Grant and Funding Programs Offered by James H. Cummings Foundation Inc.

The James H. Cummings Foundation is a charitable, not-for-profit corporation created in 1962 to carry out the philanthropic wishes of its founder, James H. Cummings. Based in New York State, the Foundation concentrates its giving in three communities closely linked to the founder’s life and work: Buffalo (NY), Toronto (ON), and Hendersonville (NC). It provides structured grant funding to tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations whose missions align with its guidelines.

The Foundation focuses on advancing medical research, science, and post-secondary medical education in Buffalo and Hendersonville, and on medical research in Toronto. It also funds services for vulnerable children and children with disabilities aimed at improving high school graduation rates, particularly through quality out-of-school and early childhood programs. In Buffalo and Hendersonville, it further supports services that help older adults and vulnerable adults maintain independent, healthy, and active lives, ideally remaining in their own homes.

Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations. In line with the founder’s will and policies adopted by the Board of Directors, priority is given to capital projects. The Foundation does not fund individuals, scholarships, fellowships, salaries, routine operating expenses, program costs, deficit financing, contingency reserves, or endowments, and it does not make grants to national organizations. Applicants must submit audited financial statements with their proposals.

The Cummings Foundation operates a formal grantmaking process centered on an online portal. All applications begin with a Letter of Intent (LOI) submitted through this system. The Board of Directors meets four times per year to review applications, and requests for Buffalo, Toronto, and Hendersonville are scheduled at different points in the annual cycle. Foundation staff conduct site visits for all approved grant requests to better understand project impact and organizational capacity.

When funding is awarded, grantees request payment by uploading proof of paid expenditures through the online portal, generally in installments of at least $5,000 where feasible. At the end of a grant, recipient organizations must submit a final report outlining how funds were spent and describing outcomes achieved. This emphasis on accountability helps guide future funding decisions.

The Foundation showcases many supported initiatives—from pediatric transplant research at SickKids in Toronto to community health, food security, and social service projects in Buffalo and Hendersonville—through detailed impact stories. These examples illustrate its ongoing commitment to medical innovation, educational opportunity, and support for vulnerable populations, while promoting equity and inclusion regardless of race, religion, abilities, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.