Welcome to the JTO! We are here to help your child receive a Jewish day school education, regardless of your family’s financial ability. The JTO offers you several options to help you with your tuition obligations. If you qualify, you can apply for a need-based scholarship. You can also secure recommended support.
The application process opens in January and scholarship awards are made beginning in May. While there isn’t a deadline to apply, it is recommended that you apply early as once the funds have been dispersed we cannot make additional awards.
Need-based Scholarships
There are many factors that are considered to determine need, so it is worth applying. If you are not approved for need-based, and feel you have extenuating circumstances, you can appeal and we will consider your specific situation. You need to apply for need-based scholarships through the JTO at here. If a need-based scholarship doesn’t cover the full amount you need, you may also obtain recommended funds to cover the difference.
Recommended Funds
The other type of scholarships offered by the JTO are funded by recommended funds. Recommended funds are a channel by which you can help cover the costs of your child’s or children’s tuition to a Jewish day school. You play an important part. After you have applied to the JTO for a scholarship, reach out to your friends, family or any Arizona taxpayer and ask them to support the JTO through Arizona’s dollar-for-dollar private school tax credit and indicate that it is in your child’s name. You can speak to them in person, send a letter and/or use social media, whatever communication tool works best for you. On the applicant page you will have the ability to create a personal URL to forward to your contacts to request recommended funds on your child’s behalf.
It is important to follow the regulations and guidelines provided below. Contact the JTO office any questions or for assistance.
Regulations Governing Recommended Funds
- Annual applications for all scholarships are required for each student.
- Recommended funds are not awarded solely on a supporter’s recommendation; all other criteria must be met.
- A parent or guardian cannot provide recommended support for their own child or dependent (this does not include foster situations).
- It is strictly prohibited to swap recommended support and take the tax credit – for example you cannot recommend your friend’s child and your same friend recommend your child.
A JTO supporter may recommend that the funds they give to the JTO go to a particular student, school or to the general fund for students that need help with their tuition. If you do not need assistance with your tuition, you can still ask your circle of contacts to recommend your child’s school so that other children attending that school, who need help, will have an additional resource.
Per the state of Arizona “A school tuition organization cannot award, restrict or reserve scholarships solely on the basis of a donor’s recommendation. A taxpayer may not claim a tax credit if the taxpayer agrees to swap donations with another taxpayer to benefit either taxpayer’s own dependent.” Arizona regulations state that recommended funds are at the complete and sole discretion of the school tuition organization (STO) accepting those funds; the JTO is an STO. Recommended funds are not guaranteed; all criteria must be met.
Corporate Information
While corporations cannot provide student-recommended funds, they can recommend schools. If you own, work for, or know of an S corporation, an LLC filing as an S corporation, a C corporation or an insurance company, speak to the person responsible for the company’s taxes. Corporations and insurance companies also receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit and scholarships funded with corporate dollars will go to children from low-income families. Supporting the JTO meets CRA requirements for financial institutions. Corporations don’t have a maximum, other than the state cap ($158 million for FY 2023/24) – so your company or employer can really make a positive impact on your school. The JTO staff is happy to help you with the corporate tax program.
In order to receive the Arizona private school tax credit, you must provide your support through an STO such as the JTO. Applying for the corporate tax credit cannot be done directly through the school.