Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick announced six MOScholars educational assistance organizations (EAOs) have been certified for 2023. An EAO is a nonprofit organization that, after approval by the Missouri State Treasurer’s Office, can receive qualified contributions from individuals and businesses to establish MOScholars scholarship accounts for qualified Missouri students.
The certified educational assistance organizations are:
- ACSI Children’s Tuition Fund
- Agudath Israel of Missouri
- Bright Futures Fund
- Herzog Tomorrow Foundation
- The Missouri District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
- Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation
Per statute, the Treasurer’s Office can certify up to ten EAOs per year, with no more than six having their principal place of business in any of the following: Greene County, Jackson County, St. Charles County, St. Louis County, or St. Louis City.
In 2021, the Missouri General Assembly passed HB349 and SB86 which established the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program, MOScholars. The law provides for state tax credits for contributions to nonprofit Educational Assistance Organizations. Under the guidelines outlined in the governing statute, qualifying Missouri K-12 students may then apply for scholarships from participating EAOs to attend a K-12 institution other than their designated public school.
Since the program launched in July, nearly 1,000 Missouri students have received scholarships. All applications to be certified as an EAO were approved.
