EFTC School Readiness Guide

Get a personalized readiness assessment with county-specific income thresholds, a preparation checklist, and next steps for the Education Freedom Tax Credit.

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Tell us about your school and receive a personalized EFTC Readiness Guide instantly. This information helps us tailor resources to your state and community.

EFTC School Readiness Guide cover

12-page guide covering governance, finances, enrollment, compliance, and community engagement

  • EFTC program overview and timeline
  • School readiness self-assessment
  • Step-by-step preparation checklist
  • Income eligibility thresholds

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EFTC School Readiness Guide

This guide helps your school prepare for participation in the Education Freedom Tax Credit program. Use the checklist below to assess your readiness and identify next steps.

1. Designate Your EFTC Lead

  • Assign a single point person to track Treasury guidance and coordinate across departments.
  • Plan for 2-4 hours per week initially, increasing as January 2027 approaches.
  • Ideal candidates already manage compliance, financial aid, or development operations.
  • Register for official IRS.gov and Treasury.gov notification lists now.

2. Connect With an SGO

  • Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) are the required intermediary between donors and your school.
  • Without an SGO relationship, your school cannot receive EFTC scholarships.
  • Ask about administrative fees (2-10%), state SGO list status, and reporting practices.
  • If no SGO exists in your area, explore forming one through your school network or community foundation.

3. Assess Your Student Eligibility Pool

  • Families earning up to 300% of area median income qualify for EFTC scholarships.
  • In most areas, a family of four earning $200,000-$320,000 or more would qualify.
  • Use existing financial aid application data to estimate your eligibility pool.
  • Document your estimates for SGO applications and donor conversations.

4. Prepare Your Systems and Staff

  • Create a separate tracking category for EFTC scholarships in your tuition management system.
  • Map how EFTC interacts with existing state scholarships and need-based aid to prevent double-counting.
  • Prepare your business office, admissions team, and development office for their respective EFTC roles.

5. Build Your Donor Pipeline

  • Donors redirect $1,700 from the IRS to your school at zero cost to them ($3,400 for married couples).
  • Your donor pool includes parents, grandparents, alumni, congregation members, and local business owners.
  • A school with 200 participating families generates $340,000+ in scholarship funding.
  • Start identifying and cultivating donors now so you are ready when credits become available January 2027.

6. Communicate With Your Community

  • Proactively address the top questions: EFTC does not reduce public school funding, and your school retains full admissions control.
  • The program is permanent, written into the federal tax code (Section 25F) with no expiration date.
  • Do not wait for Treasury final rules to start communicating. Transparency builds trust.

What's Next?

Do Your Families Qualify?

Use the income eligibility calculator to see if your families meet the 300% median income threshold.

Check Eligibility

Help Your State Opt In

Build a personalized advocacy kit with letter templates for your governor and legislators, talking points, and a mobilization guide.

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Has Your State Opted In?

View the interactive map to see which states have opted in, which are pending, and which still need action.

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Ready to Make a Difference?

Join school leaders across the country in advocating for the Education Freedom Tax Credit in your state.

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