Two Marlborough Nonprofits Awarded $100,000

Two Marlborough nonprofits, Employment Options and Greater Marlboro Programs, have received grants of $100,000 each from Cummings Foundation, Inc. through its “$100K for 100” program.

Representatives from both Marlborough organizations, as well as Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant, were among the approximately 300 people who attended the annual $100K for 100 Grantee Reception on June 4 at TradeCenter 128 in Woburn. The elated attendees accepted their official award certificates, posed for photos with Foundation representatives, and networked with their peers.

The cocktail reception celebrated Cummings Foundation’s latest $10 million infusion into the local nonprofit sector through 100 grants of $100,000 each. The Foundation, which is the parent organization of New Horizons at Marlborough senior living community, has now awarded more than $100 million in grants to Greater Boston nonprofits alone.

Cummings Foundation founders Joyce and Bill Cummings greeted many grant winners individually and briefly addressed the crowd.

“We make the donation, but it’s all of you who do the work. We thank you and applaud you for all you have done and will continue to do for many years,” said Joyce Cummings.

Chosen through a competitive review process from more than 350 applicants, the diverse group of grant winners represents a wide variety of causes, including underserved populations, education, healthcare, hunger relief, and homelessness prevention.

Although a handful of large institutions are represented in the list of grant recipients, $100K for 100 primarily funds smaller organizations. Depending on the size and needs of the charity, most grants are paid in installments over two to five years.

“A word we have heard from many of this year’s grant winners in reference to their awards is ‘transformative,’” said Joel Swets, Cummings Foundation’s executive director. “That’s exactly what we want – to provide the support necessary for hands-on grassroots organizations to get to the next level and make an even larger impact on the community.”

The $100K for 100 program provides funding to nonprofits that are not only based in but also primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties. This year, the program benefited 41 different communities within the Commonwealth. A complete list of 2015 grant recipients along with descriptions of the programs to be funded is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

Through this “place-based” grants program, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the areas where it owns commercial buildings, all of which are managed by its affiliate Cummings Properties. Founded in 1970 by Bill Cummings, the Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages more than 10 million square feet of commercial space, the large majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.

Although the full list of grant recipients was not made public until June 4, Cummings Foundation notified grant winners in mid-May with a colorful award package that encouraged participation in a photo-based social media campaign.

“Past grant winners have told us that receiving this grant is like getting a ‘Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval,’ so we hope they will be able to leverage this distinction to attract new donors and volunteers,” said Swets.

Upon receipt of their packages, dozens of grant recipients took to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to announce their awards. To view the pictures, visit Cummings Foundation’s Facebook page or search social media for #100Kfor100.

About Cummings Foundation

Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings of Winchester, who were the first Massachusetts couple to sign the Giving Pledge. With assets exceeding $1 billion, it is one of the largest foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including two New Horizons retirement communities in Marlborough and Woburn. Its largest single commitment to date was $50 million to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

PHOTO: Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant (center) with Christine Coakley, executive director at New Horizons at Choate senior living community in Woburn (left), and Joan Hadly, senior vice president of advancement at Museum of Science (right)

PHOTO: Shannon Leary (left) and Jim Grasberger (right) of Employment Options with Cummings Properties executive vice president Eric Anderson (center)

PHOTO: Left to right: Cummings Foundation executive director Joel Swets, Greater Marlboro Programs quality assurance coordinator Sharon Santello, Bill Cummings, and Greater Marlboro Programs vice president of developmental services Denise Vojackova-Karami