Ohio’s Tax Credit Scholarship Program offers a meaningful opportunity for individual taxpayers and pass-through entities to lower their tax burden while making a lasting difference in a student’s life. By contributing to a Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) before year’s end, your gift goes further than ever. As a proud member of the Ohio Association of Independent Schools, Grand River Academy is connected to an SGO established specifically for schools like ours — making it simple to support our students while benefiting your bottom line.
Tax Credit
Through this program, your contribution directly funds scholarships for Grand River Academy students — and in return, you’ll receive a dollar-for-dollar Ohio tax credit of up to $750, or up to $1,500 for married couples filing jointly who each make a separate $750 contribution.
Qualifying Contributions
To participate, contributions must be made directly through the Ohio Association of Independent Schools (OAIS) website. When prompted, be sure to select “Grand River Academy” from the list of participating schools.
Scholarship Support
In accordance with Ohio guidelines, all contributions made through this program are used exclusively to benefit scholarship recipients, with priority given to students from low-income households.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) is a certified nonprofit 501(c)(3) recognized by the Ohio Attorney General. SGOs collect donor contributions and award academic scholarships to eligible K-12 students across Ohio. By state requirement, scholarships are prioritized for students from low-income families — specifically those with household incomes below 300% of the federal poverty level.
Ohio recently passed legislation providing a tax credit of up to $750 for individual filers, or up to $1,500 for married couples filing jointly, for donations made to certified SGOs. This credit is available to any individual or pass-through entity with an Ohio tax liability and works as a dollar-for-dollar reduction — capped at the lesser of $750 per individual, $1,500 for married couples filing jointly, or your total state tax liability.
Ohio taxpayers benefit by directly reducing what they owe in state taxes, while redirecting those dollars to support Grand River Academy students — at no additional cost to them.
Grand River Academy benefits by gaining the ability to award tuition assistance to families who need it most, opening our doors to students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to be part of our community.
As a member of the Ohio Association of Independent Schools (OAIS), Grand River Academy is able to receive SGO contributions through the OAIS SGO. To make your contribution, visit https://oais.gosgo.co/donations/new and select “Grand River Academy” from the dropdown menu when prompted.
No. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the OAIS SGO does not accept contributions that are designated for specific students.
Please note that each donor is responsible for retaining their contribution acknowledgment receipt from OAIS in order to claim the tax credit. Grand River Academy does not issue tax receipts for contributions made through the OAIS SGO.
It’s important to understand that an OAIS SGO contribution is a redirection of your existing tax dollars — rather than a traditional philanthropic gift. While we are deeply grateful to members of the Grand River Academy community who choose to take advantage of this program in support of our students, contributions made through the OAIS SGO are not counted as philanthropic donations to Grand River Academy.
We encourage members of the Grand River Academy community to consider contributing to the OAIS SGO in addition to their regular philanthropic giving, as this program represents a true no-cost opportunity to extend your impact. If you have questions or would like guidance tailored to your individual circumstances, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us by email at admissions@grandriver.org or by phone at 440-275-2811.