Ragguette Family Foundation

Reclaim, Foster, Flourish.

A double rainbow arching over a harbour of sailboats in St. Vincent

OUR MISSION

Where creativity becomes opportunity.

The Ragguette Family Foundation is guided by the belief that creative expression is a basic human right and a path to dignity, livelihood, and wellbeing. We build the skills, tools, and opportunities that let people turn creative talent into lasting livelihoods, especially in communities whose cultural heritage and economic potential have long been overlooked.

We work through direct engagement, contributing an estimated 40% of our time and approximately 20% of our personal resources to the initiatives we support. We charge no fees to the public. Funds go directly to the work: we pay artists and certified instructors to teach, provide honoraria to program directors, and buy the equipment and materials that make learning possible.

What we do

Ceramics Education & Certification

Hands-on instruction in traditional and contemporary ceramics, with formal certification that opens pathways to livelihood.

Art & Entrepreneurship

Training artists to turn creative skills into businesses and livelihoods.

Empowerment

Confidence, agency, and self-determination through skills and community.

Sustainability

Developing viable local materials and researching sustainable solutions.

Creative Policy & Collaboration

Building creative-sector policy and partnerships with governments, schools, and communities.

Who we work with

We work alongside youth, women, individuals with disabilities, and creatives building economic opportunity in their communities, to uplift and empower.

SIGNATURE INITIATIVE

Ceramics Education

From the ground up.

Clay is a natural and abundant resource in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Yet today, no fired ceramics are being made on the islands.

This initiative is sparking a clay movement. More than an art class, it is a reclamation: reviving ancient clay traditions that were nearly lost, on the community's own terms.

Through a ceramics program at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, we are installing professional equipment, training local artists, and building a ceramics tradition rooted in SVG's own clay, for cultural expression, economic independence, and new livelihoods.

SVGCC students with their professors in a schoolyard in St. Vincent — SVGCC students, with visiting professor Alison Ragguette and Professor Julae Delves, gather at a local school where they donated a mural.

Support the work

Your gift helps young artists learn ceramics with their own indigenous clay, putting tools and teaching in the hands of communities with abundant creativity and very few resources.

Donate

In Canada? Visit Canadian Friends →

The Ragguette Family Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible in the U.S. to the extent allowed by law. EIN 42-2406468.

Two clay rulers stamped 100% SVG beside twisted clay knots

GIVE EQUIPMENT

Donate equipment & materials

Manufacturers, studios, and potters can help by donating gear. Electrical equipment must run on St. Vincent power (230V, 50 Hz).

WHO WE ARE

The founders

W. Leslie Ragguette

PRESIDENT

Born in St. Vincent and raised in Canada, Leslie holds a BA in Psychology and an MS in Counselling, and has dedicated his 25-year career to working with youth with disabilities in educational, employment, and rehabilitation settings. He is committed to giving back to his homeland, sharing his experience to help Vincentians thrive.

Alison Ragguette

VICE PRESIDENT & PROJECT DIRECTOR

Born in the U.S. and raised in Canada, Alison is a Professor at California State University, San Bernardino, with over 20 years of teaching experience. A practicing artist, curator, and museum director, she brings expertise in ceramics, arts administration, and entrepreneurship.