While pursuing his many projects, Cumming has still found time to work for worthy causes. He serves on the Board of Directors of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and has taken part in many events on behalf of the organization. He is also a member of the Board of Advocates of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Ambassadors Committee of Free Arts for Abused Children NYC, and the Honorary Advisory Board of Living Beyond Belief, an organization that encourages New York City high school students to become active in the fight against AIDS.

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In addition, he participates in numerous events for Bailey House, a New York organization that provides housing and other important services to people with HIV/AIDS. He has also done a comedy benefit for Beverly Hills's Trevor Project, whose goal is to promote tolerance for glbtq teens and whose national Trevor Helpline (866.4.U.TREVOR) provides round-the-clock suicide prevention services. He also served as the Celebrity Grand Marshal of the 2004 San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade.

Despite all these efforts, Cumming said that he "felt such a fraud for being publicly lauded" for his charity work. He therefore decided to take part in a project of the American Foundation for AIDS Research's TREAT Asia program by going on an eight-day fundraising walk on the Great Wall of China. The twenty-five walkers raised more than $275,000 and also learned about the cultural issues that complicate combating the disease in China.

In a 2001 interview Cumming stated, "I get bored quite easily. I like to do different things. I'd be horrified to think I was going to be doing the same thing all the time." With his many projects, both professional and charitable, it seems unlikely that he will fall prey to ennui any time soon.

When Barack Obama announced his intention to run for the Presidency, Cumming applied for American citizenship in hopes of being able to vote for him. He was naturalized in November 2008 but unfortunately did not realize his wish to cast a ballot for Obama because the paperwork for his case did not come through until a few days after the election. Despite his immediate disappointment, he expressed his desire to take part in the American political process in the future.

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