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 education, and good health, the Ludckes lived long and productive lives and created the foundation to assist individuals in realizing their full potential as contributing members of our great society.
Mission
To identify and support charitable endeavors that 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, health, 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 depend on the size and stage of the organization and project. Normally, grants will be in the $25,000-$100,000 range.
Current Grantmaking Preferences
*Education: Job training for at-risk or out-of-school young people, job training for adults, and limited support for innovative approaches to helping children in underserved New England communities overcome barriers to educational success.
Health/Medical: Access to physical health programs for all ages, and behavioral health services for children and teens.
Human Services: Homelessness prevention, housing assistance, food security, legal assistance, holistic family support, support for young people at risk, and support for victims of domestic violence.
Preference is given to year-round programs administered by smaller community-based organizations. The trustees prefer to support programs that make good use of volunteers; demonstrate success with informational, data-driven reporting based on proposed measurable goals; build upon proven success by expanding to serve new populations and/or geographic areas, and are cost-effective.
In the face of increased homelessness, food insecurity, and economic inequality, the trustees are inviting more proposals for basic needs and human services than educational enrichment or youth development. We recommend reaching out to the Foundation’s staff before applying.
Trustees
Ruth Ellen Fitch, Chair
Robert Holdway
Suzanne Gulick
Douglas R. Smith-Petersen
Rick Olney
The Ludcke Foundation’s grantmaking is managed by GMA Foundations.