The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program is a place-based initiative that primarily supports nonprofits in the Massachusetts counties where Cummings Foundation operates commercial properties.
Donor Name: Cummings Foundation
State: Massachusetts
County: Middlesex County (MA), Essex County (MA), Norfolk County (MA) and Suffolk County (MA)
City/Town: Selected Cities and Towns
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/08/2023
Size of the Grant: $30 million
Details:
Priority Funding Areas
The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program is a place-based initiative that primarily supports nonprofits in the Massachusetts counties where Cummings Foundation operates commercial properties and where most staff and clients of Cummings Foundation and Cummings Properties live—Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk counties, plus six communities in Norfolk County: Brookline, Dedham, Milton, Needham, Quincy, and Wellesley. Applicants should be truly local organizations that are not only headquartered in but also provide at least 50 percent of their services in this area. In addition, all funding requests should focus exclusively on operations within this priority geographic area.
Special consideration is given to nonprofits based in the 11 cities and towns where the Cummings organization operates commercial real estate. The Foundation may also gives such consideration to organizations that are based elsewhere in the priority geographic area and propose introducing programming or services in one or more of these 11 communities, especially Woburn.
Nonprofits that meet these criteria and provide some services statewide, or even in adjacent states, are eligible for consideration. Given the strong local nature of this funding program, however, organizations that are truly regional, national, or international (or have staff or offices in other states) will typically not be considered even if they meet the 50 percent threshold for services. In addition, local office/affiliates of national organizations will not be considered, even if they meet the 50 percent threshold, unless they have their own EIN.
Priority Funding Causes
The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program funds a wide variety of local causes, especially those related to human services, social justice, education, and healthcare. While not in any way minimizing the value or importance of organizations focused on the arts (including dance, music, and theater), culture, environment, athletics, or the preservation of land or historic buildings, these areas are not among this program’s priorities. Additionally, animal welfare organizations are not typically considered for these grants, as the Foundation already supports animals in a significant way through the ongoing fulfillment of a more than $80 million commitment to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Nonprofits working in animal welfare may, however, apply for funding through the Felicia Rose Grant Program if they meet that initiative’s eligibility requirements.
To ensure that funds benefit a wide variety of causes, the Foundation limits the number of grants awarded each year to independent organizations affiliated with the same national organization (e.g., Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA).
Ineligibility
The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program will not generally consider requests for:
- Endowments
- Medical research
- Private foundations
- Religious endeavors
- Relatively new entities
- Political, legislative, or lobbying organizations
- Individuals or debt reduction, no matter how worthy
- Major capital campaigns, unless very near completion
- Primary and secondary schools that charge significant tuition
- Very large organizations already supported by robust endowments
- Organizations that are not classified as public charities under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Code
- National or regional organizations, or local branches thereof, that do not have an EIN separate from that of the larger entity
- Organizations that discriminate based on race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, etc
- Municipalities (with the exception of public schools), except for the 11 communities in which the Cummings organization operates commercial properties.
For more information, visit Cummings Foundation.
