The Catholic Community Foundation has established The Angel Scholarship Fund as a brand new opportunity to support our Catholic Schools and students in the Diocese of Cleveland. Begun in 2021, it is possible to “turn tax dollars into tuition” by making a charitable contribution to the Angel Scholarship Fund that is eligible for a 100% tax credit on the donor’s State of Ohio income tax return for the year the contribution is made. The maximum credit amount is currently $750 ($1500 if married filing jointly, where each spouse donates $750).

The Angel Scholarship Fund has been established to receive funds for and grant scholarships to Catholic school students throughout the Diocese of Cleveland. The Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) and its Scholarship Granting Organization are separate corporations and 501(c)(3) organizations that support the ministries of the Diocese of Cleveland. The Scholarship Granting Organization of the Catholic Community Foundation (the “Angel Scholarship Fund”) was in the inaugural class of organizations certified by the State of Ohio as a “Scholarship Granting Organization” (SGO). The Angel Scholarship Fund has been recertified as a Scholarship Granting Organization through October 19, 2024. At that time, we will once again apply for recertification.

Begun in 2021, the Ohio General Assembly established a new program whereby Ohioans can receive a 100% tax credit against Ohio income tax liability for cash contributions to certified organizations that grant scholarships to students, including those attending Catholic schools. The maximum credit amount is currently $750. If you are filing a joint return and both you and your spouse make eligible donations, each of you can claim this credit (up to $1,500 total).

The program will benefit Ohio Catholic schools and students by prioritizing scholarships for low-income families that seek higher-quality education opportunities for their children. It will also offer taxpayers the ability to reduce their Ohio state tax liability by making a contribution to Scholarship Granting Organizations such as the Scholarship Granting Organization of the Catholic Community Foundation (“Angel Scholarship Fund”). This is a dollar-for-dollar tax credit against your tax liability, or the tax you owe to the state of Ohio.

Donors can make undesignated contributions to the Angel Scholarship Fund, and the Angel Scholarship Fund can then award to any eligible student from any Catholic school, or donors can make a contribution designated to benefit students at a particular school. The Angel Scholarship Fund, like any SGO, is required to prioritize “low income” (under 300% of the poverty threshold) recipients, but otherwise the law does not place limits on which K-12 students can be served or the number of scholarships that can be awarded. This program holds tremendous potential for bolstering our efforts to ensure the viability of our Catholic schools and has the potential to benefit every Catholic school in the diocese.

All K-12 students that attend a school in the Diocese of Cleveland and apply are eligible to receive an Angel Scholarship. While applicants that are under 300% of the poverty threshold will be prioritized, applicants that are over this threshold are also eligible for an Angel Scholarship, based on availability of funds.

ASF designated contributions received in the current calendar year will be disbursed to schools the following year and applied to tuition for the fall of that year (e.g., contributions received in 2023 will be applied towards tuition for the 2024/2025 school year. Schools will be able to recommend Angel Scholarship recipients of their designated contributions beginning in the first quarter of of the following year.

* Please contact the school directly to apply for a "designated" Angel Scholarship, and/or complete a FACTS application to be eligible for an "undesignated" Angel Scholarship.

Anyone. However, only those persons with Ohio tax liability may be eligible for the tax credit.

No! Contributions of any size will be accepted, and generous giving is encouraged as a means for helping more students receive a scholarship towards a Catholic education. While the tax-credit is capped at $750 (If you are filing a joint return and both you and your spouse make eligible donations, each of you can claim this credit (up to $1,500 total), those who give a larger amount to the Angel Scholarship Fund will be extending their generosity even further.

Yes. Donors to the Angel Scholarship Fund have the option of making:

• An undesignated contribution that supports schools and students across the Diocese of Cleveland. You can find a list of schools at www.dioceseofcleveland.org/schools.
• A contribution that is designated to benefit students of a specific Catholic school.

In either case, scholarships to low-income families will be prioritized. Please note, designations can be made to schools, not students.

No. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the Angel Scholarship Fund does not accept contributions that are designated for specific students.

Yes. You can contribute online in just minutes. Make your contribution at https://www.catholiccommunity.org/give/catholic-education/angel-scholarship-fund. You will receive an immediate electronic confirmation of your contribution. A tax receipt will be mailed to you from the Angel Scholarship Fund to use when filing your State of Ohio income taxes and claiming your tax credit.

A printable contribution form is available here. Payments may be made by check, credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express), electronic funds transfer in one single payment or monthly. The Angel Scholarship Fund will send a tax receipt to you for your contribution.

The Angel Scholarship Fund also offers an online payment method through its website, https://www.catholiccommunity.org/ways-to-give/donate/angel-scholarship-fund. The process is secure and safe. Payments are only accepted by credit card. Contributing online is easy and fast, and upon authorization of the credit card transaction, your contribution is immediately posted to your account.

