Catholic Education Foundation Helps Bridge the Gap for Catholic Education

The Catholic Education Foundation is continuing to make the promise of a Catholic education available to all families throughout the Diocese of Joliet.

On April 17th, the Foundation kicked off the scholarship granting season by sending award notifications to 1,215 students, bestowing more than $2 million in financial aid support for the 2024-25 school year. The Foundation is working closely with Catholic schools throughout the Diocese of Joliet to assist families needing access to a quality Catholic education.

This year will be the first time in six years that low-income and working-class families face tuition costs without the Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship Program. In the Diocese of Joliet, more than 900 students received $8 million in scholarships from the program to attend Catholic schools.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Catholic Education Foundation donors, the Foundation can provide bridge scholarships to students, allowing them to remain in their familiar Catholic schools. The bridge grant provides up to 25% of tuition for financially needy families as they adjust from receiving 100% tuition assistance to paying full tuition costs.

“The ability to provide this grant is a great testament to the power of Catholic education and our community’s recognition of its importance and its future,” said Jennifer Georgis, CEF Executive Director. “The donors of the Catholic Education Foundation are committed to providing solutions to Catholic school families.”

Through the Foundation’s Scholarship Program, families who have students in kindergarten through senior year of high school and with a verified financial need are encouraged to apply for tuition assistance grants.

Phase II of the scholarship award process through the Catholic Education Foundation will begin on May 1, and applications will be accepted through July 1. Families can access the online application at: http:/cefjoliet.org/scholarships.

Families will be notified of grant awards in August, and award checks will be sent directly to the schools following enrollment verification in the fall.

For more information, please contact:

Catholic Education Foundation : 815.221.6127 : 16555 Weber Road, Crest Hill, IL 60403: http://cefjoliet.org/