What I Know I Can does

I Know I Can (IKIC) is a Columbus, Ohio-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that delivers free college and career advising, scholarship funding, and career exploration services to students in four Central Ohio school districts. The organization's primary beneficiaries are middle school and high school students in Columbus City Schools, South-Western City Schools, Whitehall City Schools, and previously Reynoldsburg City Schools, plus recent graduates and IKIC scholarship recipients currently in college. Services are delivered by on-site advisors embedded in 26 high schools, supplemented by a mobile College & Career Coach unit (1,949 miles logged to date), summer office hours at Columbus Metropolitan Library branches, and a self-serve online application portal at portal.iknowican.org.

IKIC's product surface combines advisory services with a tiered scholarship portfolio: the I Know I Can Grant ($2,500/academic year, need-based), the Founders Scholarship (up to $10,000/year for four years, merit-based with a 3.5 GPA floor), the Columbus Promise (tuition at Columbus State Community College backed by the City of Columbus with a $500/semester stipend), and partnership scholarships at Denison University, Ohio Wesleyan University, and Ohio Dominican University. Career exploration uses YouScience assessments, VR headset simulations, and AmeriCorps-led classroom presentations, while a children's book distributed to over 100,000 second graders since 1996 anchors early-awareness programming. Supporting offerings include the Financial Aid & FAFSA Assistance program (2,639 FAFSAs completed in the 2023-24 school year), the Higher Education Pathway for college persistence, and the Workforce Pathway for non-college-bound graduates.

The business model is donation-funded rather than fee-for-service. Revenue derives from individual donations, corporate sponsorships (AEP, Bank of America, BlackRock, Bread Financial, Cardinal Health, Discover, Grange Insurance, Intel, KeyBank, Nationwide), foundation grants held and disbursed through the Columbus Foundation, government co-funding (Columbus Promise), and minor affiliate referral income via the Kroger Community Rewards program. The stated annual operating budget exceeds $10M (FY2025), and over $48M has been cumulatively disbursed in grants and scholarships since founding. Operating governance rests with a Board of Directors; co-founder Teckie Shackelford serves as Board Chair Emerita, and the organization has no parent company, equity holders, or external investors.

Name

I Know I Can

Legal name

I Know I Can

Website

https://iknowican.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Short description

I Know I Can is a Columbus-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that delivers free college and career advising, scholarship funding, and workforce-readiness programming to K-12 and college students across four Central Ohio school districts, supported by individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

College Access and Career Advising Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship, Financial Aid & FAFSA Support (EDAMAKAF), College & Career Counseling (Admissions, Scholarships, Pathways) (EDAJALAE), Scholarship, Financial Aid & FAFSA Support Platforms (EDAFAMAF)

Keywords

• College access advising
• Career exploration services
• Scholarship programs
• Financial aid assistance
• Nonprofit education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, families, and corporations supporting scholarships, programs, and operational costs. The organization accepts checks, money orders, gifts of stock (held at Columbus Foundation), bequests, and endowments.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Financial and in-kind sponsorship of events and programs. Sponsors provide hands-on learning opportunities, community engagement, giveaways, food, transportation, and other support for student events.
3. Founders Scholarship Program Contributions: Individual and corporate donors contribute to fund Founders Scholarships, with some funding portions and others fully funding scholarships. The program helps nearly 300 students with up to $10,000 per year for four years.
4. Kroger Community Rewards: A portion of Kroger purchases benefit IKIC programs through the Kroger Community Rewards program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

I Know I Can is a nonprofit organization that provides free one-on-one college and career advising to students in 26 high schools across four Central Ohio school districts. The organization pairs advising services with scholarship and grant funding (I Know I Can Grant, Founders Scholarship, Columbus Promise, and university partnership scholarships), financial aid/FAFSA support, career exploration through VR simulations and assessments, and ongoing advising through college completion.

