Boston Building Resources is one of 125 local nonprofits to receive grants of $30,000 to $300,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s $30 Million Grant Program. The Roxbury Crossing-based organization was chosen from a total of 580 applicants during a competitive review process. It will receive $75,000 over 3 years.
Boston Building Resources is a Roxbury Crossing-based nonprofit that diverts reusable building materials from the waste stream and makes them accessible to Greater Boston residents through its Reuse Center, deconstruction and material harvesting services, and hands-on educational workshops. BBR prioritizes affordability and sustainability, offering discounted materials to income-qualified members and providing a more equitable path to home improvement and repair.
“Boston Building Resources is thrilled to receive a generous grant from the Cummings Foundation! Their support demonstrates confidence in BBR’s vision of a thriving circular economy of building materials. The increased capacity gives us the tools to meet the challenges of 2026 and beyond. With the generous support of the Cummings Foundation, we will continue to empower people to build equitable, sustainable, and strong communities through material reuse and education,” said BBR executive director, Andrew Thompson.
The grant will support Boston Building Resources’ general operations, enabling the organization to sustain and grow its Reuse Center, expand its deconstruction and material harvesting services, and deliver educational workshops to community members across Greater Boston.
The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties.
Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the areas where it owns commercial property. Its buildings are all managed, at no cost to the Foundation, by its affiliate, Cummings Properties. This Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages 11 million square feet of debt-free space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.
“We are so fortunate in greater Boston to have such effective nonprofits, plus a wealth of talented, dedicated professionals and volunteers to run them,” said Cummings Foundation executive director Joyce Vyriotes. “We are indebted to them for the work they do each day to provide for basic needs, break down barriers to education and health resources, and work toward a more equitable society.”
With the help of about 90 volunteers, the Foundation first identified 150 organizations to receive grants of at least $30,000 each. Among the winners were first-time recipients as well as nonprofits that had previously received Cummings Foundation grants. Twenty-five of this latter group of repeat recipients were then selected to have their grants elevated to 10-year awards ranging from $300,000 to $1,000,000 each.
“Our volunteers bring diverse backgrounds and perspectives, which is so critical to our grant selection process,” said Vyriotes. “Through this democratized approach to philanthropy, they decide more than half the grants every year.”
This year’s grant recipients represent a wide variety of causes, including food insecurity, immigrant and refugee services, social justice, education, and mental health services. The nonprofits are spread across 45 different cities and towns.
The complete list of 150 grant winners, plus more than 900 previous recipients, is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.
Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $650 million to greater Boston nonprofits.
Boston Building Resources (BBR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Roxbury Crossing that provides reusable building materials, educational workshops, and sustainable deconstruction services to the Greater Boston community. BBR primarily offers affordable, used building materials — along with appliances, tools, and more to both the public and income-qualified “Plus” members. Many of these materials are sourced through BBR’s deconstruction services, which recover high-quality items from local homes and buildings, offering a more sustainable alternative to traditional demolition. BBR prioritizes affordability, accessibility, and sustainability in all they do.
Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings and has grown to be one of the largest private foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities, in Marlborough and Woburn, and Cummings Health Sciences, LLC. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.