KnowledgeWorks Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 2000, the organization operates as an education management company that partners with learning communities to advance student-centered education. The foundation has established itself as a significant player in education reform, working across multiple states to transform how students learn.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.8M
-41.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$745K
-71.5% YoY
Grant Count
12
-50.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$62K
-42.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
KnowledgeWorks believes that every child deserves a personalized learning experience centered on their individual needs, interests, and passions. The organization focuses on:
- Advancing student-centered learning
- Implementing personalized, competency-based learning approaches
- Laying foundations for systems change in education
- Building shared vision across educational communities
- Growing educator impact
- Supporting sustainable change in education systems
The foundation's primary funding categories include Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services.
Grantmaking
KnowledgeWorks Foundation makes grants to support education initiatives and related causes. Recent grant activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
KnowledgeWorks Foundation has transformed education systems in nine states. The organization works with over 86 school districts and state education agencies. Primary geographic focus areas include Kentucky, New York, and Maryland, with additional work in North Dakota.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent (2024):
- Total Assets: $5,801,464
- Total Revenue: $6,420,403
- Total Expenses: $16,002,848
- Total Giving: $768,477
Historical (2023):
- Revenue: $7.5M
- Expenses: $17.7M
- Total Assets: $9.93M
- Total Liabilities: $5.9M
The organization maintains a three-star rating (86% score) based on accountability and finance metrics.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,801,464 | $9,927,169 | $30,256,752 |
| Revenue | $6,420,403 | $7,495,465 | $3,680,614 |
| Expenses | $16,002,848 | $17,696,195 | $12,247,634 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $182,608 | $174,724 | $18,918 |
| 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
96 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jobs for the Future ($110,000), Center for Innovation in Education ($100,000), Wested ($97,295).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACHIEVING THE DREAM | HIGH-QUALITY COLLEGE IN HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES | $37,500 |
| BARD COLLEGE | HIGH-QUALITY COLLEGE IN HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES | $32,500 |
| JOBS FOR THE FUTURE | HIGH-QUALITY COLLEGE IN HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES | $110,000 |
| MIDDLE COLLEGE NATIONAL CONSORTIUM | HIGH-QUALITY COLLEGE IN HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES | $30,000 |
| NAT'L ALL OF CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT | HIGH-QUALITY COLLEGE IN HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES | $72,500 |
| NAT'L CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION FND | HIGH-QUALITY COLLEGE IN HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES | $54,500 |
| AURORA INSTITUTE | 2024 AURORA INSTITUTE SYMPOSIUM SPONSORSHIP | $20,000 |
| CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN EDUCATION | SUPPORT ALIGNED PUBLIC STORYTELLING STRATEGY IN KY | $100,000 |
| KENTUCKY CHAMBER FOUNDATION | SUPPORT PUBLIC WILL BUILDING FOR KY K-12 EDUCATION | $75,000 |
| PRICHARD COMM FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE | SUPPORT PUBLIC WILL BUILDING FOR KY K-12 EDUCATION | $75,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key leadership includes:
- Bill Hite: Chief Executive Officer
- Julianna Charles Brown: Senior Director, Systems Transformation
- Chaneal Wilkins: Senior Director, Human Resources
- Katie G: Senior Director, Operations
- Todd Garvin: Creative Director
- Lisa Nienaber: Accounting Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRENDA SHUM | VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD | 2 | — |
| VICTOR YOUNG | CHAIR OF THE BOARD | 2 | — |
| EILEEN RUDDEN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JULIANA WONG | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RENEE FOSTER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ROBERT RUNCIE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SEAN DECATUR | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| THOMAS FRY | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| TRACY NAJERA | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| HOLLY BRINKMAN | EVP, COO & TREASURER | 37 | $245,477 |
| MATTHEW WILLIAMS | EVP/CHIEF PGM OFFR&SECRETARY | 39 | $238,560 |
| WILLIAM HITE | PRESIDENT & CEO | 39 | $371,122 |
| LILLIAN PACE | VP, POLICY & STRATEGIC ADV | 40 | $221,870 |
| REBECCA WOLFE | VP, IMPACT & IMPROVEMENT | 40 | $193,861 |
| VIRGEL HAMMONDS | CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER | 40 | $241,976 |
| GREGORY SEATON | SR DIR, IMPACT & IMPROVEMENT | 40 | $150,681 |
| KATE WESTRICH | VP, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS | 40 | $178,617 |
| KATHERINE PRINCE | VP, FORESIGHT & STRATEGY | 40 | $193,761 |
| LAUREN MCCAULEY | VP, TEACHING & LEARNING | 40 | $159,112 |
| MICHAEL DIMAGGIO | VP, DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $241,107 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
KnowledgeWorks' Impact and Improvement team has produced research on formative data collection and shared interim findings in North Dakota as part of ongoing efforts to support state education work. The organization has published resources on emerging trends in K-12 assessment innovation and federal and state partnerships in assessment innovation.
Innovating Assessment Through Federal and State PartnershipsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Knowledgeworks Foundation fund?
KnowledgeWorks believes that every child deserves a personalized learning experience centered on their individual needs, interests, and passions. The organization focuses on: • Advancing student-centered learning • Implementing personalized, competency-based learning approaches • Laying foundations for systems change in education • Building shared vision across educational communities • Growing educator impact • Supporting sustainable change in education systems The foundation's primary funding…
How do I apply for a grant from Knowledgeworks Foundation?
KnowledgeWorks Foundation makes grants to support education initiatives and related causes. Recent grant activity includes: • **Jobs for the Future (JFF)**: $110,000 for High-Quality College in High School Experiences (2024) • **Tides Center**: $100,000 to Support Aligned Public Storytelling Strategy in Kentucky (2024) • **Kentucky Chamber Foundation**: $75,000 to Support Public Will Building for Kentucky K-12 Education (2024) Typical grant awards range from $6,075 to $1,134,812. Total giving i…
Where does Knowledgeworks Foundation make grants?
KnowledgeWorks Foundation has transformed education systems in nine states. The organization works with over 86 school districts and state education agencies. Primary geographic focus areas include Kentucky, New York, and Maryland, with additional work in North Dakota.
What size grants does Knowledgeworks Foundation award?
In 2024, Knowledgeworks Foundation awarded 12 grants totaling $745K — an average of about $62K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Knowledgeworks Foundation's EIN?
Knowledgeworks Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1321973. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
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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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