Iowa dioceses create statewide Catholic school scholarship program
The initiative will provide additional financial support for students at Catholic schools across the state.
Iowa’s four Catholic dioceses have joined together to create a statewide scholarship organization aimed at expanding financial support for students attending Catholic schools.
The Iowa Catholic Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) will raise funds through a new federal tax-credit program set to begin in 2027, according to an Aug. 11 statement from the Iowa Catholic Conference distributed by the Diocese of Des Moines.
The Iowa Catholic SGO will fund scholarships through contributions made under the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit, which offers donors a tax credit of up to $1,700, according to the conference.
The new scholarship organization will serve a Catholic school system that currently educates more than 26,000 students across Iowa’s four dioceses.
Iowa Catholic schools have also seen a growing number of lower-income students and students with special needs in recent years, according to the conference.
Seve Kane, director of Our Faith STO and a member of the new organization’s board, pointed to the additional assistance the program could provide students with a range of needs.
“We are pleased by the upcoming opportunity to provide additional assistance for students who all have diverse and specialized needs,” Kane said. “The Iowa Catholic SGO will be an efficient way to get dollars to students who need it.”
The conference said eligible students could use the scholarships for tuition and other educational costs, including tutoring, school supplies, and before- and after-school programs.
The new organization will also work alongside Iowa’s existing Education Savings Accounts, which the conference said do not cover the full cost of a Catholic education, helping bridge the remaining cost for families.
