The Cummings Foundation Awards the Blue Hill Observatory $75,000 Over Three Years
The Blue Hill Observatory is proud to announce it is a 2023 recipient of the esteemed “Cummings $30 Million Grant Program” supporting general operations in the amount of $75,000 distributed over 3-years.
Executive Director, Charles Orloff stated, “The Blue Hill Observatory’s staff and board of directors are honored to partner with the Cummings Foundation to engage the over 10,000 visitors that come to our National Historic Landmark and a Centennial Observing Station—1 of 11 in the country—each year for substantive programs focused on the history of meteorology and the weather and climate and their effects on the environment. Reliable general operating support over three years is critically important to The Observatory as it strives to maintain its annual operations and strategically grow. The Observatory is currently developing a five-year strategic growth plan that will leverage all of its scientific assets to enhance its programs and maximize their impact. We are deeply grateful to the Cummings Foundation for their understanding that general operations must be met before any other strategic initiatives can advance.”
At a reception on June 13, 2024 host by the Cummings Foundation all grantees had the opportunity to meet the foundation’s founders Joyce and Bill Cummings. MA Governor, Maura Healey, attended the event to personally thank the Cummings Foundation and their grantees for their commitment to serving others through the nonprofit sector.
The Blue Hill Observatory’s team and board with Joyce Cummings, Co-founder of the Cummings Foundation.
The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program primarily supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties, plus six communities in Norfolk County: Brookline, Dedham, Milton, Needham, Quincy, and Wellesley.
Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the areas where it owns commercial property. Its buildings are all managed, at no cost to the Foundation, by its affiliate, Cummings Properties. This Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages 11 million square feet of debt-free space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.
“Greater Boston is fortunate to have a robust, dedicated, and highly capable nonprofit sector that supports and enhances the community in myriad ways,” said Cummings Foundation executive director and trustee Joyce Vyriotes. “The entire Cummings organization is thankful for their daily work to help all our neighbors thrive.”
The majority of the grant decisions were made by nearly 100 community volunteers. They worked across a variety of committees to review and discuss the proposals and then, together, determine which requests would be funded. Among these community volunteers were business and nonprofit leaders, mayors, college presidents, and experts in areas such as finance and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion).
“We believe strongly that grant decisions will be more equitable when made by a diverse group of community members,” said Vyriotes. “We’re incredibly grateful to the dozens of individuals who participated in our democratized philanthropic process.”
The Foundation and volunteers first identified 150 organizations to receive three-year grants of up to $300,000 each. The winners included first-time recipients as well as nonprofits that had previously received Cummings grants. Twenty-five of this latter group of repeat recipients were then selected by a panel of community volunteers to have their grants elevated to 10-year awards ranging from $300,000 to $1 million each.
This year’s grant recipients represent a wide variety of causes, including housing and food insecurity, workforce development, immigrant services, social justice, education, and mental health services. The nonprofits are spread across 49 different cities and towns.
Cummings Foundation has now awarded $500 million to greater Boston nonprofits. The complete list of this year’s 150 grant winners, plus nearly 2,000 previous recipients, is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.
