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For schools

Every Jewish school knows the squeeze: tuition can’t go higher, costs won’t go lower, and the scholarship fund is spoken for by September. Starting January 1, 2027, every person close to your school — parents, grandparents, alumni, the community around you — can redirect up to $1,700 of their federal taxes into scholarships for your families. JEFA handles the compliance, the receipts, the verification and the payments. Your school shares the campaign and confirms enrollment.

Become a partner schoolHow partnership works
The law, in one paragraph

The Education Freedom Tax Credit gives an individual taxpayer in any state a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700 per year for donations to scholarship granting organizations in a participating state. The SGO awards scholarships to K–12 students from households within 300% of area median income and pays the school directly. It’s from private donations — so it’s less restrictive than a government tuition program. No federal rules attach to your curriculum, your mission or your beliefs.

The partnership

JEFA

  • Registers as an SGO in your state and stays on the state’s list
  • Holds donations in the separate accounts the law requires
  • Issues every donor’s acknowledgment and donor number
  • Verifies every family’s income
  • Awards scholarships under the federal priority rules
  • Pays your school directly, on schedule
  • Files state and federal reports, and completes the annual audit

Your school

  • Signs the partner agreement
  • Confirms each scholarship student’s enrollment
  • Shares the campaign with parents, alumni and community partners
  • Reports student changes — withdrawals, transfers, grade changes
  • Applies each award to the family’s tuition account
  • Names one contact for JEFA
The cost

$0. No fees, no setup costs, no subscriptions.

The law lets an SGO keep up to 10% of donations for the administration it requires — verification, compliance, reporting — and at least 90% of every dollar becomes scholarships.

What your school puts in is time: sharing the campaign and confirming enrollment.

Timeline

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  1. Your school registers with JEFA

    Now

  2. JEFA completes certification in your state

    As your state opens certification — state lists are due February 15, 2027

  3. Your parents and alumni pledge

    Q4 2026, through your school’s campaign

  4. Donations begin

    January 1, 2027

  5. Application window opens for your families

    Set with JEFA, after donations begin

  6. First awards and payments

    On the schedule agreed with JEFA

The schools that prepare in 2026 are funded first.

Become a partner school
What you get

A branded giving page

Your school’s own link; every donation through it is tagged to your school’s fund.

A campaign calendar

When to ask, from fall pledges to January 1 and beyond.

Email templates

Written, ready to send in your school’s name.

Explainers and parent FAQs

Co-branded materials for newsletters, assemblies and community partners.

Deadline reminders

Sent before each date, so no one misses the year.

FAQ

It adds a scholarship pool funded by donors who get their donation back as a federal credit — room above the tuition floor for teacher pay, intervention services and a budget that holds.

K–12 Jewish schools in a state that has joined the program.

Enrolling takes a few steps online. After that, JEFA runs the family-facing communications with your sign-off.

Most schools onboard in a few weeks.

Through your school’s branded giving page, from January 1, 2027. They can pledge before then.

State programs continue, and families can take part in both — donors just can’t claim a federal and state credit on the same dollars.

Start now

Registration costs nothing and commits you to nothing beyond the partnership agreement. Tell us about your school and we'll take it from there.

We’ll reply within two business days.