Nathan Cummings Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Nathan Cummings Foundation, based in New York, NY, funds across the United States and Israel-Palestine, with priority given to the American South, so check your location fits before applying.
- Its focus is racial justice, economic justice, environmental justice and combating antisemitism, so proposals should align with these themes; it explicitly does not fund 501(c)(4) organisations, individuals, social or direct service projects that are not part of a larger advocacy strategy, fundraising events or galas, campus or prison-based programs, K-12 or religious or community arts education, religious communities, congregations and churches, community gardening or tree planting projects, conservation projects, or projects addressing diseases including medical research, personal health and wellness programs.
- A realistic request for many applicants would be modest, as half of its grants to organisations were $25,000 or less, though its stated programme tiers go higher: Venture Grants up to $100,000, Advancement Grants up to $250,000, Enterprise Grants from $250,000, and Program-Related Investments from $250,000 to $750,000.
- Applicants should submit a Letter of Inquiry through its portal, reviewed on a rolling basis, as individual introductory calls are unavailable.
- A large majority of its grant dollars went to organisations it had already funded previously, suggesting this is a relationship-led funder where new applicants should expect to build a track record over time rather than a large first grant.
Overview
Nathan Cummings Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation supports social change organisations with creative, catalytic solutions to climate change and inequality, alongside social entrepreneurs, civic leaders and networks or organisations pursuing a more just society. Its long-term, interconnected focus is racial, economic and environmental justice; it also treats antisemitism as inseparable from the broader fight against hatred. It uses grants, programme-related investments and non-financial resources to work with partners. Its place-based initiatives focus on the U.S. South and Israel-Palestine, where it seeks to support local change-makers and solutions. Proposals aligned with its justice goals and place-based work are especially encouraged.
Themes
- Racial justice
- Economic justice
- Environmental justice
- Combating antisemitism
Geographic Focus
United States; Israel-Palestine. Priority: American South.
What They Don't Fund
- 501(c)(4) organizations
- Individuals
- Social or direct service projects that are not a part of a larger advocacy strategy. For example, we do not support direct services (e.g. cash transfer, work development programs, food and education services, housing assistance, etc.)
- Fundraising events, sponsorships, panel requests, or galas
- Campus or prison-based programs
- K-12, extra-curricular, religious, or community arts education programming
- Religious communities, congregations, and churches
- Community gardening and tree planting projects
- Conservation projects
- Projects addressing diseases, including medical research, personal health, and wellness program
How to apply
Organisations can submit a Letter of Inquiry through the portal; grant and programme-related investment proposals use the same portal. Letters of Inquiry are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 72% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 857 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation seeks innovative partners and proximate change makers who are driving impact.
- Successful proposals align with its racial, economic and environmental justice goals, with particular interest in work in the U.S. South.
- Entrepreneur support organisations should show clear strategies to expand access to competitively priced public and private capital for historically marginalised groups in their geographic focus areas.
- Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the available information to determine whether their project is a good fit; individual introductory calls are unavailable.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 12%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 12%
- The largest single recipient received 6% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 72% of grant dollars went to organisations Nathan Cummings Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 24% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 281 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $30,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- New Israel Fund · General support$800,0002024 tax year
- Social Good Fund · Rise up: nourishing the soul of jewish justice$250,0002024 tax year
- Panorama Global · Hyphen partnerships' initiative for inclusive entrepreneurship$250,0002024 tax year
- Institute for Local Self-Reliance · General support$250,0002024 tax year
- Bend the Arc - A Jewish Partnership for Justice · General support$250,0002024 tax year
- Regents of the University of Colorado · First peoples worldwide$225,0002024 tax year
- Minneapolis Foundation · Groundbreak coalition$200,0002024 tax year
- Climate Justice Alliance · General support$200,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- MR Phillip Sorensen — Trustee
- MS Gabriella Morris — Trustee
- MR Rich Deitchman — Trustee
- MS Ruth Cummings — Trustee
- MS Roberta Cummings — Trustee
- MR James Cummings — Trustee
- MS Melissa Bradley — Trustee
- MR Jarrett Barrios — Trustee
- MR Daniel Tellalian — Trustee
- MS Alice Rhee — Trustee
- MR Adam N Cummings — Treasurer, Trustee
- MS Rebecca Gregg — Secretary, Trustee
- MS Amy Sorensen — Vice Chair, Trustee
- MS Jaimie Mayer — Chair, Trustee
- MR Nealon Devore — Chief Of Staff & Board Liason
- MR Bob Bancroft — VP, Finance & Mission Investing
- MR Reynard Ramsey — President & CEO
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $31,224,441 | $19,325,636 | $460,415,201 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $26,783,948 | $17,435,650 | $470,838,848 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $30,885,327 | $16,604,500 | $482,551,138 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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Applying to Nathan Cummings Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required