Michigan Knights Stand with Catholic Education as New Federal Tax Credit Offers Expanded Opportunity
- Sat, Oct 17, 2026 7:27 AM
Michigan Knights Stand with Catholic Education as New Federal Tax Credit Offers Expanded Opportunity
Catholic schools have long been a cornerstone of the Church’s mission to form young people in faith, virtue, and academic excellence. Across Michigan, Knights of Columbus councils have quietly and consistently supported that mission through scholarships, direct gifts to schools, recognition of students, and broader programs that strengthen families and parishes.
A recent National Catholic Register report highlights a significant new opportunity that could amplify these efforts. The Education Freedom Tax Credit, effective January 1, 2026, allows individuals and married couples to receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit (up to $1,700 for individuals and $3,400 for joint filers) for donations to scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs). These funds can help families cover tuition, tutoring, supplies, and other educational expenses at Catholic and other private schools, as well as for certain public-school and homeschool costs. The U.S. bishops have called the program transformative, noting that it aligns with the Church’s teaching that parents are the primary educators of their children. Estimates suggest the credit could generate billions in scholarship donations nationwide. ( NC Register - Catholic Schools Expecting Windfall of Scholarship Money From New Tax Credit )
Michigan Knights are already putting that same spirit of support into practice at the local level. Councils across the state regularly award scholarships that help families choose Catholic education. Au Lac Council 10724 has provided $1,000 awards to eighth-grade graduates of Immaculate Conception School who plan to continue in Catholic high schools, based on essays about the importance of a Catholic education. Other councils, including Fr. Baumgartner Council #5452 in the Rochester area and Pope St. John XXIII Council #5436, have established ongoing scholarship programs for Catholic school students and college-bound youth. These efforts remove financial barriers so that more children can benefit from an education rooted in the Catholic faith.
Beyond scholarships, councils partner directly with their parish schools. Lake Orion Council 4764 recently contributed $5,000 as a Diamond Sponsor for St. Joseph Parish Catholic School’s 75th anniversary celebrations. St. Mary’s Cathedral Council #18819 in Saginaw supported Chesterton Academy of Lake Huron by providing raffle prizes that helped raise funds for the school’s mission. Many councils also recognize outstanding students through Youth or Student of the Month programs, celebrating academic achievement, faith formation, and service—exactly the qualities Catholic schools seek to cultivate.
At the state level, Michigan Knights maintain strong support for the next generation of Church leaders through seminarian tuition assistance and the Sacred Heart Major Seminary Endowed Scholarship Fund. These programs, funded by voluntary member contributions and assessments approved at the State Convention, help ensure that those preparing for priesthood receive the formation they need.
The new federal tax credit represents an additional tool that could complement the hands-on work Michigan Knights already do. Because the program relies on private donations rather than state funds, it sidesteps Michigan’s constitutional restrictions on public aid to nonpublic schools. However, for Michigan families to receive scholarships, the state must opt in. The Michigan Catholic Conference has urged the state to participate, noting that the credit would help families afford out-of-pocket educational costs without diverting resources from the School Aid Fund.
Michigan Knights have always understood that supporting Catholic education is an act of charity and a long-term investment in the Church. Whether through a local scholarship, a gift to a parish school, recognition of a student, or support for seminarians, brothers across the state continue to live out the Order’s principles. As this new federal opportunity takes shape, the same spirit of service that has sustained Catholic schools in Michigan for generations will remain essential—helping families choose the education that forms their children in faith and prepares them to serve the Church and society.