James H Cummings Foundation
ActiveMutual & Membership BenefitFunds Individuals
About James H Cummings Foundation
The James H Cummings Foundation provides sizable, targeted capital support to Buffalo-area institutions that strengthen community infrastructure and services. Recent grants show a preference for one-time, high-impact investments — funding a permanent home for a regional food bank, capital for a neighborhood economic-development marketplace, and clinical treatment space at a cancer center. Their giving is local and pragmatic, focused on projects that create durable community assets rather than general operating support.
Focus Areas
Food security infrastructure — capital for regional food bank facilities (FEEDMORE WNY)Neighborhood economic development and small‑business incubation — capital for West Side BazaarCancer treatment and clinical facility infrastructure — theragnostic/treatment rooms at Roswell Park
Who They Fund
older adults / vulnerable seniorspeople experiencing homelessness / shelter residentslow-income neighborhood residentsyouth and adolescentspeople with disabilities / accessibility-needs populations
About James H Cummings Foundation
James H Cummings Foundation Inc concentrates on capital projects that leave a durable footprint in the communities it serves. Its recent grants include $250,000 for FeedMore WNY’s permanent home, another $250,000 for theragnostic treatment rooms at Roswell Park, and $250,000 for the West Side Bazaar capital campaign. Those awards point to a pattern of funding facilities, equipment, and renovations rather than unrestricted operating support. The foundation’s portfolio also reaches into health-care infrastructure, neighborhood development, and service spaces for vulnerable residents. Grants have supported prototyping capacity at the Jacobs Institute, an MRI upgrade at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, and accessibility work at King Urban Life Center. In North Carolina, it has backed projects such as a family advocacy center, a homeless-shelter roof replacement, and emergency home inspections and repairs after Helene. Recent grant records show that the foundation funds both large, one-time capital asks and smaller equipment purchases, with most awards going to organizations in New York. The mix of food security, medical, and community facility projects suggests a funder that favors specific projects with visible physical outcomes.
What James H Cummings Foundation Funds
In food security infrastructure, the foundation gave $250,000 to FeedMore Wny of Buffalo for a permanent home, and later provided $100,000 for the same organization’s permanent home request. That pattern fits its preference for facility-level investments. In health and clinical infrastructure, it awarded $250,000 to Roswell Park Alliance Foundation for theragnostic treatment rooms, $125,000 to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center for an MRI upgrade project, and $90,300 to Trocaire College for scanning for success ultrasound equipment. These grants point to support for diagnostic and treatment capacity. Its community development grants include $250,000 to Westminster Economic Development for the West Side Bazaar capital campaign and $85,000 to University District Community Development Association Inc for the Gloria Parks Community Ctr gym floor. The foundation also funded $73,821 to King Urban Life Center for accessibility improvements.
How James H Cummings Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster around mid-five figures: the p25 is $15,000, the median is $31,652, and the p75 is $59,003. The recent list also shows repeated support to the same organizations across years, including FeedMore Wny of Buffalo, Cradle Beach, Jacobs Institute, and United Way of Henderson County. That suggests the foundation combines one-time capital awards with follow-on support for specific projects. It accepts grant requests through an online portal and starts applications with a Letter of Intent. Board review occurs quarterly.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.4M
Total Assets
$46.4M
Total Revenue
$2.2M
Total Expenses
$2.9M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $15K and $59K, with a median of $32K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$32K
75th Percentile
$59K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where James H Cummings Foundation Funds
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for James H Cummings Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 159 | $6.9M | 97.0% |
| 2 | Canada |
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