Scholarship Granting Organization
Help make a meaningful difference in a student’s life while benefiting from Ohio’s dollar-for-dollar state tax credit.
“As a parent in the CHCA community, I'm always looking for ways to become more invested in the school’s mission, so when I heard about SGO, it felt like the natural next step. Not only did I support Christian education, but I got my donation back as an Ohio state tax credit, so it felt like a free way to give—and the entire process took less than 60 seconds.”
What is a Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO)?
A scholarship granting organization (SGO) is a nonprofit certified by the state of Ohio to receive and distribute donations to K–12 schools for academic scholarships. Taxpayers who give to a school through an SGO are eligible to receive state tax credit for their gift.
CHCA is part of the Ohio Christian Education Network SGO (OCEN SGO). When you give to our school through the OCEN SGO, your donation will be used to make CHCA’s world-class, Christ-centered education more accessible to more families.
Participate in the SGO
Decide your contribution amount and make your donation online or by check.
Get a Tax Credit
Receive a dollar-for-dollar credit on your Ohio state taxes for your contribution (up to $750 for individuals or $1,500 for married couples).
Support Scholarships
Your contribution funds scholarships that make Christian education accessible to more students, allowing more families to afford a transformative education at CHCA.
SGO Toolkit
Email to a Family, Friend
Hi [NAME],
Hope you’re doing well!
I wanted to reach out and encourage you to join me in redirecting your state tax liability to the Ohio Christian Education Network Scholarship Granting Organization (OCEN SGO).
Why?
Because not only will your contribution fund scholarships for deserving students at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy—it will earn a dollar-for-dollar credit toward what you owe in taxes to the state of Ohio.
It’s really a win-win: You contribute up to $750 per filer (so $1,500 if filing jointly). Your state tax liability goes down, dollar for dollar. Students who otherwise couldn’t attend CHCA are given the life-changing opportunity to earn a world-class, Christ-centered education.
Contributing to the SGO is simple; it’s all online and takes less than 10 minutes. The SGO page on CHCA’s website has some great information. If you have any questions, give me a call—I’d be happy to help or connect you to Eric Hehman at CHCA, who can tell you more about the SGO and how your tax dollars can change a student’s life.
This really is an incredible opportunity that helps students learn in a Christ-centered environment while giving us as taxpayers a say in where our money goes. I hope you’ll consider it!
Best,
[YOUR NAME]
Email to Accountant
Hi [NAME],
I wanted to let you know that I recently made a $XXXX contribution to Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy through the Ohio Christian Education Network Scholarship Granting Organization (OCEN SGO). As part of the program, my contribution should earn a dollar-for-dollar credit toward my Ohio state tax liability.
Attached to this email is the receipt confirming my contribution to the SGO program. I would appreciate your help in ensuring this contribution is correctly claimed on my state taxes.
Thank you,
[YOUR NAME]
Talking Points
Share the SGO
When you love something, it’s easy to share. Talking to your friends and family about the SGO is the best way to make this program even more impactful at CHCA.
Use these talking points when sharing the SGO as an easy way to explain the program and its life-changing benefits.
- The Ohio Christian Education Network Scholarship Granting Organization (OCEN SGO) is a group of private K–12 schools registered with the state of Ohio to receive redirected tax dollars to fund scholarships for students with a demonstrated financial need.
- By participating in the SGO, you can purposefully redirect a portion of your state tax liability to align with your values and advance Christian education.
- SGO contributions are different than tax-deductible charitable contributions. Contributions made to the SGO receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit toward your state tax liability.
- Funds received help further Christian education by opening the door for more students in our city to attend CHCA and receive a world-class, Christ-centered education.
- Participating in the SGO takes less than 10 minutes, can be done online, and can be completed before or on April 15 for credit on the previous year’s taxes. You can even give on the day you file and still benefit from the tax credit.
The more people participate, the greater our impact will be as CHCA develops leaders equipped to pursue Kingdom work in our city, country, and world.
