Extracurricular Activity (ECA) Program - Arizona State Tax Credit

Learn more about the ECA tax credit program   

Questions? Contact us at (480) 472-0133 or via e-mail.

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We appreciate your support of our students!

Arizona law provides a tax credit for contributions to public schools to support extracurricular activities or character education.

You can help Mesa students and possibly lower your tax bill by making a donation.

The state tax credit is available to all qualifying individual Arizona state taxpayers. You do not need to have a child enrolled in a school to take advantage of this state tax credit. It is always best to consult a tax adviser to see if you qualify for the dollar-for-dollar credit.

A tax credit is different from a deduction, because you may subtract the whole contribution from your Arizona state tax bill. An individual may contribute as much as $200, and a couple filing jointly may contribute as much as $400 to a public school and receive the money back in the form of a tax credit.

Here’s how it works:

If you qualify for this state tax credit, you may write a check or use your credit card to make a contribution before Dec. 31. When you file your Arizona state taxes, you then subtract the amount of your contribution from what you owe or add the amount to your refund.

·         If you owe $800 in Arizona state taxes: Make a $400 contribution to a public school, and subtract $400 from your Arizona state taxes. Your tax bill will then be $400.

·         If you are expecting an $800 refund on your Arizona state taxes: Make a $400 contribution to a Mesa Public School, and add $400 to your Arizona state tax refund. Your refund will be $1,200.