Open now for the 2027 funding cycle. The Nicholas & Dorothy Cummings Foundation is accepting Behavioral Health Grant applications from qualified U.S.-based 501(c)(3) public charities. The Foundation lists research organizations, educational institutions, professional organizations supporting behavioral-health efforts, and similar charitable organizations as potentially eligible.
Deadline: applications opened September 1, 2026 at 8:00 AM PT and are due September 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM PT. Award letters are expected by January 2027.
Funding: grants are expected to range from $25,000 to $150,000, with one award up to $250,000. Grant projects must be completed within 12 months.
Priority areas: eligible work must address behavioral health and should support one or more of the following: direct engagement opportunities for children or adults that start or expand direct services; behavioral-health research; or professional development that improves how people think about mental health and helps expand access to care.
Application requirements: the linked Foundation application asks for organization and EIN information, contact details, grant amount requested, a detailed project summary, expected outcomes including anticipated number of people served, and qualifications of key staff. Applicants must submit a budget and budget narrative explaining anticipated expenses. The Foundation’s budget example includes salaries and fringe benefits, consultants, transportation, program supplies, printing, equipment, facilities, administrative and indirect costs, and other expenses. All proposed expenditures must be aligned with the request and be reasonable, necessary, and allowable.
Due diligence and reporting: selected organizations must be able to provide their most recent financial audit or, if no audit exists, up to three years of financial statements; policies or procedures for managing grant funds; and a copy of the IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter. The application also requires permission for a background check. Grantees must report on use of funds and progress, with quarterly progress and financial-status reporting when fund use spans the full 12 months.
Match and scoring: the current public grant materials do not publish a required cost share or matching-funds percentage, and they do not publish a numeric scoring rubric.
Atlas Opportunity Score: 92/100. This is a current, sizable behavioral-health opportunity with clear nonprofit eligibility, direct-service relevance, an explicit online application pathway, and a defined budget structure.
N9+ Fit: 55/100, conditional. Equipment is expressly included in the Foundation’s example budget categories, but the grant is not device-specific. Any N9+ role must be justified by the applicant’s behavioral-health project and confirmed as reasonable, necessary, and allowable.
QC Healthcare Fit: 80/100, conditional. The direct-service and access priorities create a credible pathway for behavioral-health service expansion, but the applicant must be a qualified charitable organization and the proposed service model must fit the Foundation’s project priorities.
Official sources: Nicholas & Dorothy Cummings Foundation Behavioral Health Grants and the Foundation’s linked application form.