs

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Please describe the products you plan to sell (a brief overview including materials, pricing, uniqueness, and origin)

Are your products made in Rhode Island?

YesNo

Please upload product photos (3-10 photos required).

Please ensure photos are either .png or .jpg files. Note: photos must not exceed 30MB total for all files uploaded.

SUB-LEASE POP-UP PARTICIPATION OPTIONS

Option 1: Vendor Booth | Market Space
Located within the Village Market (formerly Banana Republic)
Designed for business that can independently staff and manage a traditional retail environment.

Participation rates (you may pay at the end of each month):

1 Month - $500
2 Months - $850
3 Months: $1,350

Vendor Booth Expectations:

Vendors are responsible for:

Full booth staffing during all mall operating hours
Inventory management and restocking
Daily setup, organization, and presentation standards

Vendors should anticipate sustained, high-volume foot traffic and ensure adequate inventory levels throughout their participation period.

Option 2: Artisan Village | Curated Display Galleries

Designed for jewelry, fine art, pottery, leather goods, handmade accessories, and other small-format artisan products.

Located within the curated gallery environments in Spaces 3285 and 3060, the Artisan Village is intended to create a more elevated, boutique-style shopping experience featuring Rhode Island makers and artists.

Participation rates (you may pay at the end of each month):

1 Month: $400
2 Months: $650
3 Months: $900 (Best Value)

Artisan Village Model

Unlike the traditional Vendor Booth format, the Artisan Village operates a more collaborative and curated retail environment.

The Artisan Village may feature approximately 20-35 vendors within a shared gallery-style space
Products will be displayed using shelving, cases, wall displays, and curated merchandising rather than standard tabling setups
Staffing will operate through a shared cooperative model

Staffing Structure

Staffing for the artisan village will include:

Participating business commits to one 8-hour shift a week at a time of your convenience.
SkillsRI float staff providing operational support at no cost to the business owners.
Shared customer engagement and oversight throughout the day

Minimum Staffing Requirements

The Artisan Village will maintain:

2 staff members daily (Monday - Wednesday)
3 staff members daily (Thursday - Sunday)

All staffing coverage will align with traditional Providence Place Mall Operating hours.

Additional Support

Because Artisan Village spaces may feature:

Fine jewelry
Original artwork
Higher-value handcrafted goods

SkillsRI will provide:

Additional operational oversight
Enhanced visual merchandising support
Supplemental security coordination

This model is specifically designed to support small artisan businesses that may not independently have the staffing capacity to operate seven days per week in a traditional retail environment, while still maintaining a polished, high-end customer experience.

Sub-Lease Pop-Up Participation Options

Participation Rates

STAFFING PLAN

Providence Place Mall operates 7 days per week, and all participating vendors are expected to maintain consistent operational coverage during mall hours. Please review the staffing expectations below and describe how your business intends to support its participation.

Vendor Booths
Businesses applying for a traditional Vendor Booth within the Village Market are responsible for providing their own staffing coverage during all operational hours.

Your staffing plan should include:

Who will staff the booth
Number of staff available
Coverage strategy for evenings and weekends
Break coverage and scheduling approach

Vendors should anticipate sustained foot traffic and extended customer engagement throughout the summer season.

Artisan Village (Shared Gallery Spaces)

Businesses applying for the Artisan Village will participate in a more collaborative staffing model. Because Artisan Village spaces are curated gallery-style environments featuring multiple small businesses within a shared footprint:

SkillsRI will coordinate a shared staffing schedule
Vendors must commit to one 8-hour shift a week on a day of your convenience.

The Artisan Village model is specifically designed to support artisan businesses that may not independently have the staffing capacity to operate seven days per week.

Need help with staffing?
SkillsRI may be able to assist vendors in sourcing temporary retail support staff for the summer season. Costs of actual temporary staff will be the responsibility of the vendor, not SkillsRI.

Yes, I may need help identifying temporary staff.No, I have adequate staffing capacity.

Additional SkillsRI Operational Support
SkillsRI will provide floating operational support staff throughout the Village. These staff members are intended to support the overall experience and should not be calculated as part of your staffing plan.

Floating staff may assist with:

Break coverage
Customer service triage
General oversight and support
Vendor coordination
Security concerns and issue escalation
Moving and logistical assistance

Please note: SkillsRI float staff are not intended to operate or independently manage vendor booths. Participating businesses remain responsible for ensuring their space is appropriately staffed and operational at all required times.

Please describe your staffing approach
Include staffing availability, team size, scheduling strategy, and any support needed.

INVENTORY & SUPPLY CAPACITY

Please describe your inventory plan. Include initial inventory levels, restocking strategy and ability to scale during high-demand periods.

Point of Sale System

Do you have a point of sale (POS) system?

YesNo

Will you need support setting up and managing a point of sale (POS) system?

YesNo

LIVE DEMONSTRATION INTEREST

Are you interested in doing a live demonstration?

YesNo

If yes, please describe your proposed demonstration

FOOD VENDORS (IF APPLICABLE)

Food items must be:

Small-batch
Made in Rhode Island

Please describe your product and preparation approach:

ACCESS TO CAPITAL (OPTIONAL)

SkillsRI has partnered with local lenders to offer lines of credit up to $10,000 with decisions made in as little as 7 days. Are you interested in learning more?

Yes, I am interested.No

BRAND & DESIGN GUIDELINES

The RI Small Business Village is a curated retail experience, not a traditional vendor market. Expectations include:

Clean, organized, and cohesive displays
Neutral, elevated presentation
No clutter or visible storage
No handwritten signage

Aesthetic

Think:

Boutique retail
Gallery-quality presentation
Elevated marketplace

Not acceptable:

Flea market presentation
Overcrowded tables
Inconsistent or informal setups

SkillsRI will provide unified branding elements including signage and visual guidelines.

FINAL QUESTION

Why do you want to participate in the RI Small Business Village?

Acknowledgements

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I understand this is a curated and competitive selection process.

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I understand that submission of this application does not guarantee acceptance into the RI Small Business Village.

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I agree to comply with all operational, visual merchandising, and branding standards established by SkillsRI and Providence Place Mall.

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I understand that participating vendors are responsible for maintaining adequate inventory levels and operational readiness throughout their participation period.

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I understand the staffing expectations associated with my selected participation format and agree to maintain required staffing coverage during all operational hours.

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I understand that SkillsRI floating support staff are supplemental operational resources and are not intended to replace required vendor staffing responsibilities.

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I understand and agree to all financial responsibilities associated with participation, including required lease fees and any optional expenses related to rentals, staffing support, display materials, equipment, or operational enhancements requested by my business.

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I certify that the information provided in this application is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.

By typing my name below, I certify that the information provided is true and correct and that this serves as my electronic signature.

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