Frequently Asked Questions
By Schools
What is required for our school to partner with Pay it Forward Scholarships?
1.) The school must be located in Georgia
2.) The school must be accredited and/or going through the accreditation process
How can our school help to spread awareness of our partnership with Pay it Forward Scholarships?
Pay it Forward Scholarships offers schools a variety of ways to increase awareness with parents, teachers, and other friends of the school. We have several suggestions for using brochures, flyers, letters - all of which can be customized. We also suggest the school hosts one info session per year.
How will our school know who has applied for a Pay it Forward Scholarship?
Each partner school is contacted during the first quarter (January-March) of the year to review the list of applicants and complete the enrollment verification process prior to distribution of scholarships.
How do parents apply for a Pay it Forward Scholarship?
Parents complete the online scholarship application, directly through Pay it Forward Scholarships, each year for each child who is requesting a scholarship. There is never a fee to apply for the Pay it Forward Scholarship.
What is the deadline for parents to apply for the Pay it Forward Scholarship?
The deadline is December 31st for the upcoming scholarship cycle. (Example: December 31, 2024 for the 2025 Pay it Forward Scholarship)
How are the scholarships funded?
Pay it Forward Scholarships are funded by the Georgia Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit program. The GA QEE Tax Credit Program provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit when Georgia taxpayers request the tax credit, are approved, and then donate their tax credit to Pay it Forward Scholarships. Tax credits are available on a first-come, first served basis through the GA Department of Revenue. PIFS requests tax credits for our donors annually in January. Funds must be paid within 60 days of being approved. Taxpayers decide what school they want their funds to benefit.
How much of the taxpayer’s donation is passed onto the designated school?
Pay it Forward Scholarships passes on 92% of the tax credit donations to the designated school. The state of Georgia limits student scholarship organizations, like PIFS, to a maximum of 8% of each donation that we are allowed to keep to cover administrative costs.
How much will each student receive in scholarship funds?
Each student will receive an equal distribution of any scholarship funds received by Pay it Forward Scholarships that are designated for your school.
Ex: If PIFS receives funds for your school and there are 10 approved students who we verify are enrolled/enrolling at your school, we would divide those funds equally amongst the 10 students. If no funds are received for your school, there are no funds to distribute. Scholarship funds vary from year to year and are based on the tax credit program. PIFS does not provide a guaranteed scholarship amount prior to distribution.
When are Pay it Forward Scholarships distributed?
Pay it Forward Scholarships distributes scholarship funds on an annual basis, typically in April-May of each year.
How are Pay it Forward Scholarships distributed?
Pay it Forward Scholarships partners with ClassWallet to distribute scholarship funds. Schools and parents of scholarship recipients create a ClassWallet account. Parents authorize the scholarship funds through ClassWallet before they are transferred to the school via ACH. Other available methods of distribution include ACH, checks, and/or credit card.
Do parents have to reapply for their child to receive the scholarship each year?
Yes, parents need to submit an updated application each year they wish for their child to receive a scholarship. Once a child is approved and receives a scholarship, he/she remains eligible for their entire school career, but Pay it Forward Scholarships must have an updated application on file each year.