Endowment / Foundation

Updated:

The Nathan Cummings Foundation

The Nathan Cummings Foundation is a multigenerational family foundation based in New York, New York. It focuses on social justice within the nonprofit sector,...

The Nathan Cummings Foundation logo

The Nathan Cummings Foundation

The Nathan Cummings Foundation is a multigenerational family foundation based in New York, New York. It focuses on social justice within the nonprofit sector, providing funding and support for initiatives addressing racial, economic, and environmental justice. The foundation also engages in impact investing to leverage its assets for societal benefit.

General information

Firm type

Endowment / Foundation

Year founded

1949

Location

Region

North America

Country

United States

City

New York

Corporate office

475 Tenth Avenue, New York, NY 10018, United States

Additional offices

120 Wall Street, Floor 26, New York, NY 10005

Principals

Rey Ramsey

President & CEO

Jaimie Mayer

Board Chair

Ruth Cummings

Trustee

Sector focus

Impact InvestingClimateTech

Frequently asked questions

Who runs investment decisions at The Nathan Cummings Foundation?

Rey Ramsey serves as President and CEO. Bivium-Westfuller acts as outsourced chief investment officer since 2020. The board, chaired by Jaimie Mayer, sets overall direction.

How does The Nathan Cummings Foundation source proprietary deal flow?

The foundation works through aligned impact managers including Sonen Capital and Broadstreet Impact. It participates in funds such as Aligned Climate Fund 2 LP and maintains relationships with organizations focused on environmental and economic justice.

Is The Nathan Cummings Foundation structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?

It operates as a multigenerational family foundation. Capital deployment includes program-related investments, limited partner commitments, and shareholder resolutions rather than direct operating-company control.

Does The Nathan Cummings Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

It makes both fund commitments and program-related investments. Confirmed holdings include Aligned Climate Fund 2 LP, Fibers Fund, and New Energy Capital.

What investment stages does The Nathan Cummings Foundation typically target?

The foundation targets early-stage venture, expansion, and buyout opportunities through its private equity and venture allocations. Ticket sizes range from $0.1 million to $10 million.

Where does the underlying wealth come from?

The foundation was endowed by Nathan Cummings, founder of Consolidated Foods, later known as Sara Lee Corporation.

What is The Nathan Cummings Foundation's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?

The foundation acts as a limited partner in impact funds and maintains a 5 percent allocation to program-related investments that function as flexible, low-cost capital alongside other investors.

Profile maintained by using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.

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