The Nathan Cummings Foundation Grants

The Nathan Cummings Foundation Grants is a grant program from the Nathan Cummings Foundation that funds U.S.-based nonprofits advancing racial, economic, and environmental justice (REEJ). Awards typically range from $50,000 to $250,000 with a total grantmaking budget of $15 million for FY2026.

Three grant types are available: Venture Grants (up to $100,000 for one year for emerging solutions), Advancement Grants (up to $250,000 annually for up to two years for project-based work), and Enterprise Grants ($250,000+ annually for invitation-only multi-year partnerships). Priority is given to work in the U.S. South across 13 states.

Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofits focused on worker power, housing access, green economy inclusion, environmental justice, civic engagement, and racial wealth gap reduction. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through the Foundation's Temelio portal.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) When will we hear back about our application? All applicants will be notified within 12 weeks of their submission whether their application has been selected for further consideration. What type of grants do you offer?

We believe that social change takes time and requires long-term investments. We also see immense value in supporting new, innovative, and exploratory work. To reflect this, we have a range of grant types: Venture Grants (up to $100k for one year): These grants are short-term and designed to expedite support to social entrepreneurs with breakthrough, emerging, and innovative solutions.

They also serve to mutually explore new relationships and partnerships. Advancement Grants (Up to $250k annually for up to two years): These grants are designed to provide two-year support to project-based work and/or help scale organizations and promising solutions.

Enterprise Grants ($250k+ annually for more than two years): These grants are invitation-only and are designed to provide multi-year, unrestricted funding to partners that have deep alignment across our REEJ focus areas and offer the most opportunity to use all our financial and non-financial resources to support their solutions. What kind of work is NOT supported by Nathan Cummings Foundation?

NCF maintains a funding area in Israel-Palestine, that portfolio is invitation-only Social or direct service projects that are not a part of a larger advocacy strategy. For example, we do not support direct services (e.g. cash transfer, work development programs, food and education services, housing assistance, etc.).

Fundraising events, sponsorships, panel requests, or galas Campus or prison-based programs K-12, extra-curricular, religious, or community arts education programming Religious communities, congregations, and churches Community gardening and tree planting projects Projects addressing diseases, including medical research, personal health, and wellness program What kind of funding is available through the Foundation?

Can I transfer my online account to a different NCF staff member? No, but you can add additional team members to your account by going to your settings and clicking “Add Team Member. ” You can find an article that walks you through the steps to add team members here .

Once they have been added, notify ga_admin@nathancumings. org of your role with the organization. Our staff will update the active grants related to outstanding activities involving your organization with the correct team member.

Technical support resources: Help center: The Temelio partner portal help center can be accessed here Support email: support@trytemelio. com In-platform support: Chat functionality can be accessed by clicking the “Get Help” icon on the top right of the portal Can I contact someone if I have issues with the Applicant Portal? Yes.

For technical support, you can reach out to support@trytemelio. com or use the support chat function in the platform to chat directly with Temelio support (this can be accessed by clicking the “Get Help” icon on the top right of the portal). For content-related questions, regarding the proposed project and questions on the application form, please contact ga_admin@nathancummings.

org . Can I edit or add information to my application or grantee report after I’ve submitted it? No. You will not be able to edit any information online after you submit your request or grant report.

If you need to add information or edit after your submission, please contact ga_admin@nathancummings. org to assist you. Can I print out the application or grant report prior to, during, or after completing the form?

Yes. You can print the full application or grant report as either a PDF or Word document by using the PDF or Word icons at the top of the form. Can I retrieve my password if I have forgotten it?

Yes. To reset your password, go to app. trytemelio.

com and click “Forgot Password” at the bottom right of the screen. You can then enter the email address associated with your account to reset your password. What are the password criteria?

When creating a password during sign-up, the password will need to match the following criteria for security purposes: Contains at least one number ​​Is at least eight characters long Contains at least one special character Contains at least one uppercase letter Contains at least one lowercase letter If you’re having trouble with access, you can reach out to support@trytemelio.

com or use the support chat function in the platform to chat directly with Temelio support. How will I know my username and password for my new account? Do I have to create an account to access the online application?

Yes, if you are a new applicant, click “Sign-up” when you get to the login page to complete the registration process. An account is required to access and submit an online letter of inquiry or proposal. No, If you’re a return applicant, click “Forgot Password” and enter your email to receive a reset code to connect to your organization’s previous submissions.

For both new or returning applicants you will fill out the form in Temelio, our new asset management system, and all information will auto-save so you can always leave the portal and return to a request. If funding is awarded, you will also submit funding requirements via the same online account.

If you’d like to preview the Letters of Inquiry before creating an account, you can view it here: Grant LOI | PRI LOI What browser should I use when accessing the Applicant Portal? NCF's LOI portal, Temelio, offers the best results using Google Chrome. However, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Microsoft Edge will also work.

