“Many parents cling to the promise in the Bible that says, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it,” says Dale Twomley, principal and business manager at Shenandoah Valley Academy in New Market, Va.. “Adventist education is a big part of that training. Our schools work hard to provide a positive spiritual environment for students and studies show that those who attend Adventist schools remain members of the church by a wide margin. However, many families find it challenging to pay for Adventist education and cannot send their children without financial assistance from family members, their church or other means. We have the opportunity to dramatically expand the outside sources through this program.”

Donations to Potomac Education Foundation’s Virginia Education Improvement Tax Credits Scholarships Program provide scholarships for low-income new students. Individual or business donors receive a tax credit equal to 65% of the donation.

According to Seth Savoy, Foundation board member, the actual cost to donate to this program, after receiving tax benefits, is very minimal. “Donations are deductible against taxable income as a charitable donation on both federal and state income taxes, subject to rules governing deductibility of charitable contributions and can be made by check or stock transfer,” explains Savoy. “Donors also receive a tax credit against Virginia taxes equal to 65 percent of the amount of the donation.” As a result, one donor reports that his $10,000 gift that allows two students to attend C. F. Richards Junior Academy (Staunton Va.), only cost about $165 after the tax credit and deductions.

Donors can earmark their contributions to support scholarships at specific schools, but may not direct their funds to support a specific student.  If, at school year’s end, there are excess scholarship funds at some schools, the excess will be distributed among the schools whose scholarship requests exceed donations earmarked for them.