The Stepanski Family Charitable Trust makes a small number of moderate-sized grants split between biomedical research and local family-focused social services. They fund high-profile medical research (e.g., stem cell science) alongside hands-on community organizations that address family homelessness, food insecurity and emergency assistance, and also make a few personal or one-off gifts to individuals or smaller projects.
Concentrated portfolio of 4–5 moderate grants per cycle with several relatively large, single-year gifts; split between a marquee national research recipient and locally focused family services; mix of institutional grants and individual/one-off payments rather than long-term multi-year commitments.
A $25,000 unrestricted grant to The New York Stem Cell Foundation is the clearest signal in the Stepanski Family Charitable Trust’s recent record: this funder is willing to make a meaningful commitment to biomedical research while also supporting smaller community organizations. The trust’s grants are mostly unrestricted, and the recipients range from research institutions to local service providers and cultural groups. Alongside the stem cell grant, the trust backed Family Promise of Monmouth County with $20,000 and Lunch Break (Family Promise) with $16,000, showing repeated support for family-oriented anti-hunger and shelter work. The portfolio also includes a mix of one-off grants and smaller awards, including gifts to Planned Parenthood, WNET Channel 13, Brattleboro Literary Festival, and Mt Sinai Adolescent Center. That mix suggests a donor-advised style of giving with flexibility across sectors rather than a single programmatic niche. The trust’s recent grants are entirely domestic and spread across research, family services, health, education, media, and civic or cultural nonprofits.
Biomedical research is one of the trust’s clearest themes. In 2025, it gave $25,000 unrestricted to The New York Stem Cell Foundation. Family stabilization is another recurring area: the trust awarded $20,000 to Family Promise of Monmouth County in 2023 and $16,000 to Lunch Break (Family Promise) in 2024, both tied to family support and meal or shelter-related work. Health-related giving also appears outside research, including $10,000 to American Friends of Soroka Medical Center in 2024 and smaller gifts to Mt Sinai Adolescent Center and Shriners Hospitals for Children. The portfolio also reaches into civic and cultural life, with grants to Planned Parenthood, WNET Channel 13, the Brattleboro Literary Festival, and East Hampton Public Library. Across these areas, awards are generally unrestricted.
Typical awards are modest to moderate: the 25th percentile is $231, the median is $1,000, and the 75th percentile is $2,800. The trust makes a small number of larger grants, but most awards cluster around four figures. Giving is not confined to a single year; recipients such as Ukrainian Relief Fund, Brattleboro Literary Festival, Planned Parenthood, WNET Channel 13, and Mt Sinai Adolescent Center appear more than once across 2023 to 2025. The trust gives organizational support rather than individual program-restricted funding in the recent grants list, with all recent grants marked unrestricted. It does not fund individuals.
$155K
$689K
$264K
$225K
Most grants fall between $231 and $3K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$231
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$3K
About 5% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Notable grantees: The New York Stem Cell Foundation, Family Promise of Monmouth County, Lunch Break (Family Promise), Stillman Vonderhorst, Meghan Forrett Haviland Auto
Grants are national, with all recent awards going to U.S. recipients. New York is the top state by grant count, and many awards land in New York City, including The New York Stem Cell Foundation, WNET Channel 13, Everytown Gun Safety Support Fund, and Mt Sinai Adolescent Center. New Jersey is another frequent destination, with Family Promise of Monmouth County in Matawan and Lunch Break in Red Bank. Vermont also appears repeatedly through Brattleboro Literary Festival and related awards in Brattleboro. Florida is present as a recipient state as well, including Shriners Hospitals for Children in Tampa, even though only 5% of grants go to recipients in the trust’s HQ state.
Recent grants cover biomedical research, family homelessness and meal programs, health-related nonprofits, and some education, media, and cultural groups. Examples include The New York Stem Cell Foundation, Family Promise of Monmouth County, Lunch Break (Family Promise), WNET Channel 13, and Brattleboro Literary Festival.
Most grants are small to mid-sized. The 25th percentile is $231, the median grant is $1,000, and the 75th percentile is $2,800. The trust also makes larger awards, including a $25,000 grant in 2025.
Yes. Every recent grant in the list is marked unrestricted, including awards to research, social service, media, and cultural nonprofits. That pattern suggests flexible organizational support rather than narrowly restricted project funding.
Yes. Several recipients appear in more than one year, including Ukrainian Relief Fund, Brattleboro Literary Festival, Planned Parenthood, WNET Channel 13, and Mt Sinai Adolescent Center. That points to recurring support alongside one-time gifts.
