For generations, music and basketball have been used to instruct and support young people as they find their footing in life, learning the skills and discipline that encourage growth and development.

Among local leaders in these practices are the 3Point Foundation and The Record Co. The former has been using the popular sport to support young people in the Greater Boston area, while the latter is a community creative space and recording studio that encourages residents across generations to share their stories and songs.

Recently, both organizations were recognized and rewarded for their efforts with unrestricted grants from Cummings Foundation that will amount to $225,000 each over the next three years.

Having started with just 15 students in Newton, 3Point has grown to serve and support over 3,000 children each year in Dorchester, Hyde Park, Mattapan and Roxbury. The organization is especially grateful since it had previously applied for an award but was not selected.

“Receiving it this time is especially meaningful,” said 3Point’s Interim Executive Director A. Keith McDermott. “It reflects how far 3Point has grown and how clearly our mission resonates with funders who care about young people in Boston.”

Similarly, The Record Co. welcomes 3,000 people a month to locations in the South End and Dorchester, both of which amount to nearly 47,000 square feet of space that includes recording studios, rehearsal rooms and production suites.

“Creative communities need more than talent to thrive,” said Record Co. Executive Director Bobby Boyd. “They need affordable space, professional resources, education and opportunity. …This investment from Cummings Foundation strengthens our ability to support the full creative ecosystem, from young people exploring career pathways to artists, producers, engineers and entrepreneurs building sustainable futures in Boston.”

When asked about the grant application process, Boyd said that Cummings Foundation staff members “ask hard questions,” but given 15 years of experience and a proven model, his organization was able to make the case that they were ready to grow.

“We weren’t asking them to fund something from scratch,” Boyd said. “We were asking them to help us go deeper into work we’d already started. … We went after this because we believe in what we’re building, and we wanted a partner who takes infrastructure seriously.

“We’re grateful for their partnership in helping ensure creativity remains accessible to everyone, regardless of income or background,” Boyd added.

As pleased as he is to have been granted the award, McDermott is also appreciative of the process involved in applying for it.

“It asked us to articulate not just what we do, but why it matters and how we measure our impact,” he explained. “Applying for this grant allowed us to develop a clear story about the youth we serve in Roxbury, Dorchester, Hyde Park and Mattapan, and the results our programming delivers. This opportunity helped us reflect on our work and made us a stronger organization.”

With this influx of funds, McDermott plans to develop a college readiness program for students throughout Greater Boston. That work will expand offerings beyond the current focus on middle school students.

“The goal is a seamless experience where a young person who joins us in middle school stays connected through graduation and into their next steps, never aging out of a community that believes in them,” he said.

As for The Record Co., Boyd said new funds will support affordable professional resources, workforce development and entrepreneurial support.

It will be especially helpful as Boyd and his team work to expand their creative workforce development initiatives, including the TRC Academy Program, which equips young people from historically underserved Boston neighborhoods with the technical skills, industry connections and real-world experience needed to pursue musical passions and careers.

“TRC Academy trains people in audio engineering, music production and music business,” Boyd said, noting that the program has already graduated 100 students and involved graduate students from Berklee College of Music.

“The whole thing exists,” Boyd said, “because we don’t think cost and circumstance should decide who gets to make something.”