SOMERVILLE, Mass., June 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FORGE is one of 150 nonprofits that will share in $30 million through Cummings Foundation’s major annual grants program. FORGE was selected from a total of 630 applicants during a competitive review process. It will receive $150,000 over three years.
FORGE is a nonprofit that helps startups and innovative companies with physical products prepare to manufacture, then connects them with nearby manufacturing resources to help bring new products to market and support localized supply chains. 59 percent of the supplier-innovator connections FORGE makes are within 60 miles of each other, and many of those connections are centered in Eastern Massachusetts where FORGE maintains both its Innovation Headquarters and its Merrimack Valley Office.
The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program primarily supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties. Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the areas where the foundation owns commercial property.
This is FORGE’s first grant from the Cummings Foundation. This support will enable FORGE to maintain and grow its support for startups and manufacturers in Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk.
“We’re honored to receive this grant which will help us continue to educate, support, and make connections between members of the regional innovation and manufacturing ecosystems,” said Laura Teicher, FORGE executive director.
“The way the local nonprofit sector perseveres, steps up, and pivots to meet the shifting needs of the community is most impressive,” said Cummings Foundation executive director Joyce Vyriotes. “We are incredibly grateful for these tireless efforts to support people in the community and to increase equity and access to opportunities.”
Cummings Foundation has now awarded $480 million to greater Boston nonprofits. The complete list of this year’s 150 grant winners is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org. Get involved with a thriving network of innovative companies, supply chain members, and innovation ecosystem collaborators at FORGEimpact.org.
FORGE’s Partner Network
When it comes to bridging the gap between startups and the local supply chain network, it takes a proverbial village. To continue advancing its vision, FORGE relies on a group of committed partners. These partners do more than sponsor and fund the organization; they invest considerable time and expertise in helping to educate and guide startups through the complex journey from prototype to manufacturing at scale.
About FORGE
Since its founding in 2015, FORGE has helped more than 650 innovators on their journey from prototype to production and scale. FORGE leverages deep knowledge of the innovation, supply chain and manufacturing spaces to create productive business relationships and foster creative, modern solutions to world problems.
FORGE’s support for startups creating physical products has yielded considerable success. A large percentage of the startup companies that engage with FORGE mature and thrive, supporting more than 5,500 innovation and manufacturing jobs. Learn more at FORGEimpact.org.
About Cummings Foundation
Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings of Winchester, MA 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.
