Cummings Coaches Grant-Writing Mentorship

About this program

Cummings Foundation offers Cummings Coaches, a grant-writing mentorship component of its $35 Million Grant Program, providing selected small nonprofits with one-on-one guidance during the letter of inquiry and full application stages. Volunteer coaches help applicants clarify their proposals, strengthen presentation of organizational impact, identify gaps, and provide feedback, but do not write or redline applications. Eligible nonprofits must have annual budgets of $500,000 or less, meet the primary grant program’s requirements, and use staff or volunteers—not third-party professionals—for grant writing; preference goes to organizations with limited experience or resources, first-time participants, and those that have not previously received a primary-program award. Applicants must request LOI coaching by July 31, 2026, and eligible full-stage applicants may request application coaching by November 13, 2026.