The Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation makes a small number of targeted, mid-sized grants focused on biomedical research, Jewish communal life, independent K–12 education, and issue advocacy. Their giving mixes one-off large gifts for research and universities with sustained support to local institutions (including repeat support to a Washington-area independent school). The portfolio reflects a combination of health/science philanthropy and community-based cultural and educational investments.
Concentrated and targeted: a small number of relatively large grants rather than many small gifts. The foundation makes occasional repeat grants to local institutions but also funds national research and advocacy organizations; gifts tend to be single-purpose/general support sized in the tens of thousands to low hundreds of thousands.
Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, ADAS Israel Congregation, Georgetown Day School, University of Pennsylvania, Human Rights Campaign
A single Alzheimer’s research grant sits at the center of the Melvin & Estelle Gelman Foundation’s recent giving: in 2025, it awarded $93,399 to Alzheimer’s Drug Discover for charitable purposes. That gift matches the foundation’s pattern of mixing biomedical research support with donations to Jewish institutions, schools, and advocacy organizations. The portfolio is small but varied, with mid-sized checks aimed at research, community life, and education rather than broad, open-ended grantmaking. Other 2025 awards show that mix clearly. The foundation gave $50,176 to ADAS Israel Congregation and $45,000 to the University of Pennsylvania, while also supporting Human Rights Campaign, Georgetown Day School, and Washington-based Jewish and civic organizations. In earlier years, the same profile appears through gifts to Georgetown Day School, Washington Hebrew Congregation, the Capital Jewish Museum, and Anti-Defamation League. Across those recipients, the foundation’s grants are framed as charitable-purpose support, suggesting a flexible approach that backs institutions already active in its interest areas.
Biomedical and Alzheimer’s work is a major thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $93,399 to Alzheimer’s Drug Discover for charitable purposes, and it also supported US Against Alzheimer’s with $7,500 in the same year. Jewish communal institutions are another clear focus. The foundation awarded $50,176 to ADAS Israel Congregation, $12,528 to Washington Hebrew Congregation, and $12,000 to Washington DC JCC, alongside earlier support for the Capital Jewish Museum and Jewish Federation of Group Homes. Education and higher education appear as a separate line of support. Georgetown Day School received $20,000 in 2025 and another $20,000 in 2023, while the University of Pennsylvania received $45,000 in 2025. It also funded George Washington University and American Friends of the Hebrew University.
Typical grant size is modest to mid-sized: the foundation’s grant-size distribution is p25 $2,395, median $5,000, and p75 $10,250. Recent awards cluster around rounded amounts such as $5,000, $10,000, and $20,000, with occasional larger gifts above $45,000. The pattern suggests selective, project- or purpose-based support rather than many small awards. The recent list includes repeat recipients across years, including Georgetown Day School, Washington Hebrew Congregation, Jewish Federation of Group Homes, US Against Alzheimer’s, and American Friends of Hebrew University. That repeat pattern points to sustained relationships with a subset of grantees. The foundation does not fund individuals and is not shown making program-related investments.
$372K
$2M
$552K
$395K
Most grants fall between $2K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
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Grantmaking is regional and stays entirely in the United States. The recipient distribution shows 44 grants to U.S. organizations, with 38% of grants going to recipients in Washington, DC, while Ohio is the top state by grant count. Washington-area recipients include ADAS Israel Congregation, Human Rights Campaign, Georgetown Day School, Washington Hebrew Congregation, and Washington DC JCC. Outside DC, the recent list also reaches Philadelphia, New York, Rockville, Chevy Chase, West Palm Beach, Richmond, Bronx, Beverly Hills, and Palm Beach, showing a concentration in a small set of urban and metro-area institutions.
Its recent grants support biomedical and Alzheimer’s research, Jewish congregational and community institutions, independent K–12 education, university-based research, and civil rights or LGBTQ advocacy. The recent list includes grants to organizations in each of those categories, showing a multi-sector portfolio rather than a single-theme strategy.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Georgetown Day School, Washington Hebrew Congregation, Jewish Federation of Group Homes, US Against Alzheimer’s, and American Friends of the Hebrew University. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships with some grantees rather than purely one-time awards.
Its grant-size distribution is p25 $2,395, median $5,000, and p75 $10,250. In the recent grants list, many awards cluster around $5,000 to $10,000, with larger outliers in the tens of thousands.
