Kiwanis Club of Columbus

What Kiwanis Club of Columbus does

The Kiwanis Club of Columbus is a non-profit community service organization founded on May 10, 1916, as the fifth-oldest chartered club in Kiwanis International. Headquartered at 136 E Broad St in Columbus, Ohio, it operates weekly Monday lunch meetings at the Athletic Club of Columbus and serves community-minded professionals, students, and 501(c)(3) organizations working with children across Columbus and Franklin County. The Club sponsors Key Club (high school) and Circle K (college) youth service programs and administers named scholarships for Columbus City Schools graduates, including the Speakers Scholarship and the Service Leadership Scholarship.

Its core programmatic offerings are delivered through the affiliated Columbus Kiwanis Foundation, which conducts an annual community grant program distributing close to $100,000 to roughly 10-12 Central Ohio children's nonprofits each year, alongside fundraising events such as the Columbus Kiwanis Regatta, the Buckeye Ticket Raffle, and a charity auction. The Club co-runs the Columbus Kiwanis College Fair, created in 1980 in cooperation with Columbus City Schools, which connects high school seniors with over 170 colleges and universities annually. Technology use is limited and commodity-based: Zoom for hybrid meeting attendance and Wufoo for online forms.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across annual membership dues with multiple tiers (Standard at $350/yr, Corporate, Spouse at $280/yr, Young Professional, and Multiple-member corporate bundles), tax-deductible donations to the Columbus Kiwanis Foundation, and proceeds from fundraising events. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: members are recruited via word-of-mouth, referrals, Key Club and Circle K alumni outreach, and weekly meeting attendance, while the Foundation acquires grant applicants through an annual competitive application process. The organization is governed by an elected Board of Directors and Officers, with current leadership under President Chad Gardner, and operates with a lean staff of approximately 6 employees.

Name

Kiwanis Club of Columbus

Legal name

Kiwanis Club of Columbus

Website

https://columbuskiwanis.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Kiwanis Club of Columbus is a 110-year-old non-profit service organization in Columbus, Ohio that sponsors youth programs, administers scholarships and community grants, and hosts weekly meetings and fundraising events for community-minded professionals and Central Ohio children's nonprofits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Service Organization

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community service club
• Youth leadership programs
• Nonprofit grantmaking
• Charitable fundraising events
• Community scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from individual and corporate members across multiple categories including Standard, Corporate, Spouse, and Young Professional tiers.
2. Columbus Kiwanis Regatta: Annual fundraising event featuring sailing races and online voting campaign. Proceeds support the Columbus Kiwanis Foundation community grant program.
3. Buckeye Ticket Raffle: Annual fundraising raffle of two season tickets to Ohio State football games. Kiwanis clubs throughout Ohio and other nonprofits sell raffle tickets and receive a portion of sales.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to the Columbus Kiwanis Foundation supporting children and families in Central Ohio.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Kiwanis Club of Columbus is a non-profit civic service organization that operates weekly Monday lunch meetings, sponsors Key Club and Circle K youth leadership programs, administers named college scholarships for Columbus City Schools graduates, and channels approximately $100,000 annually in grants and scholarships to 501(c)(3) organizations serving children and families in Central Ohio through its affiliated Columbus Kiwanis Foundation.

