named programs · 11 · from sources
What they call their work
Anne Moot Music Scholarship
Provides financial assistance to students pursuing music education, named in honor of Anne Altenburg Moot, a dedicated music educator and community member.
Be Well Group
Addresses social and emotional wellbeing through initiatives like HelpForLoneliness.com, community workshops, and outreach efforts to reduce isolation and foster connection.
Business Group
Supports local economic vitality by building relationships with business owners, promoting local commerce, and leading the Kenmore Bricks & Mortar Group in collaboration with the Kenmore Business Association and Ken-Ton Chamber of Commerce.
Events Group
Plans and executes community events including the Children’s Concert Series, Kenmore in Bloom, Dog Days of Kenmore, Poetry Open Mics, book club, and seasonal gatherings at 7 Warren Avenue.
Good Neighbor Guide and Award
A program promoting everyday courtesies among neighbors and recognizing individuals who exemplify kindness and community spirit through the annual Good Neighbor Award.
Historic Kenmore Group
Preserves and shares local history through research, commemorative plaques, publications, and educational initiatives that connect residents to Kenmore’s past.
Jeffrey Rutowski Memorial Scholarship
Provides financial support to Kenmore-Tonawanda students pursuing college studies in pharmacology, biology, or chemistry.
John and Bette Hulley Trades Scholarship
Supports students from the area who are entering trade schools or apprenticeships in fields such as electrical work or plumbing.
Kim Tippett Memorial Scholarship Fund
Offers scholarships to students planning to study writing or journalism in honor of former KVIS board member Kim Tippett.
Neighbors Group
Facilitates community connection through welcoming newcomers, organizing block meetups, leading outreach like Valentines for seniors, and supporting initiatives such as the Gigantic Kenmore Garage Sale and Onesies for Newborns.
Public Properties Group
Leads beautification projects including garden maintenance through Green Thumb Helpers, seasonal decorations, and the SaveTheBeesWNY pollinator initiative.
activities · 11 groups
What they do
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Community Festival & Event Production 2 activities
- Community events programmingOrganizes and hosts recurring community events such as the Children's Concert Series, Dog Days of Kenmore, Kenmore in Bloom, Poetry Open Mic Nights, and book club gatherings at 7 Warren Avenue to foster connection and cultural engagement.
- Support for neighborhood-led events and gatheringsProvides free block party planning resources and supports informal neighborhood gatherings such as block meetups and the Gigantic Kenmore Garage Sale to strengthen local connections.
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Friendly Visiting & Social Companionship Programs 1 activity
- Addressing social isolation and fostering community connectionConducts outreach and operates HelpForLoneliness.com to reduce loneliness, including initiatives such as Valentines for seniors, block meetups, and community workshops designed to promote connection among isolated individuals.
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Public Space Beautification and Maintenance 1 activity
- Community beautification and public space enhancementConducts ongoing gardening, seasonal decoration, and public space improvement projects including the maintenance of the village green and library garden, installation of holiday and patriotic decorations, and organization of seasonal decorating contests for residents and businesses.
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Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
- Education and scholarship programsOffers multiple annual scholarships to Kenmore-Tonawanda students under age 22, including the Jeffrey Rutowski Memorial Scholarship, Kim Tippett Memorial Scholarship, John and Bette Hulley Trades Scholarship, Anne Moot Music Scholarship, and Christopher and Frederick Sachs Scholarship for educational expenses.
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Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
- Environmental and pollinator protection initiativesImplements pollinator protection efforts including the No Lawn Vanity campaign and SaveTheBeesWNY initiative, alongside community gardening projects to support ecological sustainability.
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Community Capacity Building & Leadership Networks 1 activity
- Good Neighbor initiatives and community norms promotionCreates and distributes the Good Neighbor Guide, coordinates the Good Neighbor Award ceremony, and promotes everyday courtesies to foster respectful and harmonious community living.
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Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
- Historical preservation and community storytellingPreserves Kenmore’s heritage through research, historical publications, commemorative plaques, and sharing stories from the village’s past.
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Diaper and Baby Supply Distribution 1 activity
- New family and neighbor outreach programsWelcomes new residents through hospitality efforts and supports new families with the Onesies for Newborns initiative, which provides hand-delivered, festively wrapped onesies printed with "Made in Kenmore" to newborns in the community.
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Neighborhood Civic Engagement 1 activity
- Organizing resident-led civic engagement and community committeesEstablished and supports a civic structure enabling residents to collaboratively address community concerns through ongoing resident-led committees that meet regularly to strengthen civic participation and local governance.
