Lowell/Lawrence nonprofit shares in $10 million in funding
For Immediate Release
Contact: Lianna Kushi, EforAll Lowell-Lawrence, (833) 336-7255 x 7005 lianna@eforall.org
Contact: Alison Harding, Cummings Foundation, 781-932-7093, aeh@cummings.com
Lowell, October 13, 2020 – EforAll is one of 30 local nonprofits to share in $10 million in funding from Cummings Foundation. The Lowell-Lawrence-based organization will receive $333.000 over 10 years.
EforAll is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Lowell whose mission is to accelerate economic and social impact in the communities it serves through inclusive entrepreneurship. EforAll offers intensive business training, mentorship and an extended professional support network in both English and Spanish. Lowell-Lawrence was the site of EforAll’s first program, which launched in 2012.
“With this 10 year award from the Cummings Foundation, EforAll will be able to reach even more local residents — particularly women, immigrants and people of color — and provide them with the tools and support needed to build a successful business and create jobs right here in Lowell. This grant could not have come at a more critical time especially with the challenges faced by business in Lowell and Lawrence due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Of businesses started by EforAll participants, 74 percent are owned by women, 58 percent are owned by people of color, 46 percent are owned by immigrants and 39 percent are owned by people who were previously unemployed based on EforAll’s 2019 Annual Entrepreneur survey.
“Greater Boston is so fortunate to have nonprofits like EforAll that are listening to the community and working to meet its needs,” said Cummings Foundation grants manager Christina Berthelsen. “By providing a full decade of support, we hope to alleviate some of the constant fundraising burden, enabling nonprofit staff to spend more time actually providing services.”
This long-term funding is part of the Cummings $20 Million Grant Program, which supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties. In the first phase of this philanthropic initiative, 130 nonprofits were awarded $100,000 each in June. In the second phase, just completed, repeat grant winners were considered to have their $100,000 elevated to 10-year awards of $200,000-$500,000 each.
Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $280 million to greater Boston nonprofits alone. It increased its annual grant program from $20 million to $25 million during the current 2021 cycle. The process is already underway.
The complete list of Cummings Foundation grant winners is publicly available at CummingsFoundation.org
About EforAll
Entrepr0eneurship for All (EforAll) is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Lowell, that partners with communities nationwide to help under-represented individuals successfully start and grow a business through intensive business training, mentorship and an extended professional support network. Programs are available in both English and Spanish. EforAll is currently available in the following MA communities: Berkshire County, Cape Cod, Fall River, Greater Worcester, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford, and Roxbury as well as Longmont CO. To learn more about EforAll, please visit eforall.org.
About Cummings Foundation
Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities in Marlborough and Woburn, and Veterinary School at Tufts, LLC in North Grafton. Additional information is available at CummingsFoundation.org.