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Cummings Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$50.0M
Grant Range
$30K - $1.0M
Decision Time
11mo
Success Rate
21%

Cummings Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $50+ million per year; $600+ million awarded to date
  • Total Assets: $4+ billion (primarily commercial real estate)
  • Success Rate: ~50% of full application invitees; ~21% overall (150 grants from 700+ LOIs)
  • Decision Time: ~10 months (July LOI to June awards)
  • Grant Range: $30,000 - $1,000,000 (over 3-10 years)
  • Geographic Focus: Eastern Massachusetts (Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, and select Norfolk County communities)

Contact Details

  • Website: www.cummingsfoundation.org
  • Phone: (781) 935-8000
  • Address: 200 West Cummings Park, Woburn, MA 01801
  • Email: Not publicly listed; contact via phone or website contact form
  • Note: The Foundation does not hold informational or relationship-building meetings

Overview

Cummings Foundation Inc was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings of Winchester, Massachusetts, originally as Cummings Properties Foundation. It became an operating foundation and changed its name to Cummings Foundation, Inc. in 2002. With assets exceeding $4 billion—primarily consisting of commercial real estate donated by the founders and managed pro bono by Cummings Properties—it is now one of the three largest private foundations in New England.

The Foundation operates on "The Cummings Way," an unconventional business philosophy where 100% of rental profits from all Cummings-owned buildings goes to local nonprofits. The founders joined The Giving Pledge in 2011, having already donated over 90% of their wealth. To date, the Foundation has awarded more than $600 million to greater Boston nonprofits and now distributes at least $50 million annually. The Foundation also operates two nonprofit senior living communities: New Horizons at Marlborough and New Horizons at Choate in Woburn.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Cummings $30 Million Grant Program (annual)

  • Three-Year Grants: 125 grants of $30,000–$300,000 each (annual installments of $10,000–$100,000)
  • Ten-Year Grants: 25 grants of $300,000–$1,000,000 each (available only to prior Cummings grantees)
  • Application Method: Online Letter of Inquiry (LOI), invitation to full application for select applicants

Priority Areas

  • Human Services: Housing and food security, anti-poverty, employment training, assistance for foreign-born residents, legal assistance, senior citizens, strong families/communities
  • Fairness and Justice: Anti-hate, opportunity gap remediation, social justice
  • Education: K-12, mentoring/tutoring, out-of-school time programs, college access
  • Healthcare: Community health clinics, mental health services, support for people with physical or intellectual limitations
  • Environment: Environmental education, equitable access to outdoor spaces, recycling/waste reduction, sustainable agriculture and food systems

What They Don't Fund

  • Athletics, arts, culture, historic preservation, and animal welfare
  • Endowments and major capital campaigns
  • Medical research
  • Organizations with robust existing endowments
  • Religious, political, or regional/national/international organizations
  • Organizations with offices or services outside Massachusetts (with limited Merrimack Valley/Southern New Hampshire exception)
  • Local offices/affiliates of regional or national organizations without their own EIN

Governance and Leadership

Founders

  • Bill Cummings: Co-founder (since 1986), born 1937 in Somerville, MA; Tufts University graduate; former charter trustee of Tufts University; founder of three community newspapers
  • Joyce Cummings: Co-founder (since 1986); past president of Winchester's En Ka Society; former trustee of Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Key Staff

  • Joyce Vyriotes: Executive Director (trustee since 2021)
  • Andrew Bishop: Deputy Director

Board of Trustees (23 members)

The board includes six college presidents and leaders from finance, law, medicine, real estate, and other fields. No trustees receive compensation. Notable members include:

  • Dennis Clarke, Chairman and CEO, Cummings Properties
  • Eric Anderson, President, Cummings Properties
  • Jim Yong Kim, M.D., Ph.D., former president of Dartmouth College and World Bank
  • Sunil Kumar, Ph.D., President, Tufts University
  • Agnes Binagwaho, M.D., Ph.D., former Rwandan Minister of Health
  • Carol Fulp, CEO, Fulp Diversity
  • Robert Keefe, JD, WilmerHale Senior Counsel

