About
Mission & Vision
The Stenclik Family Charitable Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization that addresses the needs of nonprofit organizations dedicated to the five counties that comprise the greater western New York area.
Our goal is to spark or sustain innovative projects whose impact can be seen and felt at the community level.
"Indeed, at the turn of our century, Buffalo had taken its place among the great cities of the United States.”
Lauren Belfer, City of Light
Buffalo has long been a hub of innovation.
Our city’s inventive spirit in the early 1900s enabled it to become a highly sought-after and attractive destination. Its neighborhoods blossomed, its businesses boomed, and its culture flourished. Buffalo currently finds itself in the midst of a revival—one that our family is proud to support.
The Charitable Fund’s three areas of focus are all critical to promoting the continued development of our region. By promoting educational and scientific innovation, we hope to spur job growth and cultivate successful communities. And by funding cultural institutions, we will enhance the quality of life in our community and expand access to the arts in all communities.
The Stenclik family is honored to support the continued prosperity of the region and looks forward to collaborating with a variety of organizations to catalyze positive change across our region.
Our charitable fund is committed to the following focus areas:
Culture & Science
Supporting organizations that promote innovative artistic, cultural, or scientific growth and opportunity.
We invest in big ideas in both science and society. We support discoveries and innovation that may ultimately improve human health and spur advances in technology to enhance the quality of life in our community. We seek out curiosity, collaboration, leadership, and courage, knowing that the first steps in solving complex problems are often steps into the unknown—and they are rarely taken alone.
Recognizing that the arts play a vital role to enrich the overall fabric of our community, we focus our support where the arts can make an impact in meaningful and sometimes unexpected ways. Providing community-wide access to the arts and cultural institutions, both established and nascent, is important to our mission. We support programs that use performing and visual arts to deepen artistic achievement and creativity.
Educational Opportunity
Supporting students’ long-term academic success and participation in civic, economic, and social life.
We partner and invest in schools and educational initiatives with bold plans to achieve improved outcomes for students, especially in underserved communities. We look for organizations with a clear track record of accomplishment or a plan that demonstrates sustainable success with educational initiatives that ideally reflect the students and families they serve. Successful applicants will have clear, explicit plans that honor students’ potential and capacity for excellence.
Thriving Communities
Supporting projects that advance social justice, build infrastructure, develop vibrant communities, and foster economic opportunity.
We want to maintain Buffalo’s national reputation as the City of Good Neighbors by improving our communities and providing equitable opportunities for residents. Ongoing economic investment in the places we live, work, and play fosters tight-knit neighborhoods that enable people to thrive in every aspect of their lives.
We will fund initiatives to build strong, sustainable communities that are physically safe and attractive, and provide essential services, reliable transportation, vibrant commercial districts, and quality schools to promote social justice and economic opportunity for all.