The Ludcke Foundation

Guidelines

Background

Gipp Ludcke was born in Saint Peter, Minnesota, where he attended Gustavus Adolphus College.  He graduated from the Harvard Business School in 1925.  Eleanor Ludcke was born and raised in Portland, Maine, attended Westbrook Junior College, now part of the University of New England, and graduated from Lesley College (now Lesley University) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

As beneficiaries of a healthy upbringing, excellent educations and good health, the Ludckes lived long and productive lives, and created the foundation to assist individuals to realize their full potential as contributing members of our great society.

Mission

To identify and support charitable endeavors which provide needed resources and services to children and families, with an emphasis on emotional and physical health, education and social development.

The Foundation devotes its grants to the fields of education, medicine, and human services. The trustees have a special interest in programs that focus across two or three of the foundation’s areas of interest and in partnering with other donors with similar objectives to enable more ambitious projects.

Eligibility

Applicants must be tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and defined as “not a private foundation” under section 509(a) of the Code.

Geographic Focus

Grants are limited to organizations located in or serving New England and national organizations with significant operations in New England.

Grant Size

Grant size will range, depending on the size and stage of the organization and project. Normally, grants will be in the $25,000-$100,000 range.

Trustees

John L. Thorndike, Chairman
Constance Ludcke Huebner
Jonathan Strong
Douglas R. Smith-Petersen
Fiduciary Trust Company, Alan Newton