A mission that fits.
Define the students you intend to serve, qualified expenses, community priorities, and a practical scholarship model.
- Goals and needs planning
- SGO structure and readiness review
- Launch scope and milestones
BUILT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL COMMUNITIESA CLEAR PATH FROM IDEA TO IMPACT
Your students.
Your vision.
Your SGO.
Build a scholarship granting organization that opens doors for students. Our team has experience launching a public-school-facing SGO. We handle the setup, so you can focus on the possibilities.
$5,000Complete setup. One clear fee.
Plus $600 IRS fee and state incorporation fees
Plus $600 IRS fee and state incorporation fees
BIG POSSIBILITIES. A PRACTICAL PLAN.
↗YOUR NEXT CHAPTER01 / 04
From a good idea
to a strong foundation.
Your SGO launch roadmap
- 01Define the missionStudents, goals, and community✓
- 02Build the organizationFormation, filings, and governance✓
- 03Prepare the operationScholarships, giving, and records
- 04Launch with a planBoard orientation and handoff
More opportunity starts here.
For school leaders. For district teams. For students.Discover the opportunity
01 / THE OPPORTUNITY
A new way to rally
around your students.
Your community wants to help. Give them a thoughtful, organized way to do it.
A scholarship granting organization, or SGO, is a nonprofit that funds eligible students’ qualified K–12 education expenses. Public school students can benefit, too.
We help public schools, districts, and their community partners establish a separate charitable organization with a mission, structure, and operating plan built around student opportunity.
2027
Federal scholarship tax credit begins
$1,700
Potential annual credit per eligible taxpayer
A federal opportunity. A local purpose.
Qualified giving depends on state participation, the organization’s recognition, and donor eligibility. Read the IRS overview ↗
02 / THE COMPLETE PACKAGE
The vision is yours.
The setup is handled.
One coordinated process, from the first planning conversation to an organized launch handoff.
A solid foundation.
Prepare the organizational documents and coordinate the filings needed to establish your nonprofit.
- Articles, EIN application, and bylaws
- 501(c)(3) application preparation
- State SGO application and IRS registration support
A plan for the everyday.
Put the policies and workflows in place to move from an organization on paper to a working scholarship program.
- Governance and conflict policies
- Eligibility, awards, and recordkeeping procedures
- Banking and administration setup guidance
A confident next step.
Equip your board and team with the tools to introduce the organization and begin its work.
- Donor and community communication templates
- Board orientation and launch checklist
- Organized documents and operating handoff
Turnkey means we do the setup work. Your team supplies organization details, selects its board, approves documents, signs applications, and authorizes filings. Government decisions and processing times remain with the agencies.
03 / WORKING TOGETHER
Built with you.
Ready for what’s next.
We understand public schools, public school finance, SGO law, and the federal tax credit program. Our team can move promptly to develop your SGO and put its organizational foundation in place.
Tell us what you have in mindStart with the possibilities.
Talk through your goals, your schools, and the students you want to reach. Confirm state participation, fit, and the right organizational structure.
Turn decisions into documents.
We prepare the formation packet, policies, and applications. Your leadership reviews and approves each milestone.
Put the pieces into practice.
Build scholarship procedures, donor communications, and a plan for banking, administration, and reporting.
Hand over a launch-ready toolkit.
Orient your board, organize the final materials, and map the next steps. Launch activities follow the required approvals.
04 / A CLEAR INVESTMENT
One complete setup.
Two ways to work together.
Choose the approach that works for your leadership team.
THE COMPLETE SETUPREMOTE
Your SGO, built from the ground up.
$5,000one-time service fee
+ $600 IRS application fee + state incorporation fees
Collaborate by video, phone, and shared documents. Get the full formation and launch package, wherever your district is.
- All four setup phases
- Document and application preparation
- Board orientation and launch handoff
BRING THE TEAM TOGETHERIN PERSON
Start with a shared vision, in the room.
$5,000same complete setup
+ $600 IRS fee + state incorporation fees + travel costs + $1,000 per travel day
Work on site to establish goals and develop your SGO with your leadership team, prospective board, and community partners.
