ACE Scholarships launches multimillion-dollar campaign for new federal school choice program 

As the new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit prepares to launch in 2027, school choice groups are gearing up for unprecedented growth.

ACE Scholarships, a scholarship granting organization (SGO) based in Colorado, announced its multimillion-dollar Make It Possible campaign Tuesday to raise awareness about the new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC). 

“Over 70% of average Americans have no idea what (the federal tax credit) is,” ACE’s Chief Marketing Officer Kristy Badger told Heartlander News. “We have to let people know what the Education Freedom Tax Credit is and when it’s coming.”

The EFTC will launch on Jan. 1, 2027, and offers tax credits for donations of up to $1,700 – or $3,400 for taxpayers who are married and filing jointly – to qualifying SGOs, which will bundle the donations into scholarships for students. So far, more than 30 states have already pledged to participate.

All taxpayers can donate and receive a credit regardless of their state of residence, but a state must opt into the program for its students to be eligible to receive a scholarship.

In its promotional campaign, ACE will use everything from television to social media, including college football games, to spread the word about the new opportunity.

As a longtime administrator of state-level school choice programs, including tax credits, ACE saw the EFTC as the perfect opportunity to expand nationwide.

“ACE is prepared and ready to fundraise in all 50 states,” ACE President Jason DiFraia told Heartlander News. “We plan to give scholarships out in all states that opt in.

“We’re going to serve all students, whether they go to private, public, charter, home school. Our goal is to give all students access to the best environment.”

ACE’s goal is to raise $300 million in 2027, funding approximately 75,000 scholarships, although DiFraia added he expects to “surpass that based on current projections.”

And ACE is partnering with every type of education group – from charter organizations to archdioceses – to make that dream a reality.

Partnering with tax professionals

The organization also has a unique collaboration with tax professionals, which Badger describes as an “untapped market” in the school choice discussion.

According to ACE’s market research, more than 40% of Americans use a certified public accountant (CPA) or wealth management company to handle their taxes.

So ACE decided to collaborate with financial advisers to help them understand school choice opportunities.

“The driving force behind that was trust,” explained DiFraia. “Who do [taxpayers] trust?

“They trust their schools that they send their kids to who we partner with … and they trust their wealth advisers and their tax professionals. It just seemed like a natural fit, and if you trust somebody, you’re more than likely going to do it.”

However, Badger added that for most people, the main selling point of the program wasn’t the tax credit. It was the opportunity to help students achieve their full potential.

“First and foremost, [people] care about education,” she told Heartlander News. “They want to help in some capacity.”

And since ACE is based in Democrat-led Colorado, the group already has experience bridging the political aisle in pursuit of education reform.

In fact, Colorado was the first blue state to opt into the EFTC, thanks to Gov. Jared Polis.

DiFraia told Heartlander News that ACE had already worked with the governor on past school choice issues and credited him for opting into the new program.

“[Polis] has always been pro-school choice, so this aligned very well with his philosophy on educating children and giving parents a choice,” he said.

However, the program’s ultimate success depends not on politicians but on everyday Americans.

“The tax credit is the mechanism, but what motivates giving is our children’s futures,” ACE CEO Norton Rainey said in a press release. “Make It Possible is designed to remind Americans that educational opportunity can change the trajectory of a child’s life.

“We have an important responsibility to help taxpayers understand that they now have the power to make those opportunities possible for millions of children.”

More than 90% of U.S. K-12 students are eligible for scholarships, a recent study found, based on family income limits set at 300% of the median local income.

If 10% of eligible taxpayers participate, that could generate as much as $26.3 billion for school choice, according to the American Federation for Children.

(Image credit: Courtesy, ACE Scholarships)