Ohio Christian Education Network Scholarship Granting Organization

Friends and supporters of Cincinnati Christian Schools now have a virtually cost-free way to make a significant contribution to the students at CCS. Thanks to Ohio’s new state tax credit for taxpayers who make a contribution to the Ohio Christian Education Network Scholarship Granting Organization (OCEN SGO), you are able to provide a gift that will be designated for scholarships for students attending CCS. The OCEN SGO is certified by the Ohio Attorney General and is operated by the Ohio Christian Education Network (OCEN). CCS can benefit from OCEN SGO through a membership with OCEN. Here’s how it works:

  • To lean more about this opportunity, visit OHIOCEN.ORG/SGO. You can also click the DONATE button to contribute. Be sure to select Cincinnati Christian Schools in the drop-down menu so that your entire contribution will be designated for scholarships to students at our school. OCEN SGO will provide you with a gift receipt.
  • For gifts up to $750, you will receive a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit to use during the current tax year. In other words, you will receive 100% of your contribution back as a credit when you file your taxes for the year. The students at our school receive the benefit of your gift at essentially no cost to you.
  • Since the tax credit is granted per taxpayer, married couples filing jointly may receive up to $1,500 in credit if both spouses make a $750 donation in their individual names. (You may contribute more than $750, but the credit is capped at $750 per taxpayer.) Your gift is also eligible for a full tax deduction on your federal taxes.

Students with a demonstrated financial need are prioritized, but all students are eligible to apply for the scholarships. Your gifts not only benefit CCS students; they also help relieve a significant portion of the school budget that provides financial aid, freeing those funds for other important uses. We are so grateful for your support of our school and our deserving students.

To donate directly, click the button below and select Cincinnati Christian Schools from the drop-down menu.

 

Steve & Jo Lynn Veldkamp, alumni parents

“When my wife and I were first told about the SGO (Scholarship Granting Organization), we were a bit skeptical. We checked with our tax preparer who said not only yes, it’s totally legit, but he also is participating! It really is as easy as going to the website, donating $750 for each spouse (if married filing jointly) to Cincinnati Christian, and taking a $1,500 State of Ohio tax credit! It is one of the few times where we can directly tell Columbus where we would like our tax dollars to be spent! We plan to give the maximum donation again this year and encourage friends of CCS to do the same!”

Greg & Amy DePew, staff & spouse

“It’s really easy to direct contributions to CCS at basically no cost to the giver. By giving through OCEN’s portal, my wife and I were able to gift a total of  $1,500 (we each individually contributed $750) specifically to CCS while getting a $1,500 credit on our Ohio Taxes. We utilize a CPA firm in Cincinnati to prepare our taxes and they verified the credit on our returns – no questions asked as OCEN is authorized by the state of Ohio to handle these gifts.”