Cummings $30 Million Grant Program

The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program will allocate $30 million to 150 local nonprofits in the Greater Boston area in 2026. This program primarily supports organizations focused on human services, social justice, education, healthcare, and environmental initiatives. Eligible applicants must be based in specific Massachusetts counties and provide services within those areas. The program does not fund requests related to the arts, culture, or animal welfare, ensuring resources are directed to pressing community needs.

NOTE:
All LOIs should be written with a three-year grant in mind. Prior Cummings grant winners will automatically be considered for 10-year awards after the 150 winners have been determined.Small nonprofits requesting three-year grants with installments of $25,000 or less may be eligible for assistance in developing their LOI through the no-cost Cummings Coaches program.
Cummings Foundation has awarded more than $600 million to date in greater Boston. In 2026, it will grant an additional $30 million. These funds will be shared by 150 local-area nonprofits and will be awarded as multi-year grants, to be paid over either three or 10 years.
Priority Funding Causes
The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program funds a wide variety of local causes related to:

• Human services

housing and food security, anti-poverty, disabilities, employment training, immigrant/refugee assistance, legal assistance, senior citizens, strong families/communities, youth activities/services
Social justice
equity, anti-hate, opportunity gap remediation, representation
Education
K-12/college, mentoring/tutoring, out-of-school time, complementary programs
The Environment
environmental education, equitable access to outdoor spaces, recycling/waste reduction, sustainable agriculture and food systems (This program does not currently consider requests for research, land preservation, and large capital projects)

Eligibility

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, and Suffolk counties, plus six communities in Norfolk County: Brookline, Dedham, Milton, Needham, Quincy, and Wellesley.All funding requests should focus exclusively on operations within geographic areas listed above. Organizations that are based and provide their services in the Foundation’s geographic priority area, but serve people whose primary residences fall outside it are eligible to apply (e.g., nonprofits that provide transportation or housing for individuals receiving medical care in Boston, and programs that bring students from other regions to greater Boston for educational opportunities).Cummings aims to support truly local organizations. Accordingly, an applicant must:Be headquartered in the geographic areas listed above Provide the majority of its services in the geographic areas listed above. Not maintain offices or provide services outside Massachusetts (with the exception of Merrimack Valley nonprofits that also serve Southern New Hampshire) Not be regional, national, or international (even if based locally) Not be a local office/affiliate of a regional or national organization, unless it has its own EINPlease see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Ineligibility

This grant program is not currently considering requests related to the causes below, although we recognize their value and importance.The arts (including dance, music, and theater)CultureThe preservation of land or historic buildingsAnimal welfareThe Cummings $30 Million Grant Program will not generally consider requests for:Endowments 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 seek to infringe on civil liberties or personal freedoms 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