The Cummings Fund is legally restricted from contributing, in any manner, to the cultural arts. Further, as a matter of general practice, The Cummings Fund does NOT normally approve grant requests falling into the following categories:

• Programs located outside of New York City and outside of the following Northeastern New Jersey Counties: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union [view map]
• Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Treatment Programs
• Camping Programs
• Capital Campaigns
• Capital Expenses including building, equipment and moving expenses
• Conferences
• Day Care Programs for Children or Adults
• Environmental Programs
• General Operating Expenses
• Legal Aid Programs
• Private Elementary and Secondary Schools
• Private Individuals
• Publications and Media Projects
• Public Opinion Polls, Surveys, and Research Studies
• Public Policy and/or Advocacy Initiatives
• Scholarship Programs
• Senior Citizens' Programs
• Soup Kitchens and/or Food Banks
• Well-Endowed Institutions
• Organizations without Audited Financial Statements
• Organizations lacking tax exempt status under I.R.C. Section 501(c)(3)

Except in unusual circumstances, The Cummings Fund approves grants for only one year at a time and will not consider more than two consecutive grants towards the same project. Additionally, organizations which have received a grant must generally wait until the completion of the term of that grant before submitting any other funding requests to the Fund. For example, charities which received grants stemming from their Spring 2011 submissions are not generally eligible to request additional funding until the Fall of 2012’s submission period.