Homer And Martha Gudelsky Family Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $3,475,000 (2024)
• Total Assets: $38.1M
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $2,415,000
• Geographic Focus: Maryland (particularly Silver Spring and surrounding areas), with some support for organizations in Florida and Delaware
• Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Address: 11900 Tech Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20904-1910
Phone: 301-622-0100
Website: None publicly available
Email: Not publicly available

Note: The foundation does not have a public application process and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Overview

The Homer and Martha Gudelsky Family Foundation Inc. was established in 1968 by Martha Gudelsky and her husband Homer Gudelsky, a prominent real estate developer who helped develop major shopping centers including Tysons Corner Center and Westfield Wheaton. With total assets of $38.1 million and annual giving of approximately $3.5 million, the foundation continues the Gudelsky family's longstanding commitment to improving health, education, the arts, and community services primarily in Maryland. The foundation is currently led by the couple's four children and operates as a private family foundation, making grants exclusively to preselected organizations. The foundation has been particularly focused on its namesake Martha B. Gudelsky Child Development Center in Silver Spring, which received $2.415 million in recent funding, fulfilling Martha Gudelsky's vision to enrich the lives of children in her hometown.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with no formal grant programs or public application deadlines. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of trustees to preselected charitable organizations.

Grant Range: $5,000 - $2,415,000 (based on recent awards)

Priority Areas

The foundation makes contributions with particular emphasis on:

• Social & Human Services (47% of giving): Including community development, child development centers, and social welfare organizations
• Education (21% of giving): Technical education, early childhood education, higher education institutions
• Health (8% of giving): Medical facilities, hospice care, specialized medical research, rare disease foundations
• Arts and Culture: Support for arts organizations and cultural institutions
• Environment: Environmental conservation and sustainability projects

Geographic Focus

The foundation primarily supports organizations in:

• Silver Spring, Maryland (headquarters location and area of significant family connection)
• Montgomery County and greater Maryland (particularly institutions like Montgomery College, University of Maryland system, Atlantic General Hospital)
• Selective support in Florida and Delaware

Recent Grant Examples

Recent grants have included:

• $2,415,000 for Martha B Gudelsky Child Development Center
• $345,000 for AFMDA
• $50,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County
• $50,000 for Dravet Syndrome Foundation
• $20,000 for Diakonia
• $20,000 for Coastal Hospice
• $5,000 for Delaware Hospice

Major Historical Gifts

The foundation has made transformational gifts including:

• $5 million to University of Maryland Medical Center for a new clinical tower (largest gift to the university at the time in 1991)
• $4 million to Atlantic General Hospital's capital campaign (largest single private donation in the hospital's history, 2019)
• $10 million for renovation of the former Silver Spring library into the Martha Gudelsky Child Development Center
• $1.5 million (plus $1.5 million county match) for the Gudelsky Institute for Technical Education at Montgomery College
• Nearly $1 million cumulative support for Dr. Yoni Zohar's sustainable aquaculture research at UMBC

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation:

• Does not accept unsolicited applications
• Does not fund organizations outside their preselected network
• Appears to avoid national organizations in favor of local/regional impact

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by the children of Homer and Martha Gudelsky:

Officers and Directors:

• John Gudelsky - President
• Medda Gudelsky - Vice President
• Rita G. Regino - Vice President
• Holly Stone - Vice President
• Jonathan Genn - Secretary
• Samuel Yedlin - Treasurer

The foundation maintains strong family ties to Silver Spring, where the Gudelsky children were raised. As John Gudelsky stated regarding the family's $4 million gift to Atlantic General Hospital: "The Homer and Martha Gudelsky Family Foundation, the Gudelsky family, Rolfe, Ioana and I stand in strong support of Ocean City, Worcester County, and its neighboring towns and communities."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Homer and Martha Gudelsky Family Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

All grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of trustees to organizations with which the family has established relationships or connections.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's giving pattern shows strong preference for:

1. Geographic connection to Silver Spring: The family has deep roots in Silver Spring, Maryland, where they lived on Colesville Road and used the local library extensively. Organizations serving this community appear to have stronger consideration.

2. Institutions where family members have personal connections: The foundation has supported institutions where Homer Gudelsky received medical care (University of Maryland Medical Center) and communities where the family has ties (Ocean City/Worcester County area).

3. Organizations aligned with the foundation's core mission areas: Health, education (particularly early childhood and technical education), arts, and community services have historically received the most support.

4. Capital campaigns and transformational projects: The foundation has shown willingness to make major gifts ($4-10 million) for significant capital projects at institutions they support.

It is important to note that there is no documented process for organizations to proactively approach the foundation. Relationships appear to be cultivated over time through the family's personal and philanthropic networks.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private family foundation with trustee-discretion grants, timing varies by project and relationship.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation made 12 awards in 2023 and 26 awards in 2022 to preselected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations cannot apply or reapply as the foundation only supports preselected charitable organizations.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept applications, the traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, understanding the foundation's giving patterns reveals:

1. Personal and family connections are paramount: The foundation's largest gifts have gone to institutions where the family has personal ties - the University of Maryland Medical Center (where Homer Gudelsky received treatment), Montgomery College and institutions in Silver Spring (where the family lived), and Atlantic General Hospital (in a community the family supports).

2. Focus on legacy and naming opportunities: Major gifts have resulted in named facilities including the Gudelsky Building at University of Maryland Medical Center, the Gudelsky Institute for Technical Education at Montgomery College, and the Martha B. Gudelsky Child Development Center.

3. Alignment with founders' values: Martha Gudelsky's passion for enriching children's lives is evident in the $2.415 million commitment to the child development center bearing her name. Homer Gudelsky's experience as a patient influenced healthcare giving.

4. Emphasis on local impact: The foundation strongly favors Maryland organizations, particularly those serving Montgomery County and Silver Spring, demonstrating commitment to improving their home community.

5. Support for both major capital projects and ongoing programs: While the foundation makes transformational seven-figure gifts for capital campaigns, they also provide smaller ongoing support ($5,000-$50,000) to organizations within their funding network.

6. Multi-year relationships: The foundation provided three consecutive years of support for aquaculture research at UMBC, suggesting they value sustained partnerships with organizations demonstrating impact.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is not a grantmaker you can apply to directly - the foundation exclusively supports preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications
• Geographic proximity to Silver Spring, Maryland matters significantly - the foundation shows strong preference for organizations serving their hometown community
• Relationship-based philanthropy - grants flow from personal connections, family ties, and established relationships rather than competitive application processes
• Large-scale giving capacity - the foundation has demonstrated ability to make transformational gifts of $4-10 million for capital projects at institutions they support
• Focused on legacy - the foundation's largest commitments honor family members (Martha Gudelsky's vision for children, Homer Gudelsky's medical care) and result in named facilities
• Preference for health, education, and social services - nearly 76% of giving goes to these three sectors, with particular emphasis on early childhood development and technical education
• Family-governed with continuity - the four Gudelsky children maintain their parents' philanthropic vision while continuing multi-generational support for key institutions

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Homer And Martha Gudelsky Family Foundation Inc (EIN 52-0885969), accessed January 2026: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/520885969
• Charity Navigator Profile - Homer and Martha Gudelsky Family Foundation Inc., accessed January 2026: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/520885969
• Grantmakers.io Profile - Homer and Martha Gudelsky Family Foundation Inc., accessed January 2026: https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/520885969-homer-and-martha-gudelsky-family-foundation-inc/
• Atlantic General Hospital, "The Gudelsky Family Donates $4 Million to Atlantic General Hospital's Capital Campaign," November 2019: https://www.atlanticgeneral.org/news/2019/november/the-gudelsky-family-donates-4-million-to-atlanti/
• UMBC Institute of Marine & Environmental Technology, "Homer and Martha Gudelsky Family Foundation Give $250,000 to Support Dr. Zohar's Sustainable Aquaculture Research," December 2012: https://www2.umbc.edu/blogs/imet/2012/12/homer_and_martha_gudelsky_fami.html
• Wikipedia, "Homer Gudelsky," accessed January 2026: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Gudelsky
• Montgomery College, "Gudelsky Institute for Technical Education," accessed January 2026: https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/academics/departments/gudelsky-institute-technical-education/index.html
• CentroNía, "CentroNía is expanding!," accessed January 2026: https://www.centronia.org/special/centron%C3%ADa-is-expanding
• WTOP News, "Old Silver Spring Library to transform into child development center focused on low-income, immigrant families," February 2024: https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2024/02/old-silver-spring-library-to-transform-into-child-development-center-focused-on-low-income-immigrant-families/
• Bethesda Magazine, "Renovation of former Silver Spring library to early childhood education center to be completed in June," December 27, 2023: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2023/12/27/renovation-of-former-silver-spring-library-to-early-childhood-education-center-to-be-completed-in-june/