Why can’t I locate an LOI I had previously started? To help maintain our database, staff withdraw “In Progress” LOIs if there has been no activity on the LOI in the last three months. If there has been no activity on the LOI in the past six months, the LOI is deleted.

If you think your LOI was withdrawn or deleted in error, please email us at ga_admin@nathancummings. org . Who can I contact for support or questions?

Questions regarding the submission process should be directed to our asset management department at GA_admin@nathancummings. org . We are not currently able to address questions relating to the content of the submission.

How often are applications reviewed? Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as the portal will remain open for REEJ-related LOIs year-round . What is the typical size of a funding award?

Most of our grants range from about $50,000 – $250,000. We anticipate most PRIs will range from $250,000 to $750,000, typically to be repaid within three to seven years. What is NCF’s funding budget?

NCF’s grant-making budget is $15 million for FY 2026. Our budget for funding program-related investments (PRIs) in 2026 is approximately $4 million. Note: We have dedicated $22 million, five percent of the endowment, to be deployed for PRIs in the coming years.

What are your criteria for PRIs?

NCF will award PRIs using the following criteria: Alignment with one or more NCF focus areas (see above) Alignment with NCF’s values, including a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion Ability to return capital according to agreed-upon terms Ability to provide agreed-upon impact data to evaluate progress in NCF focus areas Inability/difficulty obtaining sufficient capital through conventional financial institutions Opportunity for learning that enhances the work of NCF and its partners Opportunity to catalyze action and investment from others Opportunity to demonstrate and amplify successful models and approaches that may be overlooked or underutilized by traditional sources of funding Why did NCF create a Program Related Investment (PRI) Initiative?

We seek to remove barriers and promote opportunities to advance racial, economic, and environmental justice (REEJ). We believe these challenges are complex and require a creative approach that aligns all our resources toward this purpose. Therefore, we established a PRI Initiative and designated 5% of our endowment to provide an array of innovative tools through flexible capital.

Through this initiative, we hope to learn, to demonstrate and amplify successful models, to catalyze action and investment from others, and to join a diverse range of partners in pursuit of solutions. What is a Program Related Investment (PRI)? Just like grants, PRIs must advance the foundation’s mission and accomplish one or more of the foundation’s tax-exempt purposes.

Also, like grants, PRIs cannot be used to influence legislation or take part in political campaigns on behalf of candidates. Unlike grants, PRIs are made with the expectation that some or all the capital will be returned to the foundation in the future, according to terms that the foundation and the PRI recipient agree to. That said, we do not make PRIs for the purpose of financial gain.

Therefore, we may be able to structure financing with more favorable and flexible terms than a traditional financial institution would. We will consider PRIs in a variety of forms, including debt and equity instruments. What kind of work does the Foundation support in the U.S. South?

NCF supports work in the American South focused on advancing racial, economic, and environmental justice, devoting a minimum of 40% of all assets to the region. While potential partners may apply for funding from Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice focus areas at the national level, NCF invites proposals for partnerships in the following 13 states (AL, AR, GA, KY, MO, OK, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV).

1 NCF also is emphasizing regional opportunities to counter-act economic drivers of inequality and injustice; NCF’s initial insights emphasize exploring the links between Inclusive Green Economy, Economic Security, and Racial Wealth Gap focus areas as outlined above. Are there any restrictions on geographical location? We support organizations based in the United States, its Territories, and Israel-Palestine.

We are particularly interested in work focused on the U.S. South (see above). See more about our Israel-Palestine strategy here . What kind of work does the Foundation support to advance environmental justice?

We support environmental justice work that: Addresses environmental harms: BIPOC and low-income communities are disproportionately harmed by environmental hazards. We support systemic efforts to prevent and repair these environmental disparities and ensure affected communities can meaningfully engage in forging solutions.

For 2026, we will prioritize work that: Provides frontline communities and stakeholders with actionable data they can use to both inform decision-makers and advance remediation of environmental harms Develops and implements long-term solutions that protect both ecosystems and public health ·Holds polluters financially and/or legally accountable for environmental impacts caused by their operations Creates inclusive participation in the green economy: A Green Energy transition is well underway, but the positive economic outcomes are not distributed equitably.

We support efforts to ensure that frontline environmental organizations and diverse companies can fully take advantage of the investments, benefits, and opportunities of the Green Economy.

For 2026, we will prioritize work that: Measurably increases jobs, investments, and/or wealth-building opportunities in the Green Energy Transition for companies and individuals from marginalized backgrounds Increases capital to support, replicate, and/or scale solutions led by frontline communities that advance the transition to a green economy Demonstrates and amplifies models of economic inclusion in climate adaptation, mitigation or resilience Develops regenerative economic models: We recognize that achieving environmental justice and addressing climate change requires a shift from extractive to regenerative economic models that prioritize the health of our communities and ecosystems.

