The Cummings Fund will consider up to TWO alternative requests for funding at any given time from any one applicant organization.  Organizations submitting one grant request should limit it to seven pages in length, and organizations submitting two alternative grant requests should present them in one combined proposal limited to ten pages in length, not including the cover letter and required appendices.

All submissions must be created in a 12-point font or greater, with at least 1-inch page margins, and include:

• A cover letter, signed by the Executive Director/CEO, which includes the title(s) of the project(s) being submitted for the Fund’s consideration together with the grant amount(s) being sought.
• A one-paragraph summary focusing upon each of the one or two projects (not focusing on the overall work of the organization or referencing previous grants) including the specific dollar amount requested and a concise description of the project(s). [Please refer to project descriptions in our “Recent Grants” section of this website for examples of summaries.].
• A brief description of the organization, including its mission and major program areas. If your organization has experienced any significant recent changes in leadership, staffing or financial condition, or if any are anticipated in the near future, please candidly include that information within this section.

Provide a detailed description of the one or two projects, including the following:

• The primary purpose of the project(s) and the need or problem that you are seeking to address;
• The population to be served, an indication of how they will be selected, the number to be served (please do not use percentages), and how they will benefit from the project;
• Specific and measurable goals of the project which the organization hopes to meet at the conclusion of the grant period, and the type of evaluation procedure(s) your organization will use to show the project has achieved its desired results;
• An indication of the relevance of the project(s) to the applicant organization’s mission and to its future plans; and
• An indication of plans to secure current and future funding for the program, and an explanation of how the project will move forward if full funding is not obtained.

Also include with the Grant Proposal described above the following Appendices:

• A full, itemized project budget which reflects the portion(s) of the budget being requested from The Cummings Fund;
• A listing of other prospective funders receiving the same grant request(s), the amounts requested, and the status;
• A listing of additional sources of funding for the project(s) and the amount of support from each source; and
• A job description if a request is to support a staff position, as well as a resume if the position has been filled.

All applicants should please attach each of the following items as separate documents in the email:

• Your most recent operating budget;
• Your most recent audited financial statement;
• Completed Cummings Fund Questionnaire (revised 8/21) [Download];
• List of Board of Directors with their respective work affiliations, if any;
• Your most recent 501(c)(3) determination letter; and
• Your most recent Form 990 tax return.

NOTE: Please email your one or two complete proposals by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 1, 2024.  Early submissions are greatly encouraged. If the Co-Trustees have an interest in further discussing your proposal(s), we will later request one complete paper copy, and a Zoom meeting will be scheduled at a mutually convenient time.