Donating to a Tax Credit Scholarship
Apply for a 2021 tax credit and donate to a Scholarship Granting Organization. See the information below to learn how to get started today.
General Information
What are tax credit scholarships?
The Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship Program, “Invest in Kids,” provides a 75 percent Illinois state income tax credit to individuals and corporations that contribute money to a non-profit Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO). The SGOs award scholarships to eligible students from low-income families. Donors will use money already owed to the state (taxes) and donate it to a needs-based scholarship instead, all while receiving a 75 percent state tax credit.
Through this program:
- An individual or corporation will receive a 75 percent credit on donations to an SGO. For example, if a person donates $100,000, they will receive a state tax credit of $75,000.
- Individual donors can designate their donations to Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools.
- The credit can be rolled over for five years.
- Donors are prohibited from receiving a federal tax deduction for these donations.
- The program is capped at $100 million in donations, resulting in $75 million in total tax credits issued.
What is the process for donating?
New individual and corporate donors can reserve tax credits through mytax.illinois.gov by following these steps (renewal donors skip step 1):
- Create a MyTax Illinois account on mytax.illinois.gov. Anyone applying for a scholarship tax credit is required to have an account. If you do not have one, the first step is requesting a Letter ID from the Illinois Department of Revenue.
- CLICK HERE for step-by-step instructions on how to request a Letter ID.
- CLICK HERE for step-by-step instructions on how to activate your tax account.
- Apply for a tax credit on mytax.illinois.gov. Donors will need to provide the following information:
- Region to which he/she plans to donate
- Name of SGO to which he/she plans to donate (the Archdiocese is partnering with Empower Illinois) and Big Shoulders Fund SGO
- Amount he/she plans to donate
- CLICK HERE for step-by-step instructions on how to apply for the credit
- Donate to the SGO within 60 days of receiving your application approval and the Contribution Authorization Certificate.
- Designate the donation to Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools.
- Contribution Authorization Certificate
- Provide certificate from the SGO to use tax credit when filing a 2020 return in 2021 or your 2021 return in 2022.
Interested in donating?
We are here to guide you through the process. Please contact us at [email protected] or 312.534.2617 to speak with the Tax Credit Scholarship Office at the archdiocese.
For additional information, please see the Tax Credit Scholarships, Applying for a Tax Credit Scholarship, Frequently Asked Questions, Tax Credit Scholarship Eligibility, and More Information pages.