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For donors

Your taxes. Their future.

Starting January 1, 2027, a cash gift to a certified scholarship organization can earn a federal tax credit of up to $1,700 per person — dollar for dollar, not just a deduction.

Give now Estimate your credit

How your gift works.

Four steps from your gift to a student’s classroom — and back to you as a credit.

1

You donate

Give online in a few minutes once donations open. The federal credit is up to $1,700 per person each year — $3,400 for a married couple filing jointly when each spouse gives. Give by December 31 to claim it for that tax year; gifts made from January to April 15 count toward the new year, not the return you're about to file.

2

We award a scholarship

Need-based scholarships go to K–12 students at our member Islamic schools from Tennessee households earning up to 300% of their area's median income. As federal law requires, returning students come first, then their siblings; after that, TENNISSA gives priority to the families with the greatest need.

3

The school applies it to tuition

Funds are paid straight to the school and credited to the student's tuition — never as cash to families. At least 90% of what we receive goes to scholarships, as federal law requires; the rest covers only essential costs such as legal and audit fees, our scholarship platform, outreach and web hosting.

4

You claim the credit

Keep the acknowledgement we email you by January 31 — it includes your unique IRS donor number. Report it on IRS Form 8525 with your federal return, and your federal income tax drops dollar for dollar, up to $1,700 per person. Any credit you can't use that year carries forward for up to five years.

Tax credit calculator.

See how much of your gift could come back as a credit this year.

Your details

Filing status

Maximum credit: $1,700

Your total federal income tax after other credits such as the child tax credit.

Your estimate will appear here.

The credit is nonrefundable: it can't exceed the federal income tax you owe. Any unused amount carries forward for up to five years. This calculator is for information only and is not tax advice.

Good to know before you give.

What qualifies

  • Cash gifts by card, bank transfer (ACH) or check
  • Gifts from individuals; spouses can each give
  • Donors living in any state can give to TENNISSA
  • Gifts made after TENNISSA is certified by Tennessee

What doesn't

  • Stock, cryptocurrency or donated goods
  • Gifts from businesses, partnerships or S corporations
  • Gifts set aside for a particular student
  • The same dollars used for both this credit and a charitable deduction
Giving more than $1,700? Every dollar still funds scholarships. The amount above your credit limit may be deductible as a charitable gift if you itemize.
Sadaqah and zakat. We're seeking written guidance from qualified Islamic scholars on how gifts to TENNISSA relate to sadaqah and zakat, and will share it here. Please consult your own scholar in the meantime.

Rally your workplace or masjid.

Business gifts don't earn this credit, but every employee and congregant can give as an individual. We'll provide flyers, a short presentation and a giving link for your group.

Request a giving kit