Questions? Contact:
Eric Hehman, SGO Specialist
(513) 247-9944 x307 | eric.hehman@chca-oh.org
Social Posts
Tell Your Followers About the SGO
The SGO isn’t just for CHCA families—it’s for anyone who wants to purposefully redirect their tax liability to align with their values and advance Christian education.
Hype up the SGO on socials so your followers can benefit from this dollar-for-dollar tax credit!
Ohio friends: Did you know you can earn state tax credit and support Christian education at the same time?
By contributing to the Ohio Christian Education Network Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO), you can fund scholarships for deserving students to attend participating K–12 schools and earn a dollar-for-dollar credit toward what you owe in taxes to the state of Ohio.
It’s an incredible opportunity to have a say in where our money goes while providing a life-changing opportunity for students across our city.
This tax season, I’m partnering with Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy in helping more students receive a world-class, Christ-centered education. And you can join me in changing lives at CHCA through the SGO. For more info, check out CHCA’s site ➡️ https://chca-oh.org/support/sgo/
Let’s help more students develop their God-given gifts! #GoCHCA
Ohio friends: Did you know you can earn state tax credit and support Christian education at the same time?
By contributing to the Ohio Christian Education Network Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO), you can fund scholarships for deserving students to attend participating K–12 schools and earn a dollar-for-dollar credit toward what you owe in taxes to the state of Ohio.
It’s an incredible opportunity to have a say in where our money goes while providing a life-changing opportunity for students across our city.
This tax season, I’m partnering with Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy in helping more students receive a world-class, Christ-centered education. And you can join me in changing lives at CHCA through the SGO. For more info, check out CHCA’s site ➡️ https://chca-oh.org/support/sgo/
Let’s help more students develop their God-given gifts! #GoCHCA
X
Ohio friends: Did you know you can earn state tax credit and support Christian education at the same time? Contribute to the SGO, and your tax dollars will fund scholarships at CHCA for deserving students across our city. https://chca-oh.org/support/sgo/ #GoCHCA
Text Message
Hi [NAME]! Quick question: Have you filed your taxes yet?
If not, there’s a great opportunity for us to provide a life-changing Christian education to students in Cincinnati while earning a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit.
It’s called the Scholarship Granting Organization. When you contribute (up to $750 per taxpayer), your contribution earns a dollar-for-dollar credit while funding scholarships at K-12 schools in Ohio.
This year through the SGO, I contributed to Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy. Their mission—to equip future leaders for a life of impact—aligns with my values, and I know it resonates with you too. I’d love to see you join me in helping more students at CHCA receive a life-changing Christian education. You can learn more on the CHCA site: https://chca-oh.org/support/sgo/
Or let me know if you have any questions! This really is an incredible opportunity, and I hope you’ll consider it.
Instructions to Upload Receipt
How to upload your SGO receipt if you do your own taxes
If you file your Ohio taxes on your own or use TurboTax, the SGO is still a straightforward process. You’ll claim the scholarship donation credit when completing your Ohio return and save your SGO receipt with your tax records. TurboTax users simply enter the donation amount—no receipt upload is required.
If the Ohio Department of Taxation ever requests verification, they will ask for a copy of your receipt. At that time, you can simply follow the instructions provided by the state or use the QR code for step-by-step guidance. The upload typically takes just a few minutes. You may also choose to upload your receipt in advance, even if verification has not been requested by using the below instructions.
- Link to upload SGO receipt – tax.ohio.gov/upload
- Choose the following responses:
- Individual Income tax and School district tax
- W2 form
- Enter ID Type (SS)
- Upload Receipt
Instructions for TurboTax
If you prepare your Ohio taxes yourself or use TurboTax, claiming your SGO credit is simple. When completing your Ohio return, just claim the Scholarship Donation Credit and keep your SGO receipt with your tax records.
Help a Student Succeed
Your contribution ensures that more students can access the exceptional Christian education CHCA offers.
Receive Ohio Tax Credits
Benefit financially by reducing your Ohio state tax liability, making your contribution even more significant.
Strengthen Our School Community
Supporting more students strengthens our Christian community and enhances the educational experience for all.
