Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation
The Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation is a private foundation based in Washington, DC. In 2024, it reported 20 grants totaling $371,603 to charitable organizations, including organizations in the Washington, DC area and elsewhere.
Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation at a glance
In short: Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation gave $372K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), top state District of Columbia. 15% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $371,603
- -10.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- -9.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $18,580
- -1.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $11,000
- Total assets
- $2,014,980
- +7.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (3 of 20, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (41% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2120 L Street Nw 800, Washington, DC 20037
Phone: (202) 872-9070
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Alzheimer's Drug Discover ($93K). Together the top 10 received $300K.
Grant Size Distribution
114 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 107 grants of 114 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, DC (41%), New Jersey (25%), Pennsylvania (12%), New York (8%), and Maryland (6%). The grant list also includes recipients in Virginia and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 20 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 331% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $172K (2022) to $416K (2023). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $372K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer's Drug Discover New York, NJ | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose | $93,399 |
| ADAS Israel Congregation Washington, DC | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose | $50,176 |
| University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose | $45,000 |
| Human Rights Campaign Washington, DC | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose | $26,000 |
| Georgetown Day School Washington, DC | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose | $20,000 |
| American Friends of the Hebrew University New York, NY | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose | $15,000 |
| Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation Washington, DC | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose | $13,000 |
| Washington Hebrew Congregation Washington, DC | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose | $12,528 |
| Children's Hospital Found Richmond, VA | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose | $12,500 |
| Washington DC JCC Washington, DC | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose | $12,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,014,980 | $552,454 | $395,430 | $371,603 | 20 | $371,603 | $128,627 | $112,140 |
| 2023 | $1,868,933 | $508,584 | $440,841 | $416,290 | 22 | $423,547 | $91,290 | $99,749 |
| 2022 | $2,234,554 | $298,340 | $178,910 | $172,302 | 24 | $173,020 | $89,974 | $101,400 |
| 2021 | $1,806,735 | $98,256 | $380,111 | $356,950 | 24 | $359,225 | $78,370 | $109,549 |
| 2020 | $2,022,071 | $259,857 | $364,997 | $342,338 | 24 | — | $244,917 | $70,501 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $112K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, the Human Rights Campaign describes its work as promoting the social welfare of the LGBTQ+ community; Georgetown Day School describes its work as providing a challenging academic program; and Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation says it supports high-quality health care, patient and family support, clinical innovation, caregiver education, and community health services. Morselife Foundation describes its purpose as enhancing senior living in the spirit of Jewish tradition.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 20 grants totaling $371,603. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $93,399, with a median of $11,000. Its largest reported grants included $93,399 to Alzheimer’s Drug Discover, $50,176 to ADAS Israel Congregation, $45,000 to the University of Pennsylvania, $26,000 to the Human Rights Campaign, and $20,000 to Georgetown Day School. The stated purpose for these grants was “Further Donee’s Charitable Purpose.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elise Lefkowitz and Elaine Miller as Co-Directors.
Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Elaine Miller
Co-Director
Codirector → Co-Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Elise Lefkowitz
Co-Director
Codirector → Co-Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation
How much does Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation give each year?
Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation gave $372K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $416K across 22 grants.
What is Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation's typical grant size?
Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $11,000, and its average grant was $18,580, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation give grants?
Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 41% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New Jersey (25%) and Pennsylvania (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (8 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Who are Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation's largest grantees?
Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Alzheimer's Drug Discover ($93,399), ADAS Israel Congregation ($50,176) and University of Pennsylvania ($45,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation?
Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation reported $2.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $372K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $112K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for a range of charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation's EIN?
Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-6042344. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/melvin-and-estelle-gelman-foundation-morg_505c5467de8c4fc7b5713c30afadbb08
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_526042344_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Melvin \& Estelle Gelman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/melvin-and-estelle-gelman-foundation-morg_505c5467de8c4fc7b5713c30afadbb08},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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