EPIC YOUTH

What EPIC YOUTH does

EPIC Youth is a Columbus, Ohio-based non-profit youth empowerment organization that operates as a program of ICE Mentors (ImageCharacterEtiquette Inc.). Founded in 2011 as two parallel gender-specific initiatives — Eryn PiNK Girl Empowerment and Boys of ICE (Image, Character, Etiquette) — the organization rebranded to EPIC Youth in February 2025 to unify its programming under a single identity while expanding its mission to include post-secondary preparation, family engagement, and an expanded youth center functioning as a community resource hub.

The organization delivers a portfolio of in-person, programmatically structured services organized around four pathways: EPIC Leadership Academies (year-long cohorts September through May for grades 6-12), EPIC School Programs (curricula delivered directly in partner middle school classrooms), Mentorship Programs (Heritage and His•Time Mentoring Programs for youth referred exclusively through the Franklin County Job and Family Services Family Stabilization Unit, operating on a 60-20-20 outcomes model), and EPIC Events (signature convenings including Girls Will! Summit, Ballers Conference, Black Boy Honors, and Give That Girl the Mic). Recurring and signature products include the EPIC Summer Program ($250 registration, grades 7-12), the EPIC High School Young Professional Program ($100 year-long), the EPIC Student Council Program, and an Event Planning Services offering for external organizations. There is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is in-person and operational tooling is limited to PayPal for donations, Microsoft Forms for volunteer intake, and beehiiv for newsletters.

Revenue is sourced from three streams: individual donations (tax-deductible via PayPal at suggested tiers from $50 to $1,000+), program registration fees ($100-$250 per participant), and corporate sponsorships (financial contributions, in-kind donations, event underwriting, workforce development partnerships, and scholarships). Key corporate partners include Huntington Bank and the Columbus City Council. The organization serves middle and high school students in Columbus, Ohio, with a particular focus on Black and underserved youth, and reports a small staff of approximately 8 employees. EPIC Youth received Columbus Foundation "5 Nonprofits to Watch" recognition in 2025.

Name

EPIC YOUTH

Legal name

EPIC Youth

Website

https://epicyouth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EPIC Youth is a Columbus, Ohio-based non-profit youth empowerment organization operating gender-specific mentorship, leadership, and in-school programs for middle and high school students, with a particular focus on Black and underserved youth referred through Franklin County Job and Family Services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

Keywords

• Youth mentorship programs
• Leadership development services
• After-school programs
• Youth empowerment programs
• Financial literacy education

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations collected via PayPal platform with suggested tiers ranging from $50 to $1,000+. Donations are tax-deductible and support mentorship, leadership training, and career development programs.
2. Program Registration Fees: EPIC Summer Program charges $250 non-refundable registration fee. EPIC High School Young Professional Program charges $100 year-long program fee with financial assistance available.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partnerships including financial contributions, in-kind donations, event sponsorship, workforce development partnerships, and scholarship funding. Organizations sponsor specific programs, events, or provide general operational support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EPIC Youth delivers gender-specific youth empowerment, mentorship, and leadership development programs for middle and high school students in central Ohio. Its core offering is organized into four pathways: EPIC Leadership Academies (year-long structured programs), EPIC School Programs (in-school classroom delivery), Mentorship Programs (Heritage and His•Time in partnership with Franklin County Job and Family Services), and EPIC Events (signature summits, conferences, and recognition ceremonies). Core foundational programs include Eryn PiNK Girl Empowerment (founded 2011) for girls and ICE Boy Empowerment (Image, Character, Etiquette) for boys.

Product overview

EPIC Youth is a youth empowerment and mentorship organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs. The organization operates through four key pathways: EPIC Leadership Academies (year-long leadership development programs), EPIC School Programs (in-school programs delivered during the school day), Mentorship Programs (Heritage and His•Time in partnership with Franklin County Job and Family Services), and EPIC Events (signature events and professional event planning services). Core foundational programs include Eryn PiNK Girl Empowerment (founded 2011) and ICE Boy Empowerment, both continuing under the EPIC Youth umbrella following the February 2025 rebrand. The portfolio includes age and gender-specific programs such as the EPIC High School Young Professional Program, Middle School Leadership Programs for both girls (Eryn PiNK) and boys (Boys of ICE), School Programs delivered directly in classrooms, a nine-week Summer Program with corporate field trips, and the Student Council Program. Signature events include Girls Will! Summit, Ballers Conference (financial literacy), Black Boy Honors, Give That Girl the Mic, and Youth Leadership Retreats. EPIC also offers professional event planning services for external organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eryn PiNK: Girl empowerment program featuring self-confidence, leadership development, and character building for girls. Includes school programs, middle school leadership academies, and the annual Give That Girl the Mic showcase.
• ICE Boy Empowerment
• Heritage Program
• His•Time Program

