United Way of Kaw Valley Inc
United Way of Kaw Valley (UWKV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Topeka, Kansas, with an additional office in Lawrence. Formed in September 2022 through the merger of United Way of Greater Topeka and United Way of Douglas County, UWKV serves as a grantmaker, community convenor, volunteer organizer, and strategic partner for the nonprofit sector across northeast Kansas.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.0M
-4.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.7M
-11.5% YoY
Grant Count
41
-22.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$90K
+14.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
UWKV works to solve issues that no single donor, charity, or government agency can handle alone. The organization focuses on a Whole Family/2Gen Approach to Poverty, applying a lens that makes it easier for families to access services and define success for themselves.
Primary investment areas include:
- Early Education
- On-Grade Achievement
- Financial Stability
- Health
- Substance Abuse
- Racial Equity
- Basic Needs
- Family Supports
The organization commits to leveraging all assets—convening, strategic investments, awareness building, and advocacy—to create more equitable communities.
Grantmaking
UWKV distributes impact grants to partner organizations and manages volunteer engagement projects and infrastructure. Recent grantmaking activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
United Way of Kaw Valley invests in and serves four counties in northeast Kansas:
- Shawnee County
- Douglas County
- Jackson County
- Jefferson County
The organization maintains local advisory councils for Shawnee, Jackson, and Douglas counties that work to understand community needs and make recommendations on funding priorities, collaborative opportunities, and strategic planning. Jefferson County is served through partner organizations, with plans to increase engagement in the future.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Fiscal Year 2023 (as of June 30, 2023):
- Revenue: $5.58 million
- Expenses: $5.54 million
- Total Assets: $4.2 million
- Total Liabilities: $1.44 million
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since March 1972 (EIN: 48-0561978)
The organization is recognized as a Four-Star charity and maintains audited financial statements in accordance with United Way system standards and generally accepted accounting principles.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,989,974 | $4,197,473 | $3,601,122 |
| Revenue | $5,171,093 | $5,575,436 | $4,712,696 |
| Expenses | $5,401,923 | $5,541,906 | $4,893,733 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $40,672 | $28,191 | $21,602 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
205 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Jessica Lehnherr – Chief Executive Officer
Valerie Thieme – Chief Financial Officer
Wendo Kimori – Board Member
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARC FRIED | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| MATT ALL | PAST CHAIR | 1 | — |
| BETH LLEWELLYN | CHAIR ELECT | 1 | — |
| FREDDY MAWYIN | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MARLOU WEGENER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MATT DINKEL | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MORGAN FRANKLIN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOHN FAGER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| STEPHANIE FLOOD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ADRIAN REVELS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOHNATHAN SUBLET | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| AMY STUTZMAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BRYCE LIEDTKE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MARIO EDMONDS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TREY GEORGE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BILL COCHRAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SARAH SHARP | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JACQUE RUSSELL | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DORIA WATSON | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TONYA BARTA | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JUDY CORZINE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOE BEASLEY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MINA BISCHMANN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KATE CAMPBELL | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| PEGGY JOHNSON | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BROOKLYNNE MOSLEY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| WARD SLOCUM | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DAVID JORDAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BELLA WOOD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MEGAN BURGESS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KRYSTAL LOOMIS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JESSICA LEHNHERR | PRESIDENT & | 40 | $103,900 |
| VALERIE THIEME | CFO | 40 | $71,486 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2024 Day of Giving:** In June 2024, UWKV's Day of Giving campaign achieved record-breaking results, generating $35,492 in donations and matching contributions. This marked the fifth year of the 24-hour fundraising event.
**Campaign Progress:** As of the 2024 Day of Giving, Douglas County was only $20,000 away from its $600,000 campaign goal, with the overall four-county campaign goal set at $2.6 million.
**Merger Integration:** Following the September 2022 merger, UWKV integrated operations across two offices while maintaining collaborative daily work between staff in both locations to benefit all four counties served.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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