Five Steps to Making An Impact
- Visit www.emmausroadscholarship.org to make a secure gift or mail a check, made payable to "Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund", and mail to Office of Catholic Schools, 197 East Gay St., Columbus, OH 43215.
- Designate your gift to "St. Catharine, Columbus" *THIS IS CRITICAL*
- Save the official tax receipt mailed to you - you’ll need it come tax time!
- Enter your donation on line 15 of the Ohio IT 1040 Schedule of Credits
- Watch your Ohio tax liability melt away dollar-for-dollar and potentially increase your refund!
Turn Your Taxes into Scholarships for Catholic Education
Did you know that you can redirect the Ohio income taxes you already pay to create need-based scholarships for students to receive an authentic and unapologetically Catholic education at St. Catharine School?
It’s true! When you give to the Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund, the state of Ohio allows you to claim a dollar-for-dollar credit - not a typical deduction - against your state tax liability.
Ohio tax credit is up to $750 per person, or $1,500 if married filing jointly.
Based on tax rates posted by the Ohio Department of Taxation, an individual with an annual income of $40,000 has an average state tax liability of $750.
Consult a tax advisor for guidance on your specific situation. The Diocesan Education Corporation (dba Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund) is a certified scholarship granting organization (SGO) in the state of Ohio.
*The above is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide tax or accounting advice.
Frequently Asked Questions?
What is the Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund? The Diocesan Education Corporation (DEC), a scholarship granting organization (SGO), is doing business as Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund. DEC was the first organization in the state of Ohio to be certified as an SGO by the Ohio Attorney General. This fund benefits students in the Diocese of Columbus Catholic schools.
What is an SGO? Ohio law defines a “scholarship granting organization” as an organization certified by the Ohio Attorney General as satisfying three criteria. First, it must be a religious or non-religious charitable organization with 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. Second, it must primarily award academic scholarships to primary and secondary school students. Third, it must prioritize awarding scholarships to low-income primary and secondary school students. The organization must also comply with all applicable registration and reporting requirements with the Ohio Attorney General in order to be certified.
Is the Emmaus Road Scholarship different than the Diocesan tuition assistance fund? Yes. While the same process is used for parents to apply, eligibility and award amounts differ.
Who benefits from this program? All students can benefit from this program! Tuition assistance is provided to families with increasing and substantial need in each of our 50 schools. These donations make a high-quality Catholic education accessible and affordable for all our school families.
Who can donate to the Emmaus Road Scholarship fund?
Anyone can donate to the scholarship! Only taxpayers will receive a tax credit.
How much can I donate?
There is no gift too big or too small! For purposes of the tax credit, $750 per person per year ($1,500 for those married filing jointly) can be claimed.
Can my spouse and I both donate if we are married filing jointly?
Yes! You can donate up to $1,500 if you are married filing jointly ($750 per person per year).
How do I make a donation?
Visit www.emmausroadscholarship.org to make a secure gift or contribute by check, made payable to "Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund", and mail to Office of Catholic Schools, 197 East Gay St., Columbus, OH 43215.
Can I do a monthly donation?
Yes! There is an option to make a monthly payment on the online giving form. Keep in mind that the tax credit cannot exceed Ohio tax.
Can I donate to a specific school?
Yes! While we encourage donors to consider donating to our unrestricted fund so that our students most in need can get help, donations for specific schools are accepted. Please indicate this on your check and on the school designation box online. Low-income students in the designated school will be prioritized.
Can I donate to a specific student?
No.
Who receives the contribution?
All SGO funds are held in a checking account at Huntington National Bank. Donations can also be made via online gift giving through the Emmaus Road Scholarship website. Any checks mailed to the Diocesan offices are first documented in the Office of Catholic Schools. The Office of Catholic Schools handles all the tracking and documentation of received checks, sends them to the Diocesan Finance Office for their documentation and deposit into the bank, and is responsible for mailing donor receipts in accordance with tax credit and charitable gift qualifications for tax purposes.
Can I contribute more than once a year?
Yes! Keep in mind that the tax credit cannot exceed Ohio tax.
How do I qualify for a tax credit?
To qualify for the tax credit you need to file an Ohio tax return and have an Ohio tax liability. When you file your taxes you may need documentation of your donation, which the Office of Catholic schools will generate and mail to you.
Is the amount a tax deduction?
Your donation is a tax credit! A tax credit can reduce the amount of tax you owe, dollar for dollar, whereas a tax deduction only reduces the amount of your income before calculation of the tax you owe.
How do I get the credit?
The credit should be entered on your Ohio Tax Return Schedule of Credits, line 15.
What year does the tax credit apply for?
Donations received on or up to the Federal tax filing deadline of April 15, 2024, may be claimed for the 2023 tax year; however, a credit from this contribution may not be claimed for both the 2023 and 2024 tax filings. For example, if you donate to the Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund during the 2023 calendar year, you will claim the tax credit on your 2023 tax return when you file your taxes in the spring of 2024. If you donate to the Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund between January 1 and April 15, 2024, you may claim the credit on either your 2023 tax filing OR 2024 tax filing, but not on both.
Do I get a receipt for tax purposes?
Yes. The Office of Catholic Schools will generate and mail donor receipts in accordance with tax credit and charitable gift qualifications for tax purposes.
Can I participate in more than one tax credit?
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 the SGO credit is applied. Contact your tax advisor with additional questions or for further assistance.
Can I still itemize?
Those who itemize may still claim additional charitable donations on state and federal taxes AND receive the Ohio tax credit.
Are businesses eligible for the credit?
Yes and No: Businesses that are Corporations (C-Corps) are not eligible for the SGO credit because they do not pay Ohio income tax. However, contributions from pass-through entities (such as LLCs, S-corporations, and partnerships) of up to $750 per year may be passed to their investors to deduct on their individual tax returns as credits. Note: The maximum an individual can claim as a credit remains at $750 or $1500 for those married filing jointly.
Please consult your tax advisor for more specifics on how this might work.
Can matching contributions from employers be made?
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:
Office of Catholic Schools
197 E. Gay Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Make checks payable to the Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund. Make a note that the donation is for St. Catharine School.
Still have questions?
If you have further questions, please email emmausroad@stcatharine.com