The Johnson family has an Ohio state tax liability of $2,000 for the year. They decide to contribute $1,000 to our SGO that supports students attending CHCA, aiming to make use of the state’s tax credit to reduce their tax burden.
The Process
Contribution Made
The Johnson family donates $1,000 to the SGO on the OCEN website.
Tax Credit Applied
Ohio offers a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for contributions to certified SGOs—up to $750 per person or $1,500 for married couples filing jointly. For example, if the Johnsons contribute $1,000 to a SGO designated to CHCA, their Ohio tax liability drops from $2,000 to $1,000. Instead of sending the full $2,000 to the state, they pay $1,000 in taxes and redirect $1,000 to CHCA’s SGO.
Impact of SGO Funds
Your contribution ensures that more students can access the exceptional Christian education CHCA offers.
The Outcome
The Johnson family benefits from a reduced tax bill, effectively lowering their out-of-pocket expenses by the amount of their donation while also facilitating greater Christian educational opportunities for students through their financial support.
*Up to $750 for individuals or $1,500 for married couples.
FAQs
Still have questions about how the SGO works? Start here.
Do SGO contributions reduce public school funding?
With the growth of the scholarship granting organization tax credit in Ohio, the question have occasionally been asked by donor whether their gift will reduce the amount of funding their local public school will receive. As a state-certified scholarship granting organization, OCEN SGO reassures its constituents that contributions to any SGO will NOT result in a reduction of state funding that would otherwise be allocated to a local public school. Some helpful facts to keep in mind regarding school funding and the SGO program:
- Public school districts are funded by the state from the General Revenue Fund (GRF) on a per pupil basis. In other words, every student that attends a public school receives payment from the state based on the state’s funding formula. The formula is the sole determinant as to what that amount would be and SGO contributions play no factor in the formula. The two other sources of revenue for public schools – local and federal funding – are likewise completely unaffected by SGO contributions.
- There is no “deduction” from the state’s per pupil funding to public districts for an SGO contribution. Whether no contributions are made or whether 10,000 contributions are made, the public districts receive the exact same per pupil funding from the state.
- The SGO tax credit program is funded through an entirely separate line item in the state budget that is outside of the school funding line item.
- The total cost of the SGO program represents less than 0.2% of the $25 billion that K-12 education in Ohio will spend for the 2024-25 school year.
Donors to OCEN SGO can be assured that their contribution will have no negative effects on funding for their public school but will carry the tremendous benefit of making a high-quality and life-giving Christian school education available to a worthy student.
Do I need an OCEN account to contribute?
To contribute to the SGO, you’ll now need to create a portal account. Click the OCEN Portal Instructions for detailed instructions on how to make a contribution.
Having trouble signing in or accessing the donation page for the SGO?
You may be encountering an issue because you’re using the same email for both applying for an SGO scholarship and making a donation. The system requires two separate accounts—one for scholarship applications and one for donor contributions.
If you’re still experiencing difficulties, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re happy to walk you through the process.
Is there a limit to how much I can claim as a tax credit?
The state of Ohio offers a tax credit up to $750 for single filers and $1,500 for married couples filing jointly. Your tax credit will be capped at these amounts, irrespective of your donation or tax liability.
How do I claim my tax credit?
After contributing through our SGO, you’ll receive a receipt to attach to your state tax return. (Line 15 of the Ohio Schedule of Credits)
When can I contribute?
You can contribute to the SGO any time throughout the year prior to filing your taxes. To apply the credit towards your state tax liability, you must contribute on or before the tax filing deadline, April 15. Contributions can be made on the day you file your taxes and still qualify for the credit.
Is there a minimum contribution amount?
No, there is no minimum contribution amount. You also have the option to set up a monthly recurring contribution to spread your giving over time. We appreciate any level of support you are able to provide.
More questions?
Contact Eric Hehman at eric.hehman@chca-oh.org or (513) 247-9944 x307.
Make an Impact
Support our mission and inspire the next generation of leaders.