Yes! You can contact the Angel Scholarship Fund to schedule monthly contributions if that best suits your family’s budget. Or you can schedule monthly contributions online at www.catholiccommunity.org/angel.

Contributions are received by the Angel Scholarship Fund. Schools designated to receive the contributions will recommend students for awards based on demonstrated need. Contributions that are not designated for a particular school will be awarded to applicants based on financial need.

Yes! This is a great way to double or triple your contribution. Contact your employer’s human resources or benefits department to verify participation. If they do, fill out the employee portion of the application and send it to the Angel Scholarship Fund, 1404 East 9th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44114.

You may also mail the matching contribution application with your contribution, and the Angel Scholarship Fund will mail the completed application to your employer.

All students enrolling in a Catholic K-12 school within the Diocese of Cleveland each year are welcome to complete a scholarship application form. While the Catholic Community Foundation will strive to assist as many financially qualified students as possible, the primary criteria for awarding scholarships is financial need; the priority will be low-income students when processing awards for scholarships. Please contact the school directly to apply for a "designated" Angel Scholarship, and/or complete a FACTS application to be eligible for an "undesignated" Angel Scholarship.

“Low income” means the student’s household income is under 300% of the poverty threshold published by the United States Census Bureau, or the student, or their guardians, receive public assistance. Upon confirmation that a student/family is approved for tuition funding, the funds are sent by the Angel Scholarship Fund directly to the school the student attends.

Yes. You can contribute multiple times in support of the area of greatest need and the school/s of your choosing. Keep in mind that the total tax credit you are able to take is equal to or to the lesser of $750 of your total tax liability. If you are filing a joint return and both you and your spouse make eligible donations, each of you can claim this credit (up to $1,500 total).

In that event, the Angel Scholarship Fund will move all designate contributions made for that particular school to the undesignated pool of Angel Scholarship Funds, which will then be used to provide scholarships for students from across the diocese.

Angel Scholarship Fund donors will receive a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit up to the $750 maximum contribution. If you are filing a joint return and both you and your spouse make eligible donations, each of you can claim this credit (up to $1,500 total).

This is different from a tax deduction. Tax deductions reduce your taxable income. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar credit against the taxes paid to the state of Ohio. The funds are directed to the Angel Scholarship Fund rather than the state.

Follow 3 easy steps:

If desired, review your tax liability from last year (1040 IT, line 8c) to help estimate the amount of your tax liability for this year against which the credit can be taken. Keep in mind the maximum credit amount is currently $750. If you are filing a joint return and both you and your spouse make eligible donations, each of you can claim this credit (up to $1,500 total).

Make your contribution online at www.catholiccommunity.org/angel, by completing a contribution form, or by calling 216-902-1312. Contributions must be made by April 15, 2024 to be eligible for a tax credit in 2023.

Use the tax receipt that you receive from the Angel Scholarship Fund to claim your tax credit when you file your State of Ohio income tax return.

Taxpayers can contact their tax preparer, or review their previous year’s state tax return; this may help to estimate your state tax liability for the current year against which the credit can be claimed. This is the total of your tax and not necessarily the amount deducted from your paychecks, the amount refunded to you, or the amount due. Call your tax preparer with additional questions or for further assistance.

Taxpayers claim the credit when they complete their tax return by writing in their support amount on the designated lines of the Ohio individual income tax return and attaching their tax receipt from the Catholic Community Foundation. If you do not pay any income tax to the State of Ohio, no benefit will be received.

The Catholic Community Foundation will send all contributors a receipt. Contributions from 2023 will receive their receipt in the mail in February of 2024. NEW! Any contributions made online in 2024 will receive their receipt directly after making their contribution included in their contribution confirmation email. Mail in contributions will still receive their receipt in the mail.

The tax forms are available by calling the Department of Revenue at (800) 352-4090 or clicking on the tax form pages (when they become available) on the Angel Scholarship Fund webpage.

No. The Angel Scholarship does not submit your contribution information to the State of Ohio or the IRS; but it does provide a receipt that can be used to claim the credit, if applicable.

Everyone pays state income taxes unless you take a loss or don’t have earned income. Even if you receive a state tax refund, you have paid state income taxes. Take a look at your last year’s tax return to determine how much you pay in state income taxes. Checking last year’s tax liability may give you an idea as to what your tax credit may be when you make a contribution to the Angel Scholarship Fund this year, up to the $750 maximum ($1,500 if married filing jointly) tax credit amount allowed by law.

2022 tax form and instructions for filing can be downloaded here:

2022 Ohio IT 1040

Instructions for Filing 2022 Ohio IT 1040

Yes. As long as you have enough of a state tax liability, you can “stack” tax credits (subject to State of Ohio limits). Please note that a taxpayer’s aggregate tax liability (against which this SGO tax credit is applied) may be reduced by other credits before it is applied. Call your tax preparer with additional questions or for further assistance.