Ohio is the top state by grant count, while 38% of grants go to recipients in Washington, DC. The recent list also shows recipients in Philadelphia, New York, Rockville, Chevy Chase, Richmond, West Palm Beach, Bronx, Beverly Hills, and Palm Beach.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals, and it does not make program-related investments.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer's Drug Discover | New York, NJ | $93,399 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| ADAS Israel Congregation | Washington, DC | $50,176 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $45,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Human Rights Campaign | Washington, DC | $26,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Georgetown Day School | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| American Friends of the Hebrew University | New York, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation | Washington, DC | $13,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Washington Hebrew Congregation | Washington, DC | $12,528 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Children's Hospital Found | Richmond, VA | $12,500 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Washington DC JCC | Washington, DC | $12,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Riverdale | Bronx, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Jewish Federation of Group Homes | Rockville, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Morselife Foundation | West Palm Beach, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| George Washington University | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| US Against Alzheimer's | Chevy Chase, MD | $7,500 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Foxhall Foundation | Washington, DC | $7,500 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purposes |
| Palm Beach Country Club Foundation | Palm Beach, FL | $7,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Israel Tennis Centers | New York, NY | $4,500 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Brem Foundation | Prince Frederick, MD | $4,500 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| University of Michigan Law School | Ann Arbor, MI | $1,000 | 2025 | Further Donee's Charitable Purpose |
| Alzheimer's Drug Discover | New York, NY | $150,468 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $60,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Childrens Hospital Found | Richmond, VA | $35,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Adas Israel Congregation | Washington, DC | $31,117 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| The Washington Ballet | Washington, DC | $23,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Human Rights Campaign | Washington, DC | $18,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Brem Foundation | Prince Frederick, MD | $15,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Washington Hebrew Congregation | Washington, DC | $14,370 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Georgetown Day School | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Jewish Federation of Group Homes | Rockville, MD | $10,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| George Washington University | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| MorseLife Foundation | West Palm Beach, FL | $10,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Anti-Defamation League | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| University of Michigan Law School | Ann Arbor, MI | $5,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| US Against Alzheimer's | Chevy Chase, MD | $5,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Washington DC JCC | Washington, DC | $4,335 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| The Kennedy Center | Washington, DC | $4,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Palm Beach Country Club Foundation | Palm Beach, FL | $2,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Palm Beach United Way | Palm Beach, FL | $1,500 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| The Cleveland Clinic Foundation | Cleveland, OH | $1,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Israel Tennis Centers | New York, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Foxhall Foundation | Washington, DC | $500 | 2024 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Georgetown Day School | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 2023 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Capital Jewish Museum | Washington, DC | $18,000 | 2023 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Brem Foundation | Prince Frederick, MD | $15,000 | 2023 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Washington Hebrew Congregation | Washington, DC | $14,471 | 2023 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| MorseLife Foundation | West Palm Beach, FL | $12,500 | 2023 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| The Washington Ballet | Washington, DC | $11,000 | 2023 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Riverdale Campaign | Bronx, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
| Anti-Defamation League | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE. |
Alzheimer's Drug Discover
$93,399Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
ADAS Israel Congregation
$50,176Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
American Friends of the Hebrew University
Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
Washington Hebrew Congregation
$12,528Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
Children's Hospital Found
$12,500Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
Washington DC JCC
$12,000Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
Riverdale
$10,000Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
Jewish Federation of Group Homes
$10,000Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
George Washington University
$10,000Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
US Against Alzheimer's
$7,500Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
Foxhall Foundation
$7,500Further Donee's Charitable Purposes
Palm Beach Country Club Foundation
$7,000Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
Brem Foundation
$4,500Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
University of Michigan Law School
$1,000Further Donee's Charitable Purpose
University of Pennsylvania
$60,000FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Childrens Hospital Found
$35,000FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Adas Israel Congregation
$31,117FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Brem Foundation
$15,000FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Washington Hebrew Congregation
$14,370FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Jewish Federation of Group Homes
$10,000FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
George Washington University
$10,000FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
University of Michigan Law School
$5,000FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
US Against Alzheimer's
$5,000FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Washington DC JCC
$4,335FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Palm Beach Country Club Foundation
$2,000FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Palm Beach United Way
$1,500FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Foxhall Foundation
$500FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Brem Foundation
$15,000FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Washington Hebrew Congregation
$14,471FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.
Riverdale Campaign
$10,000FURTHER DONEE'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE.