The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc
The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Schulenburg, Texas. Established in 1989, it supports education and health in the Schulenburg and Weimar communities through grants to local organizations, school-based programs, and scholarships.
The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc gave $449K across 79 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $448,625
- +4.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 79
- -3.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,679
- +8.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,275
- Total assets
- $14,785,669
- -0.2% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its filing says the foundation provides an application form for scholarships and an application format for other requests; it lists Robert Stanzel as the contact for applications. Scholarship eligibility is limited to graduating seniors who live in the Weimar or Schulenburg independent school districts, or attend a high school in either district, and plan to enroll in an institution of higher education. Other community-program awards are restricted to educational and medical benefits for residents of the Schulenburg and Weimar communities.
- Review Cycle
- The foundation’s website lists June 1 for general grants, the first week of December for capacity-building grants, and May 1 for teacher instructional grants. Its 2023 filing lists March 31 as the scholarship deadline; the scholarship webpage states that applications open January 1, 2027.
- Deadline
- The foundation’s website lists June 1 for general grants, the first week of December for capacity-building grants, and…
- Contact
Application contact: Robert Stanzel
Mailing address: 311 Baumgarten, Schulenburg, TX 78956
Phone: (979) 743-6559
Website: https://stanzelfamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc
Who The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Champion Valley Boys and Girls Club ($60K). Together the top 10 received $254K.
Organizations only. It also paid 66 grants to individuals ($187,400), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
422 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 416 grants of 422 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that its general grants support organizations serving Schulenburg and Weimar, and its teacher instructional grants support schools in those communities. Its 2023 filing says other community programs are restricted to providing educational and medical benefits to residents of Schulenburg and Weimar. All reported 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 79 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+16%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 172% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $340K (2020) to $449K (2024). In 2024 it made 79 grants totaling $449K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Champion Valley Boys and Girls Club Weimar, TX | Community Program | $60,000 |
| Blinn College Foundation Schulenburg, TX | For Schulenburg, TX Campus | $55,000 |
| And Then a New Day Schulenburg, TX | Community Program | $31,000 |
| Senior Connections Schulenburg, TX | Community Program | $31,000 |
| Colorado County Habitat for Humanity Columbus, TX | Community Program | $28,000 |
| Turtle Wing Foundation Schulenburg, TX | Community Program | $18,500 |
| Fayette Community Foundation La Grange, TX | Community Program | $15,000 |
| Fayette County Community Theatre La Grange, TX | Community Program | $5,500 |
| Arts for Rural Texas - Fine Arts Fayetteville, TX | Commuity Program | $5,000 |
| Victoria College - Zelda Allen School of Nursing Victoria, TX | Nursing Scholarships | $5,000 |
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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 | $14,785,669 | $1,969,512 | $1,995,745 | $448,625 | 79 | $1,323,748 | $442,563 | $767,862 |
| 2023 | $14,810,632 | $1,841,908 | $1,566,227 | $428,468 | 82 | $1,049,791 | $914,465 | $790,911 |
| 2022 | $14,537,913 | $788,647 | $1,536,929 | $405,949 | 89 | $931,588 | $181,371 | $864,180 |
| 2021 | $15,282,824 | $837,624 | $1,231,163 | $385,775 | 89 | — | $427,354 | $846,246 |
| 2020 | $15,675,754 | $1,002,155 | $1,226,235 | $340,190 | 83 | — | $555,461 | $747,240 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $768K 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
The foundation’s mission is to support educated and healthy communities in Schulenburg and Weimar. Its stated priorities include educational opportunities and scholarships, healthy lifestyles, health-related programs, and support for health-professional scholarships.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. And Then A New Day says it provides meaningful work, social, and life opportunities for young adults on the autism spectrum or with learning challenges. Turtle Wing Foundation describes its work as helping children with learning challenges in rural areas. Senior Connections says its mission is to provide services to older people that promote health, dignity, honor, and independence. Blinn College Foundation describes its work as supporting educational programs and activities, scholarships, and other opportunities for Blinn College students and the communities it serves.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 79 grants totaling $448,625. Awards ranged from $275 to $60,000, with a median grant of $3,275. The largest listed grants included $60,000 to Champion Valley Boys and Girls Club for a community program, $55,000 to Blinn College Foundation for its Schulenburg campus, and $31,000 each to And Then A New Day and Senior Connections for community programs. Other notable awards included $28,000 to Colorado County Habitat for Humanity, $18,500 to Turtle Wing Foundation, and $15,000 to Fayette Community Foundation.
The foundation also provides scholarships to graduating seniors in the Schulenburg and Weimar area. Its website states that eligible Stanzel Scholars may receive up to $15,000 toward an undergraduate degree. Teacher instructional grants are available to teachers at Schulenburg ISD, St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, St. Michael Catholic School, and Weimar ISD. The foundation’s website also describes capacity-building grants for nonprofit organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert R. Stanzel as president, Shannon Gilbert as vice-president, Helen Niesner as treasurer, Meagan Velasquez as secretary, Cheryl Pekar as executive director, and Tonia Livingston, Violeta Martinez, and Bradley Niesner as directors.
The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc is led by Cheryl Pekar, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 8 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Cheryl Pekar
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$84K (2020) → $96K (2024)
Robert R. Stanzel
President
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tonia Livingston
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bradley Niesner
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Violeta Martinez
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Helen Niesner
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
12 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shannon Gilbert
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Meagan Velasquez
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Melinda Barneycastle (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Ginger Bosl (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Theodore Stanzel (2020–2022) — Vice President
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $96K, to Cheryl Pekar (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc
How much does The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc give each year?
The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc gave $449K across 79 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $428K across 82 grants.
What is The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $3,275, and its average grant was $5,679, across 79 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc give grants?
The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Schulenburg, TX (5 grants), Weimar, TX (2 grants) and La Grange, TX (2 grants).
Does The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 79 grants with a stated purpose on The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "College Scholarship" (57 grants), "Community Program" (7 grants) and "Professional Scholarship" (6 grants).
Who are The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Champion Valley Boys and Girls Club ($60,000), Blinn College Foundation ($55,000) and And Then a New Day ($31,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 66 grants to individuals ($187,400), which are not listed by name. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc?
The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc reported $14.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $768K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support educated and healthy communities in Schulenburg and Weimar. Its stated priorities include educational opportunities and scholarships, healthy lifestyles, health-related programs, and support for health-professional scholarships. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2579827. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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). The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-stanzel-family-foundation-inc-morg_7413649ce63e40d6ac2cab58242a9790
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_742579827_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-stanzel-family-foundation-inc-morg_7413649ce63e40d6ac2cab58242a9790},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. 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 The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc'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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