James H Cummings Foundation Inc
The James H Cummings Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Buffalo, New York. Organized in New York State in 1962, it supports nonprofit organizations in Buffalo, Toronto, and Hendersonville, North Carolina, with interests in medical research, science and post-secondary medical education, and services for vulnerable people.
James H Cummings Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: James H Cummings Foundation Inc gave $2.4M across 62 grants in 2025 (avg $39K), mostly in New York. 59% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,412,785
- -6.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 62
- +14.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $38,916
- -18.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,195
- Total assets
- $46,423,823
- +2.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 59% first-time grantees (34 of 58, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (78% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to James H Cummings Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Submit a letter of intent through the foundation’s online portal. Applicants must be tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations and provide audited financial statements.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing lists deadlines as the middle of the month preceding February, May, September, and December. The website notes that application dates are updated annually.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing lists deadlines as the middle of the month preceding February, May, September, and December.
- Contact
Application contact: Mary Jo Hunt
Mailing address: 120 West Tupper Street, Buffalo, NY 14201
Phone: (716) 874-0040
Website: https://jameshcummings.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James H Cummings Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was United Way of Henderson County ($200K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $994K.
Grant Size Distribution
251 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 155 grants of 251 (62%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated geographic focus includes Buffalo, New York; Hendersonville, North Carolina; and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its website specifies medical research, science, and post-secondary medical education in Buffalo and Hendersonville, and medical research in Toronto. In 2025, 78% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York and 18% to recipients in North Carolina; the filing lists the remaining 4% under an unspecified state.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 62 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is James H Cummings Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
59%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 34 of 58 grantees (59%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $33K; repeat grants $54K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $48K repeat.
- 26% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 54% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 116% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.6M (2020) to $2.6M (2024). In 2025 it made 62 grants totaling $2.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cradle Beach Angola, NY | Inclusive Swimming Pool Renovations | $115,600 |
| Research Foundation for SUNY at Ub Buffalo, NY | Flow Cytometry Equipment | $104,189 |
| Feedmore WNY of Buffalo Buffalo, NY | A Permanent Home for Feedmore | $100,000 |
| United Way of Henderson County Hendersonville, NC | Helene Emergency Response Rapid Home Inspection/Repairs | $100,000 |
| Ministry Seven Hendersonville, NC | Roof Replacement for Homeless Shelter | $87,297 |
| Brothers of Mercy Clarence, NY | Call Light Installation for Nursing Facility | $84,463 |
| Jacobs Institute Buffalo, NY | Expansion of Prototyping Capabilities in I2R Center | $80,196 |
| Adventhealth Hendersonville Hendersonville, NC | Adolescent Girls Recovery Center | $74,667 |
| Sinai Health Foundation | High Content Imaging System | $72,337 |
| Rahama Inc Buffalo, NY | Building Program Space & Ada Compliance | $67,871 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $46,423,823 | $2,249,288 | $2,892,364 | $2,412,785 | 62 | $2,640,254 | $2,060,111 | $2,268,265 |
| 2024 | $45,318,217 | $4,066,178 | $2,989,217 | $2,586,790 | 54 | $2,791,574 | $3,880,076 | $2,070,659 |
| 2023 | $40,430,917 | $1,359,053 | $2,604,793 | $2,212,078 | 48 | $2,401,093 | $1,179,585 | $1,988,289 |
| 2022 | $43,491,253 | $2,770,925 | $1,957,328 | $1,569,300 | 44 | $1,763,157 | $2,586,102 | $2,289,919 |
| 2021 | $47,906,753 | $1,922,237 | $2,441,926 | $2,077,047 | 43 | — | $1,677,636 | $2,043,149 |
| 2020 | $36,203,411 | $1,147,226 | $1,931,139 | $1,568,805 | 40 | — | $923,144 | $1,875,524 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James H Cummings Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated areas of focus include advancing medical research, science, and post-secondary medical education in Buffalo and Hendersonville, and medical research in Toronto. It also supports services for vulnerable children and children with disabilities, including quality out-of-school care and early care and education programs. For older and vulnerable adults, it supports services intended to help them maintain independent, healthy, and active lives, remaining in their own homes when possible.