- Everything in the complete setup
- Facilitated goals and design session
- Travel budget agreed before booking
PLAN YOUR INVESTMENT
A quick starting estimate.
The $600 IRS fee is included below. Add your state incorporation fees and, if applicable, travel estimates.
IRS Form 1023 application$600
State fees vary. Enter the applicable amount when known; $0 is a placeholder, not a waiver.ESTIMATED TOTAL
$5,000 setup + $600 IRS fee + $0 state incorporation fees
Planning estimate. Final scope and travel arrangements confirmed in writing.Government fees are paid by your organization: $600 for the IRS Form 1023 application for 501(c)(3) recognition, plus any state incorporation fees. We assist with these processes; you pay the fees. IRS fee information ↗ The setup fee covers launch services. Government filing fees and ongoing expenses—including software, banking, insurance, accounting, audits, and annual filings—are separate. Ongoing administration and fundraising are not included. Any separately engaged legal or tax professionals are outside the setup fee.
EXPLORE THE LOCAL POTENTIAL
What could an SGO mean
for your district?
Use the district benefit calculator from Education Resource Strategies to explore potential donations and students served.
Select your state and district, then adjust participation and service costs to see how the opportunity could take shape.
Open district calculatorIndependent tool by Education Resource Strategies, linked in our school district presentation. Estimates depend on the tool’s data and assumptions and are not a funding commitment. If the embedded tool is unavailable, use the button above to open it directly.
EDUCATION EXPERIENCE. PRACTICAL EXECUTION.
A school leader’s perspective
on what it takes to start.
Chase Christensen brings experience as a superintendent, principal, and SGO executive director. Our team has experience launching a public-school-facing SGO and a thorough understanding of public schools, public school finance, the law behind SGOs, and the federal scholarship tax credit program. We can have your SGO developed and its organizational foundation in place soon, with a clear path through the required filings and approvals.
Chase Christensen · SGO setup consulting
We move promptly on the work we control. Agency processing and approval timelines vary.05 / GOOD QUESTIONS
Let’s make
the details clear.
Starting with a shared understanding makes the next steps easier.
Is this for public schools and districts?
Yes. The service helps school communities establish a separate nonprofit SGO that supports eligible students. The SGO’s board governs the charity and its scholarship decisions. We identify an appropriate structure and relationship with your school or district during planning.
Can an SGO serve just one school?
Federal law requires scholarships for at least 10 students who do not all attend the same school. A single-school community therefore needs a broader service model. We address that requirement in the planning phase.
What exactly is included in the $5,000?
The complete setup described above: planning, formation documents, application preparation and filing coordination, governance policies, scholarship workflows, launch communications, and board orientation. The engagement agreement confirms the work and deliverables before we begin.
How does the in-person price work?
The full setup remains $5,000. You also pay the $600 IRS Form 1023 application fee for 501(c)(3) recognition and any incorporation fees charged by your state. We assist with both processes; you pay the government fees directly. The on-site option adds actual agreed travel costs, such as transportation and lodging, and $1,000 for each travel day. The goals and development session is part of the setup package. We confirm the schedule, travel days, and travel budget in writing before booking.
Are approval or launch dates guaranteed?
No. State and IRS decisions, processing times, and your team’s approvals affect the schedule. The service prepares and coordinates your launch; it does not guarantee tax-exempt status, SGO listing, funding, or any donor’s tax result.
What will our team need to do?
Choose the mission and board, provide requested information, review documents, approve policies, sign required forms, and authorize submissions. Your organization retains responsibility for its governance and ongoing compliance. We handle the preparation and guide those decisions.
Will you operate the SGO after setup?
This package establishes the organization and prepares it for launch. Your board operates the SGO and selects any administration or technology providers. Recurring scholarship administration, fundraising, accounting, annual returns, and audits are outside this one-time service.
What should we know about §25F?
The federal credit begins in 2027. State participation, SGO listing, IRS registration, qualified expenses, income verification, and continuing compliance all matter. Formation alone does not establish eligibility. Some federal operational rules remain proposed; the setup must reflect the guidance applicable when the work is performed.
YOUR NEXT CHAPTER STARTS HERE
What could your
community make
possible?
Tell our team a little about your school or district and what you hope to build.
(307) 429-2064