Quote from Bill Cummings

"We reject the phrase 'give until it hurts.' The better advice is to give until it feels good, and then keep on giving."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Letter of Inquiry (LOI): Submit via online portal only at CummingsFoundation.org/grants
  2. Review Process: LOIs reviewed by Foundation staff and ~100 community volunteers
  3. Full Application Invitation: Select applicants invited to submit full applications
  4. Ten-Year Consideration: Some applicants invited to make 45-minute presentations

2025-2026 Grant Cycle Timeline

  • July 15: LOI portal opens
  • September 17: LOI deadline (5:00 PM)
  • Week of November 3: Full application invitations sent
  • January 14, 2026: Full applications due (5:00 PM)
  • Week of April 20: Ten-year grant presentation invitations sent
  • Week of May 11: Ten-year grant presentations
  • June 1: Award notifications
  • June 25: Grant Winner Celebration

Decision Timeline

  • Total Process: Approximately 10 months from LOI submission to award notification
  • Notification Method: Email (add administrator@grantinterface.com and @cummings.com to approved senders)

Success Rates

  • Approximately 700+ LOIs received annually
  • 150 grants awarded (approximately 21% of total applicants)
  • Approximately 50% of organizations invited to submit full applications receive grants
  • The Foundation makes space each year for first-time grantees, meaning many previous winners are declined

Reapplication Policy

  • Declined Applicants: No waiting period; may reapply the following year (review guidelines carefully first)
  • Three-Year Grant Recipients: May submit new LOI during summer of final grant installment year
  • Ten-Year Grant Recipients: Must wait one year after final installment before reapplying
  • Current Grantees: Generally cannot receive new grants until current grant is fulfilled

Application Success Factors

What Cummings Foundation Looks For

From their FAQ and application guidance:

  • Be concise: Clear, concise writing is appreciated given the high volume of applications
  • Be different: Explain what makes your organization uniquely effective or how it addresses unmet needs
  • Be cost-effective: Demonstrate fiscal responsibility and resource maximization
  • Be jargon-free: Write for lay audiences with varying backgrounds
  • Be concrete: Use "hard numbers and specifics over rhetoric and hyperbole"
  • Be early: Submit before the final deadline to stand out

Budget Guidance

  • Requested amounts should generally not exceed 20% of the organization's average annual revenue
  • "Overhead" expenses (rent, phone, administrative salaries) are acceptable—detail in budget template rather than as a percentage
  • In 2024, winners requested $39 million total; staff reduced by $9 million to stay within budget

Free Application Support

Cummings Coaches Program: Small nonprofits requesting three-year grants with annual installments of $25,000 or less may be eligible for free assistance in developing their LOI

Post-Award Requirements

  • Annual impact reports due April 15 (February 28 after final payment)
  • Site visits in years following final two disbursements of 3-year grants
  • Annual site visits for 10-year grants
  • Public acknowledgment must include "Cummings Foundation" with link to CummingsFoundation.org

Recent Grant Examples (2024)

  • Esperanza Academy (Lawrence): $500,000 ten-year grant for math teacher and education enrichment
  • Bread & Roses Community Kitchen: $750,000 for emergency pantry program
  • L'Arche Boston North (Haverhill): $500,000 for community cafe for adults with intellectual disabilities
  • Daily Table: $400,000 ten-year grant
  • F.U.S.E. Preschool: $225,000 three-year grant

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Geographic eligibility is strict: Organizations must be headquartered in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, or select Norfolk County communities with no offices outside Massachusetts

  2. Multi-year funding provides stability: Three-year grants up to $300,000 and ten-year grants up to $1,000,000 offer significant financial stability for recipients

  3. Volunteer-driven selection democratizes decisions: More than two-thirds of grants are determined by community volunteers, so write for lay audiences

  4. Prior grantees compete with new applicants: The Foundation makes space for first-time grantees, meaning previous winners are frequently declined

  5. Overhead costs are acceptable: Unlike many funders, Cummings will fund general operating expenses—detail these in your budget

  6. Small organizations can get free help: The Cummings Coaches program provides no-cost LOI development assistance for organizations requesting $25,000 or less annually

  7. Submit early and be concrete: Use hard numbers and specifics; clear, jargon-free writing stands out among 700+ applications

References

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