The foundation funds tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. Its website gives priority to capital projects and excludes requests for individuals, scholarships or fellowships, salaries, ordinary operating expenses, program costs, deficit financing, contingency reserves, and endowments. Its 2024 filing says higher priority goes to projects not normally financed by public tax funds.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate a range of grantee missions. Cradle Beach says it creates safe, inclusive opportunities for individuals and families, with a focus on children with special needs and underserved people. Rahama says it empowers women experiencing domestic abuse through education, advocacy, support, and housing. Build Promise says it provides year-round and emergency shelter, along with access to health and social services through partner agencies.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 62 grants totaling $2,412,785. Grants ranged from $2,560 to $115,600, with a median of $30,195.
Among the largest 2025 awards were $115,600 to Cradle Beach for inclusive swimming pool renovations; $104,189 to the Research Foundation for SUNY at UB for flow cytometry equipment; $100,000 to FeedMore WNY for a permanent home; and $100,000 to United Way of Henderson County for rapid home inspections and repairs in response to Helene. Other notable awards included $87,297 to Ministry Seven for a homeless shelter roof replacement, $84,463 to Brothers of Mercy for a nursing-facility call-light installation, and $80,196 to Jacobs Institute to expand prototyping capabilities.
Applications begin with a letter of intent and are submitted through the foundation’s online portal. The foundation’s board meets four times a year, and requests for Buffalo, Toronto, and Hendersonville are reviewed at different times. Staff conduct site visits for accepted requests. Awardees must submit proof of paid expenditures to receive payment and, after the grant, a final report describing expenditures and evaluating outcomes. The website says that outstanding payments from a previous grant must be paid in full before a new request will be accepted.
The 2024 filing lists application materials including the organization’s name and address, current directors, tax-exempt certification, requested amount and specific purpose, expected accomplishments and project need, project budget, most recent audited financial statements, evidence of ability to complete the project, information about other foundation support sought or received, planned approaches to other foundations, and a cover letter signed by an organizational officer.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Charles F Kreiner Jr as president, Christopher T Greene as vice president, William L Joyce as treasurer, and Mary Jo Hunt as executive director and secretary. Directors listed are LaVonne Ansari PhD, Amy L Clifton, and Theodore I Putnam MD.
James H Cummings Foundation Inc is led by Charles F. Kreiner Jr., President on every filing since 2020; all 7 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Charles F. Kreiner Jr.
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$16K (2020) → $15K (2025)
Mary Jo Hunt
Executive Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$63K (2020) → $80K (2025)
Amy L. Clifton
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$13K (2020) → $15K (2025)
Theodore I. Putnam MD
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$13K (2020) → $15K (2025)
Lavonne Ansari PhD
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$14K (2024) → $15K (2025)
Christopher T. Greene
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$13K (2020) → $15K (2025)
William L. Joyce
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$13K (2020) → $15K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Richard C. Bryan Jr. (2020–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $80K, to Mary Jo Hunt (Executive Director and Secretary). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about James H Cummings Foundation Inc
How much does James H Cummings Foundation Inc give each year?
James H Cummings Foundation Inc gave $2.4M across 62 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.6M across 54 grants.
What is James H Cummings Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
James H Cummings Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $30,195, and its average grant was $38,916, across 62 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James H Cummings Foundation Inc that year got $33K on average.
Where does James H Cummings Foundation Inc give grants?
James H Cummings Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was North Carolina (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (40 grants), Hendersonville, NC (8 grants) and Tonawanda, NY (2 grants).
Does James H Cummings Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 62 grants with a stated purpose on James H Cummings Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are James H Cummings Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
James H Cummings Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include United Way of Henderson County ($200,000 across 3 grants), Cradle Beach ($115,600) and Research Foundation for SUNY at Ub ($104,189), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is James H Cummings Foundation Inc?
James H Cummings Foundation Inc reported $46.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James H Cummings Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated areas of focus include advancing medical research, science, and post-secondary medical education in Buffalo and Hendersonville, and medical research in Toronto. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James H Cummings Foundation Inc?
Submit a letter of intent through the foundation’s online portal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James H Cummings Foundation Inc's EIN?
James H Cummings Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-0864200. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James H Cummings Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-h-cummings-foundation-inc-morg_6dad556daf9b4871b06b7ad9788255f2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_160864200_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James H Cummings Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-h-cummings-foundation-inc-morg_6dad556daf9b4871b06b7ad9788255f2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from James H Cummings Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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