Diocese of Covington partners with American GOAL to expand access to Catholic education beginning in 2027
Notre Dame Academy is excited to share news of a new federal scholarship tax credit program that has the potential to make Catholic education more accessible to families throughout Northern Kentucky and open doors for more young women to experience the benefits of an NDA education.
On October 15, Bishop John Iffert announced that the Diocese of Covington has selected American GOAL Scholarship Program as its Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) partner for the new federal scholarship tax credit initiative, which launches January 1, 2027.
The program represents a significant opportunity for Catholic schools, offering a new way for individuals to support educational scholarships while receiving a federal income tax credit for qualifying contributions.
A New Way to Support Catholic Education
Beginning January 1, 2027, eligible taxpayers will be able to contribute to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal income tax credit of up to $1,700 per individual, or up to $3,400 for married couples, for qualifying contributions.
These contributions will help fund scholarships for eligible Kâ12 students, providing additional financial assistance to families seeking a Catholic education for their children.
One particularly promising feature of American GOAL is that donors can designate their contributions to support scholarships at a specific participating school. This creates a meaningful new opportunity for NDA parents, grandparents, alumnae and friends to help make a Notre Dame Academy education possible for more young women.
What This Means for NDA Families
As Notre Dame Academy prepares to participate in the new scholarship program, school leaders are encouraged by the potential benefits for both current and prospective families.
Financial Aid Applications Open November 1
In anticipation of the opportunities this new initiative may bring, NDA is taking an important step to help families plan for the upcoming school year.
Beginning November 1, 2026, families can apply for NDA financial assistance for the 2027â28 school year through FACTS, using their 2025 federal income tax information.
By opening the financial aid application process earlier, NDA hopes to give families more time to explore their options, plan ahead and prepare for potential scholarship opportunities.
While financial aid applications will open earlier this year, award notifications cannot be issued until tuition rates for the 2027â28 school year have been established. NDA is hopeful that tuition rates will be finalized by mid-March, allowing the school to begin notifying families of their financial aid awards in April.
NDA anticipates that the American GOAL scholarship process will work in conjunction with FACTS, the financial aid system families already know and use. However, scholarship eligibility requirements, application procedures and award timelines for the new program are still being finalized.
NDA encourages all families who may need financial assistance for the 2027â28 school year to complete their FACTS applications early.
The school’s Advancement, Enrollment and Finance teams will continue working closely with the Diocese of Covington and American GOAL to prepare for implementation and provide updates as additional information becomes available.
Building on 120 Years of Mission
For 120 years, Notre Dame Academy has remained committed to its mission of educating young women to make a difference in the world. Rooted in the charism of the Sisters of Notre Dame, NDA provides an education that nurtures faith, inspires academic excellence and empowers young women to become confident, compassionate leaders.
Making that educational experience accessible to more families is an important part of carrying this mission forward.
“We are grateful for this new opportunity to support Kentucky families seeking educational choice,” Bishop Iffert said in announcing the partnership.
The Diocese’s partnership with American GOAL will provide schools with support for fundraising, donor stewardship, scholarship administration and program compliance.
As NDA celebrates its 120th anniversary, this initiative offers another promising way to build on the school’s legacy of faith, educational excellence and service.
Notre Dame Academy looks forward to working with the Diocese and American GOAL to help expand educational opportunities for the next generation of Pandas.
Learn More
Visit the American GOAL Scholarship Program Website
Additional information about scholarship eligibility, applications and opportunities to support NDA students will be shared as it becomes available.