Products and services

• Eryn PiNK Girl Empowerment Gender-focused program for girls and teens founded in 2011, providing mentorship, school-based programs, community workshops, events, and speaking engagements. Emphasizes academic excellence, personal branding, self-care, resisting peer pressure, and celebrating girlhood.
• ICE Boy Empowerment Program Gender-focused initiative for boys and young men where ICE stands for Image, Character, and Etiquette. Provides mentorship, hands-on experiences, and leadership development addressing academic achievement, personal branding, peer influence, emotional intelligence, and professional development.
• EPIC Leadership Academies

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% of students improve behavior and decision-making through mentorship and accountability
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Huntington BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Huntington Bank partners with EPIC Youth to provide Reality Days activities at the Ballers Conference Youth Financial Literacy Experience. These hands-on activities teach youth about money management, savings accounts, and financial planning in an engaging, interactive format.
• Columbus FoundationminorOthers · 17 February 2025Columbus Foundation recognized EPIC Youth as one of five nonprofits to watch in 2025, highlighting the organization's exceptional community impact in youth empowerment and leadership development in central Ohio.
• Columbus City Council Member Lourdes Barroso De PadillaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Council Member Lourdes Barroso De Padilla empowers the Girls Will! Summit, a signature EPIC event designed to equip middle and high school girls as future leaders, innovators, and changemakers. The event features keynote speakers, workshops, and panel discussions led by industry leaders.
• Corporate Partners (General)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Corporate sponsors support EPIC Youth through financial contributions, in-kind donations, workforce development partnerships (mentorship, internships, job shadowing), event sponsorship, and scholarship funding. Partners gain brand visibility, community impact, and access to future talent pipeline.
• Franklin County Job and Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Franklin County Job and Family Services serves as the exclusive referral source for the Heritage and His•Time Mentoring Programs. The partnership ensures youth most in need of support have access to life-changing mentorship and development opportunities. The Family Stabilization Unit refers eligible youth to participate in programs focused on economic justice and generational wealth building.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• YWCA Columbus: Local YWCA affiliate delivering empowerment programming for women and girls, including leadership development and racial justice initiatives. Comparable in gender-specific empowerment focus, Columbus geography, and racial equity mission that aligns with EPIC Youth's Heritage Program for Black girls.
• Girls Inc. National nonprofit inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through research-based programming. Directly comparable to EPIC Youth's Eryn PiNK Girl Empowerment programming in its gender-specific girl empowerment model, leadership academies, and post-secondary readiness focus.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest youth mentoring nonprofit in the U.S., pairing adult mentors with youth for sustained one-to-one relationships. Directly comparable to EPIC Youth's Heritage and His•Time Mentoring Programs in mission, mentor-pairing model, and focus on underserved youth outcomes.

Regional players

• Ohio Guidestone: Ohio-based nonprofit behavioral health and youth services organization offering counseling, mentoring, and school-based programs. Comparable to EPIC Youth in Ohio geography, youth services scope, and school-based service delivery model, though broader in clinical offerings.
• KIPP Columbus: Columbus-based KIPP charter school network serving predominantly Black and underserved students from middle school through college. Comparable in central Ohio geography and underserved youth focus, though operating as a charter school rather than supplemental youth development programming.
• City Year Columbus: Site of the national City Year AmeriCorps program placing young adults as near-peer mentors in high-need schools. Comparable to EPIC Youth's in-school mentorship and leadership programming model, with overlapping Columbus footprint and partner schools.
• Junior Achievement of Central Ohio: Central Ohio affiliate of Junior Achievement USA delivering work-readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship programs to K-12 students. Closely comparable to EPIC Youth's High School Young Professional Program and Ballers Conference financial literacy curriculum, particularly given shared Columbus geography and corporate sponsorship overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development organization providing after-school programming, leadership development, and mentorship for K-12 youth. Comparable in mission and age-segment focus, but operates at vastly greater scale across the entire U.S. with broader and less gender-specialized programming than EPIC Youth.
• National 4-H Council: Nationwide youth development organization delivering leadership, citizenship, and life-skill programming through local Cooperative Extension offices. Comparable in K-12 leadership development mission and club-based program structure, though serving rural/suburban audiences more heavily than EPIC Youth's urban Columbus focus.
• National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR): National umbrella organization working to expand quality youth mentoring across the U.S. through affiliate network and program standards. Comparable in mentorship program focus and youth development outcomes measurement, though operating as a capacity-builder for affiliates rather than direct-service provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EPICYOUTH614
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/epicyouth614
• Instagraminstagram.com/ice_mentors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EPIC YOUTH