MicroschoolLaunchKit
Montana · Student Scholarship Organization Tax Credit (MCA 15-30-3111)

How to get funded in Montana

Getting approved to receive Student Scholarship Organization Tax Credit (MCA 15-30-3111) funds is what turns your Montana microschool into a school families can actually pay for. Here is the path.

Get the free Montana checklistStart-a-school guide →

How the money actually flows

Student Scholarship Organization Tax Credit (MCA 15-30-3111) is a tax-credit program with limited/means-tested eligibility. Awards are Max scholarship = up to 100% of avg per-pupil public expenditure — specific $ UNVERIFIED; donor credit up to $200k/$400k; aggregate pool $6M (2025)→$7.2M (2026). Payments run through Private Student Scholarship Organizations (SSOs); MT Dept. of Revenue runs donor tax-credit preapproval only. Confirm the current details on the official program site before acting.

1. Confirm how the money flows. Montana families use Student Scholarship Organization Tax Credit (MCA 15-30-3111) funds through Private Student Scholarship Organizations (SSOs); MT Dept. of Revenue runs donor tax-credit preapproval only to pay approved schools/providers. Your job is to be set up to receive them cleanly.
2. Get your business paperwork in order. Legal entity, tax ID (EIN), and proof you are a real operating school.
3. Meet the state requirements. Montana does not require private schools to be licensed or registered; accreditation is voluntary.
4. Apply as an approved provider. A school is a 'qualified education provider' (Mont. Admin. R. 42.4.802) if accredited OR non-accredited with written parent disclosure + health/safety compliance; funds flow through an SSO's own award decision, not a state portal.
5. Keep clean invoicing & records. Program spending is documented and audited. Clear invoices and audit-ready records are how you get paid and stay clear.
Important for Montana: NOT a guaranteed per-student entitlement — SSO-discretionary, capped. Per-student dollar cap unverified against statute. MT also opted into a NEW federal tax-credit program effective Jan 1, 2027 (not yet operational).

Get the free Montana checklist

Free: the Montana microschool starter checklist

Where to begin, what your state requires, and how funding works. No fluff.

Questions founders ask

Do you take a cut of my scholarship money?

No — flat subscription, never a per-student cut.

Do I have to use a specific curriculum?

No. MicroschoolLaunchKit is the compliance and operations layer — use whatever curriculum or model you want. We handle the paperwork around it, not the teaching.

What exactly is ESA / voucher approval?

Many states let families use public scholarship funds for private-school tuition. Getting approved as a provider/vendor is how that money reaches your school. We walk you through it, state by state.

Do you take a cut of my tuition?

Never. It is a flat subscription. Your tuition is 100% yours — unlike franchise networks that take a fee for every student.

Is this legal advice?

No. We give plain-language guidance and sourced requirements, not legal advice. For legal-sensitive decisions we point you to an education attorney.

Official sources (verify current requirements): revenue.mt.gov

MicroschoolLaunchKit provides general educational guidance, not legal advice, and is not affiliated with any state agency or ESA program administrator. Requirements and dollar figures change and some details here are still being verified — always confirm with your state's official sources before acting.