Product overview

I Know I Can is a nonprofit college and career access organization that offers a comprehensive suite of programs and services to Central Ohio students. The core offerings include financial aid programs (I Know I Can Grant at $2,500/year, Founders Scholarship up to $10,000/year for four years, and The Columbus Promise for free tuition at Columbus State Community College), partnership scholarships with regional universities (Denison-Columbus Alliance, OWU Dr. Charles Thomas Scholarship, Panther Promise Program), and advising services delivered through College Advising Managers in 26 high schools. Supporting services include the Middle School Career Exploration Program with VR simulations, Early High School Career Exploration through Career Navigators, Higher Education Pathway support for college students, and Workforce Pathway services. The organization also offers a children's book, an online application portal, and a mobile College & Career Coach unit. These programs work together to guide students from middle school through college completion and career entry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• I Know I Can Grant

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $50 million in grants and scholarships awarded since 1988
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Columbus State Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbus State Community College is a key partner in the Columbus Promise program, which provides free tuition to Columbus City Schools graduates. CSCC works with IKIC to provide on-campus advising, support services, and a pathway for students to earn degrees or transfer to four-year institutions.
• AmeriCorps (ServeOhio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIKIC hosts AmeriCorps College & Career Guides who provide early awareness programming in middle schools, classroom presentations, career exploration activities, and support for IKIC events. The AmeriCorps team has contributed over 320,000 volunteer hours to mentoring students since the organization's founding.
• National College Attainment Network (NCAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerI Know I Can is a founding member of NCAN, a national organization dedicated to supporting college access and success programs. This membership provides IKIC with best practices, resources, and connections to the broader college access field.
• KrogerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKroger Community Rewards program allows shoppers to support IKIC by designating a portion of their purchases to benefit the organization's programs.
• Aspyr Workforce InnovationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAspyr Workforce Innovation partnership supports workforce pathway programming and career development opportunities for IKIC students.
• Columbus City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary district partner with IKIC advisors in 26 high schools. IKIC provides comprehensive college and career advising, and CCS graduates are eligible for Columbus Promise, Founders Scholarship, IKIC Grant, and institutional partnerships with Denison, OWU, and Ohio Dominican.
• South-Western City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistrict partnership providing college and career advising services to South-Western City Schools students, with IKIC advisors providing support and access to scholarship programs.
• Whitehall City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistrict partnership providing college and career advising services to Whitehall City Schools students, with IKIC advisors providing support and access to scholarship programs.
• Denison UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDenison-Columbus Alliance (DCA) Scholarship provides full tuition for up to four years at Denison University for up to 20 IKIC students annually from Columbus, Reynoldsburg, South-Western, and Whitehall City Schools. Includes pre-collegiate programming and on-campus mentorship.
• The Ohio State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSU offers up to full-tuition Founders Scholarships through IKIC and is a common destination for IKIC scholarship recipients. Students receive guidance on OSU applications and scholarship opportunities.
• Columbus Metropolitan LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLibrary branches provide space for IKIC College & Career Advising sessions during summer months, offering accessible community locations for students and families to meet with advisors.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• United Way of Central Ohio: Central Ohio community impact organization funding education, financial stability, and health programs. Comparable as a regional nonprofit operating in the same Columbus geography with overlapping donor base and education focus.

Direct peers

• College Advising Corps: Places recent college graduates as near-peer advisers in high schools to support college access. Directly comparable to IKIC's advisor-in-school model and AmeriCorps College & Career Guides program.
• College Possible: National nonprofit providing near-peer college access coaching to students from low-income backgrounds through AmeriCorps members. Directly comparable to IKIC's model of school-embedded advising, FAFSA support, and college persistence services.
• OneGoal: Nonprofit supporting low-income students through high school and into postsecondary completion. Comparable in its cohort-based programming model targeting college access and persistence for first-generation students.
• Bottom Line: Nonprofit providing one-on-one college access and success advising to students from under-resourced communities. Directly comparable to IKIC's high school embedding, FAFSA completion support, and college persistence advising model.
• uAspire: Nonprofit focused specifically on college affordability and financial aid advising for students. Directly comparable to IKIC's FAFSA completion, scholarship advising, and financial empowerment services.

Broad incumbents

• National College Attainment Network: National trade association of which IKIC is a founding member, representing the broader college access and success nonprofit field. Comparable as the umbrella organization for similar advising organizations serving low-income and first-generation students nationwide.
• TNTP (The New Teacher Project): Education nonprofit working with school systems to improve student outcomes, including college access. Comparable as a broader education nonprofit ecosystem player serving similar K-12 student populations and district partners.
• KIPP Foundation: National charter school network supporting college readiness and persistence for students from underserved communities. Comparable in its college access and persistence mission though focused on its own school network rather than district partnerships.

Others

• Columbus Foundation: Community foundation that holds IKIC assets and serves as a key financial partner. Comparable as a funder and ecosystem connector rather than direct competitor, providing grant administration that supports IKIC's operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@iknowican
• Facebookfacebook.com/iknowican88
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i-know-i-can88
• Instagraminstagram.com/iknowican88

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 I Know I Can