Product overview

The Kiwanis Club of Columbus is a community service organization (not a technology company) offering a portfolio of youth development programs, educational scholarships, and community grants. Its core offerings include sponsorship of Key Club (high school) and Circle K (college) youth programs, two named college scholarships for Columbus City Schools students, an annual community grant program distributing approximately $100,000 to local nonprofits, the Columbus Kiwanis Regatta fundraising event, weekly Monday lunch meetings with community speakers, and the annual Columbus Kiwanis College Fair. These programs are administered through the Columbus Kiwanis Foundation and aim to improve the quality of life for children and families in Columbus and Franklin County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Key Club (High School Youth Program) A high school service organization sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Columbus that teaches students about good citizenship, community service, and leadership through independently initiated service projects during the school year.
• Circle K Club (College Youth Program) A collegiate service organization sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Columbus that engages college students in community service, leadership activities, and major service programs and fundraisers.
• The Speakers Scholarship A $4,000 college scholarship for graduating seniors of Columbus City Schools with a minimum 3.0 GPA who attend or plan to attend a U.S. educational institution, awarded by the Kiwanis Club of Columbus.
• The Service Leadership Scholarship A college scholarship for graduating seniors of Columbus City Schools who have contributed significant time and effort in community service programs throughout the year.
• Community Grant Program An annual competitive grant program administered through the Columbus Kiwanis Foundation that distributes approximately $100,000 to 501(c)(3) organizations working with children and children's issues in Central Ohio.
• Columbus Kiwanis Regatta An annual charity regatta featuring sailboat races using squirt guns, combining an online fundraising voting campaign with a live event at Kaufman Plaza to benefit the Columbus Kiwanis Foundation's community grant program.
• Columbus Kiwanis Foundation The philanthropic arm of the Kiwanis Club of Columbus that manages fundraising initiatives and distributes grants and scholarships to benefit children and families in Central Ohio.
• Monday Lunch Meetings Weekly lunch meetings held at the Athletic Club of Columbus featuring speakers, performances, or special events on community-interest topics, with options to attend in-person or via Zoom.
• Columbus Kiwanis College Fair An annual college fair created in 1980 in cooperation with Columbus City Schools that connects high school seniors with representatives from over 170 colleges and universities.
• Buckeye Ticket Raffle An annual fundraising raffle of two season tickets to Ohio State football games, with Kiwanis clubs throughout Ohio and other nonprofits selling tickets and retaining a portion of sales proceeds.

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Key ClubcoreOthersHigh school service organization sponsored by Kiwanis Club of Columbus. Kiwanis International is a 'family' of organizations that focuses on teaching young children about the responsibilities of good citizenship, community service and building future leaders. The sponsored youth group independently initiates service projects and community service activities throughout the school year.
• Circle K ClubcoreOthersCollege-level service organization sponsored by Kiwanis Club of Columbus. Works through an adviser to coordinate participation with activities and major service programs and fundraisers.
• Columbus City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated the Columbus Kiwanis College Fair in 1980 with the cooperation of Columbus city schools. The fair annually helps to connect high school seniors with representatives from over 170 colleges and universities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Regional players

• Columbus Foundation: Central Ohio's largest community foundation, hosting the Kiwanis Club of Columbus's scholarship funds and serving a similar philanthropic intermediation role. Comparable in grantmaking to children's nonprofits and operating in the same geographic market.

Broad incumbents

• United Way of Central Ohio: A much larger community-impact organization that aggregates corporate donations and funds local nonprofits serving children and families. Comparable in target beneficiary population and Central Ohio footprint, but operates at significantly greater scale.
• Ohio 4-H (The Ohio State University Extension): A statewide youth development program offering leadership and community service opportunities for K-12 students. Comparable in youth development mission and the broader civic/youth ecosystem that Kiwanis supports through sponsorship and grants.

Direct peers

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio: A youth mentoring nonprofit serving Central Ohio children, providing mentoring and educational support. Comparable in mission focus on children and families, and operates as a 2025-2026 Kiwanis Foundation grant recipient in the same ecosystem.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Columbus: A youth-focused nonprofit serving Columbus children through after-school programs, education, and leadership development. Directly comparable as a 501(c)(3) serving the same youth demographic and often receiving Kiwanis Foundation grants.
• Junior Achievement of Central Ohio: A K-12 focused nonprofit that delivers financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship education to Central Ohio students. Directly comparable in target beneficiary (K-12 youth) and educational access mission.
• Junior League of Columbus: A women's service organization with similar structure of membership dues, volunteer-led projects, and community grantmaking in Central Ohio. Comparable in membership-driven nonprofit model and community impact focus.
• Habitat for Humanity MidOhio: A Central Ohio nonprofit serving families through housing and community development, funded in part by community grants. Comparable as a community-impact nonprofit in the same Columbus ecosystem that benefits from Kiwanis Foundation grantmaking.
• Lions Club of Columbus: Another traditional service club with a Columbus chapter, operating weekly meetings, volunteer service, and structured grantmaking to community causes. Directly comparable in mission, member model, and fundraising approach.
• Rotary Club of Columbus: The local Columbus chapter of Rotary International, operating as a membership-based community service club with weekly meetings, charitable giving, and youth programs. It is the closest direct peer to the Kiwanis Club of Columbus in terms of structure, member experience, and community service activity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colskiwanis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kiwanis Club of Columbus