Former Newton Mayor Appointed to Charitable Fund Board

Ruthanne Fuller joins Horace Cousens Industrial Funds Board of Trustees

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Newton's Finance Committee unanimously approved Mayor Marc Laredo's appointment of former Mayor Ruthanne Fuller to the Horace Cousens Industrial Funds Board of Trustees on Monday. The Horace Cousens Industrial Fund is a charitable trust fund established in 1930 that provides emergency financial assistance grants to Newtonians in need.

Why it matters

The Horace Cousens Industrial Fund is an important community resource that has helped Newton residents facing financial hardship for nearly a century. Fuller's appointment to the fund's board brings her extensive experience as a former mayor to help oversee the distribution of these critical grants.

The details

The Horace Cousens Industrial Fund was established in 1930 with a $550,000 donation from Horace Cousens, with the condition that the money be used for one-time grants to Newtonians in severe financial distress. The fund currently holds around $3 million and provides grants of up to $850 per resident, primarily for rental and utility assistance. While some have suggested raising the maximum grant amount, Fuller cautioned that doing so could reduce the number of residents who can be helped.

  • On Monday, Newton's Finance Committee unanimously approved Mayor Marc Laredo's appointment of former Mayor Ruthanne Fuller to the Horace Cousens Industrial Funds Board of Trustees.
  • Fuller's term on the Cousens Fund Board of Trustees will expire on March 2, 2029.

The players

Ruthanne Fuller

The former mayor of Newton, Massachusetts who was appointed to the Horace Cousens Industrial Funds Board of Trustees.

Marc Laredo

The current mayor of Newton, Massachusetts who appointed Ruthanne Fuller to the Horace Cousens Industrial Funds Board of Trustees.

Horace Cousens

The individual who donated over $550,000 to the city of Newton in 1930 to establish the Horace Cousens Industrial Fund, a charitable trust that provides emergency financial assistance grants to Newtonians in need.

Maureen Lemieux

The Chief Financial Officer for the mayor's office in Newton, Massachusetts who expressed interest in raising the maximum grant amount from the Horace Cousens Industrial Fund.

Steve Curley

The Newton comptroller who explained the logistics of the Horace Cousens Industrial Fund, noting that most grants are $1,000 or less and are typically used for rental and utility assistance.

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What they’re saying

“Go back to 1930, a guy named Horace Cousens donated a little over half a million dollars to the city so that it would grow to a million dollars. Then after that, roughly 90 percent of it would be available for one-time grants to Newtonians who were in severe financial hardship.”

— Ruthanne Fuller, Former Mayor of Newton (bcheights.com)

“I would hope that maybe you could just look into that and understand whether or not there's anything we would want to do in this day and age to raise whatever the maximum amount is.”

— Maureen Lemieux, CFO, Mayor's Office (bcheights.com)

“As Steve can tell you, there's close to $3 million in the fund right now. Generally, I think fiscal year 25, about $185,000 in gifts were given. Certainly, you have to think, if you raise the amount, there may be fewer grants that you can give.”

— Ruthanne Fuller, Former Mayor of Newton (bcheights.com)

“Almost every award is $1000 and below, but there are several that are $750 or $1,000—those are usually all rental assistance. Usually, it is rental assistance. Sometimes it is utility bills. There's water, national grid, and sometimes there'll be a medical bill paid.”

— Steve Curley, Newton Comptroller (bcheights.com)

“I noted that the total amount of expenses is somewhere between $130,000 to $190,000 a year, and that includes the director's salary. I wonder whether there has been any discussion about having this fall into a donor-advised fund, or some other way of looking at how to consolidate the overhead costs of a fund like this.”

— Brittany Hume Charm, Ward 5 Councilor-at-Large (bcheights.com)

What’s next

With the approval of her appointment by the Finance Committee, Mayor Fuller will go on to serve on the Cousens Fund Board of Trustees until the expiration of her term on March 2, 2029.

The takeaway

The Horace Cousens Industrial Fund has been a vital resource for Newton residents facing financial hardship for nearly a century. Appointing former Mayor Ruthanne Fuller to the fund's board brings valuable experience and oversight to ensure these critical emergency grants continue to reach those in need in the community.