named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Career Day
Hosts career exploration events for students in grades 9-12 with industry professionals from various fields
Celebration of Education
Honors educators and educational programs in the Mohawk Valley region through an annual awards event
Drone Education Program
Offers training in drone operation, safety, programming, and FAA regulations for youth and adults since 2022
Economic Development Forum
Brings together business leaders and community members to discuss strategies for regional economic growth
Legislative Forum
Annual breakfast event facilitating dialogue between community members and elected officials from federal, state, and local governments
Literacy Program
Partners with Ready for Kindergarten to administer Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, providing monthly books to children from birth to age five
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Student Career Readiness and Internship Placement 1 activity
- Career exploration and workforce development eventsOrganizes Career Day events and career exploration roundtables featuring up to 50 career presenters from various industries who engage with high school students through rotating table discussions to promote career awareness and readiness.
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Regional Economic Development Initiatives 1 activity
- Community and economic development leadershipEngages in community development activities and practices adaptive leadership to address emerging regional challenges, convening business and community leaders to advance economic, social, and cultural interests in Central New York through initiatives like the Economic Development Forum and the Regional Legislative Forum.
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Community and Public Broadcasting Services 1 activity
- Community media and public communicationProduces and broadcasts a weekly radio program titled "This Week in the Mohawk Valley" featuring interviews with leaders from business, education, politics, and law enforcement, and operates a newsletter to share updates about community activities and initiatives.
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Aviation-Integrated STEM Education 1 activity
- Drone technology education and training programsOffers single- and multiple-day drone training programs for youth and adults, covering flight skills, safety, building and repair, programming, science of flight, FPV flight, and FAA airspace regulations, and has hosted dozens of drone camps for school groups, organizations, and individuals.
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Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
- Education grant fundingFunds education initiatives by awarding three $1,000 grants annually through a sponsorship partnership with First Source Federal Credit Union.
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Teacher and Staff Appreciation Activities 1 activity
- Education recognition and appreciation programsOrganizes Teacher Appreciation Week and hosts an annual event recognizing educators and educational programs that impact students, schools, and colleges.
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Children's Book Distribution Programs 1 activity
- Imagination Library early childhood literacy programLaunched and expanded the Imagination Library program to six school districts in the Mohawk Valley region, providing free books to children from birth to age five to promote early literacy, with initial rollout in two districts in September 2023 and expansion to four additional districts in September 2024.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$129K
Contributions & grants$119K92%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$8091%
Other revenue$9K
expenses
Total expenses$131K
Program expenses97%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$100K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$61K
Cash$17K
Investments$31K
Liabilities$0
Net assets$61K
Liquid reserves4.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +1.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAYMOND DURSO JR | PRESIDENT/CEO | 40 | $93K |
board members · 12
- ADRIAN COLOSIMO — SECRETARY
- ALICE J SAVINO — TRUSTEE
- BETHANY VANBECSCHOTEN — TRUSTEE
- CHRISTINE S OSSONT — ASSISTANT VICE CHAIRPERSON
- DR RENEE SCIALDO SHEVAT — TRUSTEE
- FRANK E PRZYBYCIEN — TRUSTEE
- GENE QUADRARO — BOARD CHAIRPERSON
- KEITH FENSTEMACHER — TRUSTEE
- MARIANN MUNSON — TRUSTEE
- REBECCA RUFFING — VICE CHAIRPERSON
- RICHARD PRESKY — TREASURER
- VINCENT J COYNE — TRUSTEE
relationships · 25
Who they work with
- Anthony Picente Partner — Oneida County Executive participating in the Legislative Forum.
- Brian Miller Partner — Assemblyman participating in the Legislative Forum.
- Edwin J. Frazier, Jr. Partner — Chairman of Otsego County Board of Representatives participating in the Legislative Forum.
- Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook page to share information about Teacher Appreciation Week honorees.
- First Source Federal Credit Union Partner — Education sponsor that awards three $1,000 grants through the Celebration of Education program.
- Frankfort Middle School Partner — School partner involved in Career Day programming.
- Herkimer County Community College Partner — Educational partner participating in Career Day events.
- Jeff Smith Partner — Co-chair of the Drone Education Program and experienced drone instructor leading training initiatives.
- Jim Wallace Partner — Herkimer County Administrator participating in the Legislative Forum.
- John Mannion Partner — Federal elected official participating in the Legislative Forum.
- Joseph Griffo Partner — State Senator participating in the Legislative Forum.
- Maria Smith Partner — Co-chair of the Drone Education Program and experienced drone instructor leading training initiatives.
- Marianne Buttenschon Partner — Assemblywoman participating in the Legislative Forum.
- Mid-York Library System Partner — Supporter of The Genesis Group
- Mike Galimez Partner — Utica Mayor participating in the Legislative Forum.
- Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce Partner — Collaborates with or shares leadership ties through founder Joseph R. Carucci, who was a past Chairman.
- Mohawk Valley Community College Partner — Educational partner participating in Career Day events.
- Perch Place Consulting Partner — Collaborates with The Genesis Group to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to the Mohawk Valley region.
- Ray Durso Partner — President and CEO of the Genesis Group who hosts the weekly radio program "This Week in the Mohawk Valley."
- Ready for Kindergarten Partner — Partners with The Genesis Group to implement the Imagination Library program in local school districts.
- Robert Smullen Partner — Assemblyman participating in the Legislative Forum.
- Rome Partner — Geographic area served through community and economic initiatives.
- Utica Partner — Geographic area served through community and economic initiatives.
- Vernon Verona Sherrill Partner — School district partner participating in Career Day events.
- greater Mohawk Valley Partner — Geographic area served through community and economic initiatives.
strategies · 5
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.
- Adaptive Leadership Developmentmethodology: adaptive_leadershipBy developing leaders' capacity to adapt to evolving community and economic challenges, the organization produces more resilient and responsive community leadership, because adaptive leaders are better equipped to navigate complex, changing environments.
- Civic Dialogue Forumsmethodology: civic-dialogue forumBy convening elected officials and community leaders in structured dialogue on legislative issues, the organization increases civic engagement and policy responsiveness, because direct interaction builds mutual understanding and accountability.
- Community-Engaged Economic Developmentmethodology: community-engaged economic developmentBy creating spaces for dialogue and collaboration, the organization drives positive local economic change, because inclusive community engagement generates locally-informed, sustainable economic strategies.
- Community-Unified Leadership Modelmethodology: community-leadership-unificationBy fostering unity and cooperation among community leaders, the organization produces stronger collective outcomes, because aligned leadership enhances coordination, trust, and shared accountability across sectors.
- STEM Career Pathways via Drone Educationmethodology: STEM career pathway through drone educationBy engaging youth and adults in drone education, the organization creates viable career pathways in technology and related fields, because hands-on, applied learning in high-growth sectors increases workforce readiness and aspiration.