Local Nonprofits Invited to Apply for Tufts Community Grants

This year, a $150,000 Cummings Foundation matching gift, combined with donations from Tufts faculty and staff, will enable an historic $200,000 investment by the university in Boston, Grafton, Medford, and Somerville-a 62% increase over the resources available last year.

Making that investment possible is the Tufts Community Grants (TCG) program, which is currently accepting grant applications from nonprofit organizations based in the four communities.

This year, the size and number of the TCG grants will also break a record, as 40 $5,000 grants will be made to local nonprofits, up from 35 grants of $3,000 in 2025.

Each year, through a university-wide fundraising campaign, Tufts faculty and staff make donations to support Tufts Community Grants, an effort that for many years has also benefited from a generous Cummings Foundation matching gift. One hundred percent of the donations made in the TCG fundraising campaign go directly to nonprofits as grants.

Grant applications will be accepted from March 3 through March 31, 2026. To be eligible to receive a grant, an organization must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is based in Boston, Grafton, Medford, or Somerville, and must have had a Tufts student, faculty, or staff volunteer in the last year.

An East Somerville Main Streets client who participated in the organization's pilot food voucher program for unhoused individuals last year. In 2025, the nonprofit received Tufts Community Grants funding.

"With the Tufts Community Grants applications now open, we are excited to award a record $200,000 in grant funding to nonprofits that are creating meaningful change in our local communities," said Rocco DiRico, associate vice president for government and community relations.

"We thank Cummings Foundation for their unprecedented level of support to the Tufts Community Grants program," said DiRico. "Through their match, we can elevate our commitment to helping nonprofit organizations deepen the impact of the work they are doing in our communities."

The program has been able to grow over the past few years thanks to Bill Cummings, A58, H06, J97P, M97P, founder of Cummings Properties and co-founder of Cummings Foundation. A major supporter of the Tufts Community Grants program, Cummings is a business leader, philanthropist, and trustee emeritus who grew up in Medford.

This year, Cummings Foundation matched every dollar raised during the TCG fundraising campaign-$3 to $1-resulting in a $150,000 matching gift for the TCG program.

"The continued success of the Tufts Community Grants program has demonstrated what is possible when local non-profits are empowered with the resources they need," Cummings said. "This year, as a reflection of the positive impact Tufts Community Grant recipients are making each and every day in their communities, we are proud to further our commitment to the program."

Since TCG was founded in 1995, over 150 nonprofit organizationshave benefited from the program's grants.

Last year, the Tufts Community Grants board awarded 35 $3,000 grantsto organizations in the communities, including nine first-time TCG recipients. The grants supported a wide range of programs and projects addressing community needs, including:

• In Grafton, Sustainable Grafton received a grant for the creation of a community native plant and pollinator garden that will provide hands-on experience for volunteers, community outreach opportunities, and allow for education about sustainable gardening methods.
• In Boston, the Pao Arts Center received a grant for the center's six-week youth mural project this summer that provides training to youth on the intersection of advocacy, art, and community history, and results in the creation of a public mural.
• In Medford, the West Medford Community Center received a grant for their computer lab, which funded upgrades to five computer stations, the purchase of five mini-laptops and a new computer, and other room renovations to expand access to technology.
• In Somerville, East Somerville Main Streets received a grant to fund a pilot program providing homeless individuals with vouchers for local Somerville restaurants.

The TCG program is just one of the numerous waysin which the university supports campus neighbors. The Government and Community Relationsteam provides event sponsorshipsfor local organizations, hosts community events on campus, and, in collaboration with other offices at Tufts, helps over 1,000 students, faculty, and staff volunteer in the community each year.

Please direct questions about TCG to Government and Community Relations at [email protected]or 617-627-3780.

Local Nonprofits: Apply Today!

Tufts Community Day Hosts 2,500 Neighbors on the Hill

Tufts Community Mobilizes for 2025 Day of Service

Bringing Local Entrepreneurship to the Medford Hillside