We support social entrepreneurs and innovators who are building regenerative projects and models based on sustainability, ecological restoration, and community wealth-building and resilience.

For 2026, we will prioritize work that: Transitions or restores agricultural, forest or other lands and watersheds damaged by pollution, with an emphasis on actual remediation Increases investments to organizations and social entrepreneurs that help them to scale innovative alternatives to extractive and/or polluting processes, practices, and products.

Demonstrates and amplifies effective regenerative economic models and their impact on local economies, ecosystems and public health We anticipate that a majority of funding for new partners will support work happening in or focused on the U.S. South We anticipate that a majority of funding for new partners will support work happening in or focused on the U.S. South What kind of work does the Foundation support to advance economic justice?

We support economic justice work that: Fosters systemic economic security: Economic security is a necessary baseline for people to survive and thrive, especially amidst conditions of rising inequality. We support efforts that systemically mitigate economic precarity and secure a path to a more stable future for poor and low-income people.

Within this focus area, we are focused specifically on increasing worker power and addressing the lack of affordable housing in the United States. We do not anticipate funding economic security work that falls outside of these two areas in 2026.

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that: Increases workers’ power and their ability to negotiate for fair pay and good benefits Addresses the high cost of housing for renters and/or homeowners Expands the uptake of employee ownership and other forms of alternative ownership structures Increases access to capital: Generations of discriminatory lending and investment practices have prevented BIPOC and women from accessing the capital required to bring their ideas to the marketplace and profit from them.

We support efforts to provide more access to capital for historically excluded entrepreneurs and to cultivate an ecosystem in which they can prosper.

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that: Increases capital controlled and allocated by women and people of color Expands Black, Indigenous, and other people of color’s ability to secure competitively priced private and public capital, including loans, lines of credit, and investment dollars Shift perceptions of risk and bankability and advances fair underwriting standards Please note that successful applications from entrepreneur support organizations will demonstrate clear strategies for expanding access to competitively priced private and public capital for historically marginalized groups in their specific geographic focus area(s).

We do not anticipate supporting work from individual consultants or business consulting firms working on access to capital. Combats monopoly power: Monopoly power drives many corrosive problems in our political, economic, and social systems. We support efforts to decrease corporate power and create a level playing field for workers, marginalized communities, and small businesses.

Our approach to addressing monopoly power includes but extends beyond a focus on revitalizing antitrust enforcement and undermining the consumer welfare standard.

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that: Increases competition in key industries (i.e., energy, agriculture, healthcare, and retail ) and dismantles consolidated corporate power Ensures enforcement of regulations that keep corporate power in check Expands state and local action designed to address monopoly power. What kind of work does the Foundation support to advance racial justice?

We support racial justice work that: 1) Fosters Civic Engagement 2) Addresses the Racial Wealth Gap 3) Combats Racism & Oppression: Fosters Civic Engagement : BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and other marginalized communities face long-standing and concerted efforts to restrict and suppress their participation in the public sphere, especially in civic processes.

We support efforts to ensure these communities have the access and capacity to participate freely in shaping the policies, practices, and institutions that impact their everyday lives.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, work that: Decreases regressive policies aimed at disenfranchising BIPOC communities and limiting civic participation Fosters leadership development for public servants including advocates and elected officials Encourages innovative policy interventions around democratic values In 2026, we are particularly interested in hyper-local civic engagement work in the U.S. South in the areas of school board reform, preemption, and voter suppression.

Addresses the Racial Wealth Gap: Extreme racial wealth inequality persists in the United States, especially among Black communities, as a product of centuries of unjust policies and practices. We support efforts to repair this harm, build wealth, and address the root causes of the racial wealth gap.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, work that: Increases assets among those who have been most harmed by the racial wealth gap Grows the number of local, state, and federal policies and institutions that support access to and ownership of assets for BIPOC communities, especially Black communities​ Decreases the number of public-private barriers to BIPOC communities building wealth In 2026, we are particularly interested in system interventions that help lower barriers to home ownership and business ownership, especially in the U.S. South.

Combats Racism and Oppression: White supremacy is at the root of our society’s most unequal systems, institutions, and policies. We support efforts to build the infrastructure and capacity necessary to create systems that are free from oppression and allow us all to thrive.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, work that: Undermines systemic hurdles to racial justice Supports education/narrative building efforts at the hyper-local, regional, and national levels to advance equity and justice Builds a strong ecosystem of effective organizations that advance and sustain racial justice In 2026 we are particularly interested in in data transparency and technological interventions in the American South that undermine societal biases and structural inequities.

What type of funding is available through the Foundation? Become a partner Back to Become a Partner The 2024 Impact Report Is Now Available.