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Nonprofit Retail and Merchandise Sales 1 activity
- Support for local commerce and mission-driven retailOperates Made for Good, a mission-driven shop that promotes and supports local commerce in Kenmore.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Advocacy to preserve local institutions and governanceEngaged in successful advocacy efforts to prevent the closure of the local library and to defeat a proposal to dissolve the village government, thereby preserving Kenmore's municipal independence and community services.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$55K
Contributions & grants$41K75%
Program service revenue$5K9%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$5K
expenses
Total expenses$57K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$3K
Grants paid out$5K
balance sheet
Total assets$41K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$41K
1 years on record · 2025–2025
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 11
- Anne Moot — Board Member
- Ashlie Schurter — Board Member
- Caitlin Daly — Board Member
- Chris Coupal — Board Member
- Eileen Koteras elibol — Board Member
- Gina Grimaldi — Board Member
- Joanna Panasiewicz — Board Member
- Marie Aungst — Board Member
- Melissa Miszkiewicz — Board Member
- Michael Foster — Board Member
- Nancy Lesko — Board Member
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- Anne Altenburg Moot Partner — Donor and namesake of the Anne Moot Music Scholarship
- Canisius College Video Institute Partner — Collaborated with KVIS to produce a video portrait of the village in 2012.
- Christopher and Frederick Sachs Partner — Namesakes of the Christopher and Frederick Sachs Scholarship
- Colvin Cleaners Partner — Annually cleans and presses the fan buntings used in patriotic decorations, supporting KVIS's seasonal efforts.
- Green Thumb Helpers Partner — Volunteer group that plants and maintains gardens at the village green and library garden.
- HelpForLoneliness.com Partner — Initiative supported by the Be Well Kenmore Committee to address loneliness and promote social connection.
- Jeffrey Rutowski Partner — Namesake of the Jeffrey Rutowski Memorial Scholarship
- John and Bette Hulley Partner — Donors and namesakes of the Hulley Trades Scholarship
- KVIS Network — Kenmore Village Improvement Society (KVIS) is the parent organization hosting the Neighbors group and its activities.
- Ken-Ton Chamber of Commerce Partner — Works alongside KVIS Business group to strengthen the local business community.
- Kenmore Business Association Partner — Collaborates with KVIS Business group to support local businesses and economic vitality.
- Kim Tippett Partner — Namesake of the Kim Tippett Memorial Scholarship Fund
- Made for Good Partner — Collaborates with Made for Good shop to distribute Good Neighbor Guide cards at 7 Warren Avenue.
- Niagara Frontier Section of Air & Waste Management Association Funder — Provided a grant to support the distribution of free lawn signs in Kenmore.
- Paula's Donuts Partner — Used the KVIS-decorated gazebo as a setting for a Halloween commercial, highlighting the visibility and community value of the decorations.
- SaveTheBeesWNY Partner — Initiative supporting pollinator populations in the Kenmore area.
- Village Board Government — KVIS presented its founding idea to the Village Board and collaborates with local government.
- Village Board Government — Requires approval from the Village Board for block parties, indicating an official coordination role.
- Village of Kenmore Network — Hosts KVIS program information on its website
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Driven Change via Resident-Led Actionmethodology: community-driven improvementBy empowering resident-led committees to observe conditions, develop plans, and implement improvements, the organization produces sustainable community change because local ownership increases relevance, participation, and long-term accountability.
- Connection-Based Loneliness Interventionmethodology: connection-based_loneliness_interventionBy designing person-to-person and block-by-block engagement strategies that ensure residents feel seen and welcomed, the organization reduces social isolation because meaningful interpersonal connection addresses the root emotional cause of loneliness, not just its symptoms.
- Norm Reinforcement Through Values-Based, Non-Regulatory Guidancemethodology: community-norms reinforcementBy distributing a "Good Neighbor Guide" as a gentle, non-enforcement reminder of shared courtesies, the organization fosters mutual respect and community cohesion because informal social norms—when positively framed—encourage voluntary compliance and collective identity more effectively than top-down rules.
- Relational Civility Through Intentional Kindnessmethodology: relational-civilityBy fostering constructive and respectful dialogue through intentional love and kindness, especially in difficult discussions, the organization strengthens trust and enables sustained community collaboration because relational norms rooted in empathy reduce conflict and increase psychological safety.