Nathan Cummings Foundation
OVERVIEW: The Nathan Cummings Foundation supports organizations working in the areas of environmental justice, climate justice, economic justice, and racial justice in the Unites States and Israel.
IP TAKE: The Nathan Cummings Foundation, which is “rooted in the Jewish tradition of social justice,” is a major funder of progressive organizations in the U.S. It conducts all of its grantmaking through a social justice lens and is focused on “the long-term and interconnected goal of advancing racial, economic, and environmental justice (REEJ).” Cummings was an early adopter of committing all of its assets to impact investments, and has been willing to experiment in other ways, such as increasing its endowment payout and pledging to support grantees in myriad ways beyond just the grant. Inside Philanthropy writer Tate Williams once characterized Cummings as “a longtime progressive funder that’s been known to try and zig where others zag.”
This is a transparent funder with a list of grantees available online, along with detailed information about its grantmaking process. Cummings is also an accessible funder; unlike many large funders of its kind, Cummings regularly hosts open calls for letters of inquiry. Detailed information about the application process is available on Cummings’ “Funding FAQ” page.
PROFILE: The Nathan Cummings Foundation was established in 1949 by Nathan Cummings, the founder of international food conglomerate Sara Lee. Upon his death in 1985, Cummings left the majority of his estate to his foundation, which is “rooted in the Jewish tradition of social justice, working to create a more just, vibrant, sustainable and democratic society through our grantmaking in the United States and Israel.” Its current focus areas are Racial Justice, Environmental Justice, Economic Justice, and Israel. It also offers a fellowship for individuals “to turn an inspired idea in the field of social justice into a reality.”
Grants for Racial Justice, Criminal Justice Reform and Civic Engagement
The Nathan Cummings Foundation’s Racial Justice grantmaking works to “reimagine political, economic, and social systems in ways that allow all people to thrive, regardless of their racial identity.” It supports groups and programs that focus on increasing BIPOC and other marginalized communities’ civic engagement, reducing the racial wealth gap, and confronting white supremacy.
Past grantees include Action Center on Race and the Economy, Living Cities, and Vera Institute of Justice, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, Open Markets Institute, and First Peoples Investment Engagement Program.
Grants for Economic Development and Justice
The Economic Justice program works to ensure that “that everyone has opportunities to participate and thrive in the economy, including those who are marginalized by our current economic systems.” Its focus areas include Economic Security, Access to Capital, and efforts to decrease Monopoly Power.
Past grantees include Action Center on Race and the Economy, Living Cities, 350.org, and Coalition of Immokalee Workers.
Grants for Climate Change and Clean Energy
The foundation conducts its climate change funding through its Environmental Justice program; however, grantmaking to combat climate change overlaps with all of the foundation’s giving interests. The program was inspired to address the climate crisis “from an equity perspective and to hold accountable the deeply entrenched political and corporate interests that have left our nation’s infrastructure and communities vulnerable and have stalled the energy and economic transformation we need.” Its focus areas include mitigating environmental harms impacting BIPOC and low-income communities, creating an opportunity for inclusive participation in the green economy, and facilitating “the shift from extractive to regenerative economic models.”
The NCF’s climate change grantmaking emphasizes getting the progressive movement to think beyond its usual approaches. Past partners include the Climate Justice Alliance, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Jobs to Move America and the NAACP Environment and Climate Justice Program. Past grantees include the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy and Earth Day Network, Inc.
Grants for Jewish Causes
The foundation’s Israel program works toward a “multiethnic democracy” in Israel and funds initiatives for justice and equality in the country. To that end, it supports organizations and programs that promote “a just and lasting political agreement between the Israeli government and the Palestinians that would end the ongoing Israeli military occupation of Palestinian territories, provide for safety and security for Israelis and Palestinians, build a national homeland for both the Jewish and Palestinian people, and advance a more peaceful future.”
Past grantees include Shaharit, B’Tselem, and New Israel Fund.
Grants for Women and Girls
Cummings’s inequality grantmaking invests in catalytic work that can potentially “transform the influence of implicit bias and discrimination that currently exist in our public policy, systems and markets.” Although the foundation does not have a program specifically directed at girls and women’s organizations, its tax filings indicate an interest in this space.
Past grantees include the Economic Policy Institute, which received a grant for its work addressing economic inequality with a focus on women of color; and JOIN for Justice, which received support for its Jewish women leaders of color (JWOC) Resilience Project.
Important Grant Details:
The Nathan Cummings Foundation has an annual grantmaking budget of around $30 million. Though grant amounts vary widely, the average award is about $200,000 annually. The foundation typically conducts an open call for proposals and LOIs in the first part of the year. To learn more about the types of organizations Cummings supports, explore its grants approved page.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS: