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Gov.Charlie Baker addresses the crowd at TradeCenter 128 in Woburn during the awarding of $10 million in grants from The Cummings Foundation. Photo courtesy of The Cummings Foundation
The charitable arm of one of Boston’s biggest commercial real estate development and leasing firms gave away $10 million to local nonprofits last week.
The Cummings Foundation announced the grants as part of its “$100K for 100” program in a ceremony at at TradeCenter 128 in Woburn attended by Governor Charlie Baker and the foundation’s founders, Joyce and Bill Cummings.
One of the three largest private foundations in New England, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the areas where it owns commercial buildings, all of which are managed on a pro bono basis by its affiliate, Cummings Properties. Founded in 1970 by Bill Cummings of Winchester, the Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages 10 million square feet of space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the foundation.
The crowd of more than 300 included representatives of all 100 nonprofit recipients, as well as Cummings Foundation staff, trustees and volunteer Grant Selection Committee members. The 100 grant-winning organizations were chosen from 574 applicants during a competitive review process. Each nonprofit will receive $100,000, with most awards being paid over two to five years.
Launched in 2012, the annual $100K for 100 program supports nonprofits that are not only based in but also primarily serve Middlesex, Essex and Suffolk counties. This year, the program is benefiting 37 different cities and towns within the commonwealth.
The diverse group of grant recipients represents a wide variety of causes, including homelessness prevention, affordable housing, education, violence prevention, and food insecurity. The complete list of grant winners is available at CummingsFoundation.org.
In May, the Foundation gave an additional $15 million in grants to 50 nonprofits—all of which were previous $100K for 100 winners. Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $250 million to local nonprofits.
“By having such a local focus, we aim to make a meaningful positive difference in the communities where our colleagues and leasing clients live and work,” Joel Swets, Cummings Foundation’s executive director, said in a statement. “We are most grateful for the nonprofit organizations that assist and empower our neighbors, and we are proud to support their efforts.”
