Tax Credit Scholarship Program

The State of Illinois has created a new way to fund scholarships for children who choose to attend Catholic schools through the “Invest in Kids Act.” Scholarships offered through this program have the potential to cover up to 100 percent of tuition and eligible charges for next school year at Joliet Catholic Academy. 

The Empower Illinois Scholarship Granting Organization website (www.empowerillinois.org)  will be accepting applications for the 2021-2022 school year beginning Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.

Like previous years, the reservation will be a two-step process. At 6:30 p.m., the reservation form will open, giving families time to enter their information before submission at 7pm. Once families reserve their time stamp, they will receive an email to log into their EmpowerXChange portal and complete the application when it opens on Friday, January 20. 

Keep an eye on subsequent newsletters for updated resources. In the meantime, please direct any questions to our helpline (800-616-7606, schools@empowerillinois.org). 

Apply online at www.empowerillinois.org.


In August 2017, with bipartisan support, the Illinois House and Senate passed a comprehensive education funding bill which was signed into law by the Governor. The bill included a new five-year program for Tax Credit Scholarships (TCS) for students in private schools that will create more equity in school funding throughout Illinois.  

How do I know if my family is financially eligible? Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship Program

K-12 students from low-income families are eligible to receive a Tax Credit Scholarship.  Click Here to view the chart for more details.

Visit www.empowerillinois.org for up-to-date details, or contact JCA Director of Institutional Advancement Mr. Ryan Quigley at rquigley@jca-online.org or 815.741.0563 with questions.

Facebook Live Events

Empower Illinois is excited to host two Facebook Live events again this January to answer questions in real-time about the reservation and application processes. 

We hope you can join them on either January 12 at 5:30 pm or January 17 at 12 pm. The same information will be covered in both sessions, and will be available for later viewing on the EI Facebook page.

2023-2024 Application Resources

As a reminder, families can make a reservation for a 2023-2024 Empower Illinois tax credit scholarship on January 18, 2023! Like years past, the reservation form will open on our website at 6:30pm before submission at 7pm.

Please share the resources below with your school’s families so they can prepare for the upcoming reservation night and application process. These resources can also be found on our website at empowerillinois.org/apply.

Questions from families about the reservation or application process can be directed to our Scholars Helpline (800-616-7606, scholars@empowerillinois.org). 

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Interested Donors

Dear JCA Families, Alumni, and Friends,

At Joliet Catholic Academy, we believe like you do, that ALL kids should have access to their best-fit school, regardless of family income or zip code. The Invest in Kids Act Scholarship Program is the exact policy and program that can expand quality educational options for K-12 students in Will County. We need your support now – your voices, your stories, and your investment in current JCA students, so that future generations of Angels and Hilltoppers can continue to make an impact in Will County and all over the globe.

Currently, 20 students at JCA are receiving Invest in Kids Act scholarships through Empower Illinois, our Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO). An additional 125 students are eligible to receive scholarships, totaling over $1.5 million for the 2021-2022 school year. Already this year, over $4 million has been raised for Diocese of Joliet students through the Invest in Kids Act.

We attack this mission with ZEAL – great energy and enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective. The gift of a Catholic, Carmelite and Franciscan education is a noble cause, one that “Inspires Growth in Knowledge and Faith” and creates an environment that cultivates opportunities for academic excellence, meaningful service, Christian respect, and Catholic values.

Just as the Joliet Franciscans have lived the challenge and dream given to St. Francis of Assisi by Jesus to “Rebuild my Church,” we at Joliet Catholic Academy look to renew the commitment to Catholic education in our community by partnering with the Diocese of Joliet and Empower Illinois to provide these life-changing scholarships. We look to empower parents in our community, who know firsthand what school is the best fit academically, spiritually, and socially for their children.

I ask you to join me as a donor. Ensure that this legacy of excellence in education provided by the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate in our community since 1869, the Carmelites since 1933, and together as Joliet Catholic Academy since 1990 continues on. This is a BIG, BOLD MISSION rooted in a simple belief that every child should have access to high quality educational options.

“Zelo zelatus sum pro Domino Deo exercituum.”
“Deus meus et omnia.”

CLICK HERE to access the PDF Tax Credit Scholarship informational piece.

Go Angels! Go Hill!

Ryan Quigley ’03
Director of Institutional Advancement
rquigley@jca-online.org / 815.741.0500, ext. 276

Donor Process

Individual and corporate donors can reserve tax credits through mytax.illinois.gov by following these steps:​​

1. Create a MyTax Illinois account on mytax.illinois.gov. Anyone applying for a scholarship tax credit is required to have an account. If you do not have one, the first step is requesting a Letter ID from the Illinois Department of Revenue (this can take up to 10 days).​

2. Apply for a tax credit on mytax.illinois.gov. Donors will need to provide the following information:
​- Region to which he/she plans to donate​
– Name of SGO to which he/she plans to donate (the Joliet Diocese is partnering with Empower Illinois)​
– Amount he/she plans to donate​ to the SGO within 60 days of receiving your application approval and the Contribution Authorization Certificate.​

3. Designate the donation to Joliet Catholic Academy​
– Provide certificate from the SGO to use tax credit when filing a 2018 return in 2019.​

​Visit https://www2.illinois.gov/rev/programs/InvestInKids/Pages/default.aspx for more information on the donor process.


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