The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc
The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc is a private family foundation established in 1989 and funded in 1990, based in Schulenburg, Texas. The foundation was founded by Joseph and Victor Stanzel and operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to strengthening the communities of Schulenburg and Weimar through strategic philanthropy.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$14.8M
-0.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$449K
+4.7% YoY
Grant Count
79
-3.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
+8.7% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To support educated and healthy communities in Schulenburg and Weimar.
Vision: To be active partners in community, education and health, empowering generations of engaged citizen philanthropists.
The foundation's core values reflect the legacy of its founders, emphasizing hard work, perseverance, bold ideas and innovation, attention to detail and quality workmanship, kindness and genuine care of all people, and maintaining a learning mindset that nurtures creativity and innovation across the whole lifespan.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Education (including scholarships, early childhood, career and college exposure, and STEAM education)
- Health and mental health initiatives
- Capacity building for nonprofit organizations
- Community programs providing educational and medical benefits
Grantmaking
Scholarships are awarded exclusively to graduating high school seniors who reside within a 30-mile radius of Schulenburg or Weimar independent school districts and plan to enroll at any institution of higher education. Over 35 years, the foundation has awarded 554 scholarships to high school students and professionals.
Average Grant
amount varies by program
Review Cycle
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation restricts its grantmaking to organizations and individuals serving the Schulenburg and Weimar communities in Texas. Scholarships are limited to high school seniors residing within a 30-mile radius of Schulenburg or Weimar independent school districts.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $14,785,669
- Total Giving: $448,625
- Total Revenue: $1,969,512
- Total Expenses: $1,995,745
- Number of Employees: 5
Historical Impact: Over 35 years of operation, the foundation has invested more than $20 million locally and supported 52 local organizations.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $14,785,669 | $14,810,632 | $14,537,913 |
| Revenue | $1,969,512 | $1,841,908 | $788,647 |
| Expenses | $1,995,745 | $1,566,227 | $1,536,929 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,323,748 | $1,049,791 | $931,588 |
| Net Investment Income | $442,563 | $914,465 | $181,371 |
| Distributable Amount | $767,862 | $790,911 | $864,180 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Arts for Rural Texas - Fine Arts ($5,000), Edward Pesak ($4,775), Orlando Adame ($3,275).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARTS FOR RURAL TEXAS - FINE ARTS FAYETTEVILLE, TX | COMMUITY PROGRAM | $5,000 |
| ORLANDO ADAME SCHULENBURG, TX | COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP | $3,275 |
| ANA AVILA SCHULENBURG, TX | COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP | $3,275 |
| WYLEE BETTIS WEIMAR, TX | COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP | $3,275 |
| MADISON BROOKS SAN MARCOS, TX | COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP | $3,275 |
| DONDREA CARTER WEIMAR, TX | COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP | $3,275 |
| DANIEL RODRIGUEZ CASTILLO WEIMAR, TX | COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP | $3,275 |
| JAUNDREA CHESTER RODRIGUEZ SAN MARCOS, TX | COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP | $3,275 |
| LAUREN COOKE WEIMAR, TX | PROFESSIONAL SCHOLARSHIP | $2,000 |
| KELSEE COWART WEIMAR, TX | COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP | $3,275 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Cheryl Pekar – CEO
Melanie Ramirez – Program Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBERT R STANZEL | PRESIDENT | 8 | — |
| HELEN NIESNER | TREASURER | 12 | — |
| TONIA LIVINGSTON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SHANNON GILBERT | VICE-PRESIDENT | 4 | — |
| CHERYL PEKAR | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $96,416 |
| MEAGAN VELASQUEZ | SECRETARY | 8 | — |
| VIOLETA MARTINEZ | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| BRADLEY NIESNER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**35-Year Report (April 2025):**
The Stanzel Family Foundation released a comprehensive 35-Year Report reflecting on its impact since founding in 1989. The report documents the foundation's investment of more than $20 million locally, 554 scholarships awarded to high school students and professionals, and support for 52 local organizations across nonprofit and school-based initiatives.
Stanzel Family Foundation celebrates grant recipients**2024-2025 Grant Recipients (January 2025):**
Stanzel Family Foundation celebrates grant recipientsThe foundation announced its 2024-2025 grant recipients, awarding $150,000 in funding to eight organizations. According to Melanie Ramirez, Program Director: "These grants reflect our commitment to supporting organizations that provide vital services in education and health, strengthening the Schulenburg and Weimar communities."
Stanzel Family Foundation celebrates grant recipients**Contact Information:**
Website: www.stanzelfamilyfoundation.org
Phone: +1 (979) 743-9119
Address: 311 Baumgarten, P.O. Box 6, Schulenburg, TX 78956-0006
Email: cheryl@stanzelmuseum.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc fund?
**Mission:** To support educated and healthy communities in Schulenburg and Weimar. **Vision:** To be active partners in community, education and health, empowering generations of engaged citizen philanthropists. The foundation's core values reflect the legacy of its founders, emphasizing hard work, perseverance, bold ideas and innovation, attention to detail and quality workmanship, kindness and genuine care of all people, and maintaining a learning mindset that nurtures creativity and innovat…
How do I apply for a grant from The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $275–$70,000 • Average grant amount varies by program • The foundation made 83 grants in 2024 **Scholarship Program:** Scholarships are awarded exclusively to graduating high school seniors who reside within a 30-mile radius of Schulenburg or Weimar independent school districts and plan to enroll at any institution of higher education. Over 35 years, the foundation has awarded 554 scholarships to high school students and professionals. **General…
Where does The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation restricts its grantmaking to organizations and individuals serving the Schulenburg and Weimar communities in Texas. Scholarships are limited to high school seniors residing within a 30-mile radius of Schulenburg or Weimar independent school districts.
What size grants does The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc awarded 79 grants totaling $449K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $768K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Stanzel Family Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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