Affordability is a priority for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Youngstown. All parishes in the diocese further the mission and ministry of Catholic education, and as such, schools and parishes provide tuition financial support to families in need.
Two opportunities are available to all diocesan students and their families as well.
The newest tuition assistance opportunity is the Good Samaritan Scholarship Fund. This fund is a certified scholarship granting organization that accepts donations that qualify for the State of Ohio scholarship tax credit – now allowed by law.
A scholarship granting organization allows interested Ohioans to reduce their Ohio tax liability on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to $750 per person per year ($1,500 if married filing jointly) by providing donors with a tax credit against their Ohio income tax liability.
The Good Samaritan Scholarship Fund will prioritize scholarships for low-income families (under 300 percent of the poverty threshold) as required by law. Contributors to the Good Samaritan Scholarship Fund will have the option of making a contribution that supports schools and students across the Diocese of Youngstown or making a designated contribution to benefit students at a specific Catholic school. Students in all Catholic elementary and high schools across the six counties of the diocese are eligible for these scholarships.
After a soft opening during the month of December of 2022, $290,000 was raised to support students for the 2023-24 school year.
Donations for the tax year 2023 are now open. Donor information can be found here. Donations can be made online or by downloading the contribution form and mailing it in.
The Good Samaritan Scholarship Fund joins the existing Diocese of Youngstown Foundation Tuition Assistance Fund in providing support for families. Founded in the year 2000 by the family of Mary Ellen Cushwa Wolsonovich with the intent of funding scholarships for families based on need, more than $6,250,000 has been distributed to benefit diocesan students.
Other funds combined with the Mary Ellen Cushwa Wolsonovich Fund to comprise the Diocese of Youngstown Tuition Assistance Fund include the Bishop James W. Malone Catholic Education Endowment Fund, Margaret E. Cushwa Scholarship Fund, Robert A. and Donalda S. Dovgan Scholarship Fund, Rose F. and Joseph S. Dusi Catholic Education Assistance Fund and the Reverend Frederick Lukehart Catholic Education Assistance Fund.
Students from every Catholic school in the diocese can apply for scholarships from either the Good Samaritan Scholarship Fund or the Diocese of Youngstown Foundation Tuition Assistance Fund by completing a scholarship application form on FACTS. Information and the application link are available from each school as well as on the diocesan website. Applications will be processed by the Diocese of Youngstown Office of Catholic Education, and awards will be announced in May.
For more information, contact the Office of Catholic Schools, one of the diocesan schools, or visit the website.