New York is the top state by grant count, with many recipients in New York City such as The New York Stem Cell Foundation, WNET Channel 13, Everytown Gun Safety Support Fund, and Mt Sinai Adolescent Center. New Jersey and Vermont also show repeated receiving organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE NEW YORK STEM CELL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| STILLMAN VONDERHORST | BRATTLEBORO, VT | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MEGHAN FORRETT HAVILAND AUTO | BRATTLEBORO, VT | $15,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE NEW PLAZA CINEMA CO NORMA LEVY | NEW YORK, NY | $5,250 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BRATTLEBORO LITERARY FESTIVAL | BRATTLEBORO, VT | $3,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WNET CHANNEL 13 | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN | TAMPA, FL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| EVERYTOWN GUN SAFETY SUPPORT FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $750 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| RIVERSIDE ORCHESTRA | NEW YORK, NY | $750 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| EAST HAMPTON PUBLIC LIBRARY | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $450 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE PENN CLUB | NEW YORK, NY | $225 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $200 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MARLBORO VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT | MARLBORO, VT | $100 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LUNCH BREAK (FAMILY PROMISE) | RED BANK, NJ | $16,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF SOROKA MEDICAL CENTER | SCARSDALE, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UKRAINIAN RELIEF FUND | WEST FRIENDSHIP, MD | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BRATTLEBORO LITERARY FESTIVAL | BRATTLEBORO, VT | $2,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE NEW PLAZA CINEMA CO NORMA LEVY | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| POLY PREP SCHOOL | BROOKLYN, NY | $1,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ST JUDES'S HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $1,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MT SINAI ADOLESCENT CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $800 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | NEW YORK, NY | $200 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| RIVERSIDE ORCHESTRA | NEW YORK, NY | $50 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FAMILY PROMISE OF MONMOUTH COUNTY | MATAWAN, NJ | $20,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UKRAINIAN RELIEF FUND | WEST FRIENDSHIP, MD | $10,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MT SINAI ADOLESCENT CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $2,900 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $2,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BRATTLEBORO LITERARY FESTIVAL | BRATTLEBORO, VT | $1,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WNET CHANNEL 13 | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LATINO U COLLEGE | WHITE PLAINS, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERITIES UNION | WASHINGTON, DC | $250 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ST JUDES'S HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $250 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $200 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MARLBORO VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT | MARLBORO, VT | $100 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FRESH AIR FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $100 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WESTFIELD VOLUNTEER RESCUE SQUAD | WESTFIELD, NJ | $100 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PALM BEACH POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOC | PALM BEACH, FL | $100 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SOUTHERN VERMONT ARTS CENTER | MANCHESTER, VT | $100 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
THE NEW YORK STEM CELL FOUNDATION
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
STILLMAN VONDERHORST
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
MEGHAN FORRETT HAVILAND AUTO
$15,000UNRESTRICTED
THE NEW PLAZA CINEMA CO NORMA LEVY
$5,250UNRESTRICTED
BRATTLEBORO LITERARY FESTIVAL
$3,500UNRESTRICTED
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
WNET CHANNEL 13
UNRESTRICTED
SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
EVERYTOWN GUN SAFETY SUPPORT FUND
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION
$750UNRESTRICTED
RIVERSIDE ORCHESTRA
$750UNRESTRICTED
EAST HAMPTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
$450UNRESTRICTED
THE PENN CLUB
$225UNRESTRICTED
NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$200UNRESTRICTED
MARLBORO VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT
$100UNRESTRICTED
LUNCH BREAK (FAMILY PROMISE)
$16,000UNRESTRICTED
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF SOROKA MEDICAL CENTER
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
UKRAINIAN RELIEF FUND
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
BRATTLEBORO LITERARY FESTIVAL
$2,500UNRESTRICTED
THE NEW PLAZA CINEMA CO NORMA LEVY
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
POLY PREP SCHOOL
$1,500UNRESTRICTED
ST JUDES'S HOSPITAL
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
MT SINAI ADOLESCENT CENTER
$800UNRESTRICTED
THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$200UNRESTRICTED
RIVERSIDE ORCHESTRA
$50UNRESTRICTED
FAMILY PROMISE OF MONMOUTH COUNTY
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
UKRAINIAN RELIEF FUND
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
MT SINAI ADOLESCENT CENTER
$2,900UNRESTRICTED
LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
BRATTLEBORO LITERARY FESTIVAL
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
WNET CHANNEL 13
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
LATINO U COLLEGE
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERITIES UNION
$250UNRESTRICTED
ST JUDES'S HOSPITAL
$250UNRESTRICTED
NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$200UNRESTRICTED
MARLBORO VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT
$100UNRESTRICTED
FRESH AIR FUND
$100UNRESTRICTED
WESTFIELD VOLUNTEER RESCUE SQUAD
$100UNRESTRICTED
PALM BEACH POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOC
$100UNRESTRICTED
SOUTHERN VERMONT ARTS CENTER
$100UNRESTRICTED