I Know I Can
I Know I Can (IKIC) is a public charity based in Columbus, Ohio, founded in 1988. The organization serves as a college access program dedicated to helping students from Columbus City Schools, Reynoldsburg City Schools, South-Western City School District, and Whitehall City Schools pursue and complete higher education. The organization employs approximately 66-85 staff members and serves more than 30,000 students.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$47.6M
+3.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
-18.9% YoY
Grant Count
17
-43.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$61K
+43.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To inspire, enable, and support Columbus City Schools students in pursuing and completing a college education.
The organization's primary focus areas include:
- Education and higher education access
- College and career advising
- Student financial aid and scholarships
- College application assistance
- Post-graduation support programs
Grantmaking
I Know I Can provides direct financial support to students and makes grants to educational institutions:
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary service areas include:
- Columbus, Ohio
- Central Ohio region
- Secondary funding presence in North Carolina and Kentucky
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $47,550,534
Annual Giving: $1,825,266
Total Revenues (2024): $8,220,875
Total Expenses (2024): $9,175,746
Organization Type: 501(c)(3) public charity
EIN: 31-1229135
Ruling Year: 1988
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $47,550,534 | $46,006,643 | $43,053,660 |
| Revenue | $8,220,875 | $8,940,960 | $8,920,521 |
| Expenses | $9,175,746 | $7,685,179 | $7,140,657 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $68,485 | $27,653 | $1,075 |
| 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
130 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Ohio State University ($348,116), Columbus State Community College ($232,296), Otterbein University ($74,148).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY BOWLING GREEN, OH | EDUCATION | $10,050 |
| CAPITAL UNIVERSITY COLUMBUS, OH | EDUCATION | $32,900 |
| CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY WILBERFORCE, OH | EDUCATION | $28,750 |
| COLUMBUS COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN COLUMBUS, OH | EDUCATION | $11,700 |
| COLUMBUS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE COLUMBUS, OH | EDUCATION | $232,296 |
| DENISON UNIVERSITY GRANVILLE, OH | EDUCATION | $59,628 |
| HOWARD UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, DC | EDUCATION | $25,700 |
| KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY FRANKFORT, KY | EDUCATION | $17,700 |
| NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY GREENSBORO, NC | EDUCATION | $10,500 |
| OHIO DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY COLUMBUS, OH | EDUCATION | $51,200 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Katina Fullen – Chief Executive Officer
- Ashley Logan – Chief Program Officer
- Kim Hayes – Director of Finance and Operations
- Rebecca Butler – Principal Officer
- Katie Lovera – Assistant Director, College Advising
- Brian Davis – Assistant Program Director
- Lakeshia Hoyle – Site Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THEKLA R SHACKELFORD | CHAIRMAN EMERITA | 1 | — |
| REBECCA BUTLER | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| JANE ABELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ROBBIE BANKS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KELLY BLACKMON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TANNY CRANE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MELANIE DEASCENTIS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SUSAN DIXON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MIKE FLOWERS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DR MABEL FREEMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| W SHAWNA GIBBS-AYERS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| HARVEY GLICK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TIFFANY GRINSTEAD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TENZIN ALEXANDER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHRIS MONTGOMERY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GENE PIERCE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| REGAN REILLY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JEFF RICH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SHIRLEY ROGERS REECE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STEPHANIE SANDERS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TEI STREET | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL WASCH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CINDY WEBBER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ROBERT WEILER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KATINA FULLEN | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $185,352 |
| KIMBERLY EBBRECHT | SENIOR DIRECTOR | 40 | $131,337 |
| PATRICK LYNCH | DIR DEVELOPMENT & PUBLIC R | 40 | $149,233 |
| KIMBERLY SCOTT | CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFIC | 40 | $128,942 |
| ASHLEY LOGAN | CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER | 40 | $121,291 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
I Know I Can received a Four-Star rating for accountability and finance, with a perfect 100% score on its most recent evaluation. The organization continues to expand its reach and impact within central Ohio school districts, maintaining its position as one of the largest and most successful college access programs in the nation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does I Know I Can fund?
**Mission:** To inspire, enable, and support Columbus City Schools students in pursuing and completing a college education. The organization's primary focus areas include: • Education and higher education access • College and career advising • Student financial aid and scholarships • College application assistance • Post-graduation support programs
How do I apply for a grant from I Know I Can?
I Know I Can provides direct financial support to students and makes grants to educational institutions: **Grant Types & Amounts:** • Individual student grants up to $1,200 annually to cover gaps between students' resources and college costs • Institutional grants ranging from $10,000 to $482,252 **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** • Ohio State University / Jennifer Little Living Estate: $348,116 • Columbus State Community College Development Foundation: $232,296 **Total Giving:** $1,825,266 (bas…
Where does I Know I Can make grants?
Primary service areas include: • Columbus, Ohio • Central Ohio region • Secondary funding presence in North Carolina and Kentucky
What size grants does I Know I Can award?
In 2024, I Know I Can awarded 17 grants totaling $1.0M — an average of about $61K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is I Know I Can's EIN?
I Know I Can's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1229135. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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