Georgia GOAL
Redirect taxes you already owe. Fund a child's education here.
Through the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program, Georgia taxpayers can make an approved contribution supporting tuition assistance at the Waldorf School of Atlanta and receive a dollar-for-dollar Georgia income tax credit for the approved amount. Applying takes about two minutes, and no payment is due when you apply.
Applications are open now and close December 31.
The Impact of GOAL
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$583,097
In scholarship awards through WSA's GOAL community.
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99
Scholarship awards made.
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54
Students supported.
48.5% of the scholarship dollars awarded have supported minority students, helping build a school community that more fully reflects the diverse world our children are preparing to enter.
How to apply
1
Apply by December 31, 2026
Complete the GOAL application online. It takes about two minutes and no payment is due when you apply. You are simply requesting the credit.
2
Receive your approval in January
GOAL submits all applications to the Georgia Department of Revenue on the first business day of January. Approvals are issued together, not on a rolling basis, and you will receive your approved amount and payment instructions that month.
3
Contribute and claim the credit
Make your contribution in the approved amount, and GOAL sends the documentation you need to claim the dollar-for-dollar credit on your Georgia return.
How Much Can I Redirect?
The amount you can request depends on how you file. Current limits are $2,500 for single filers, $5,000 for joint filers, and $25,000 for individual owners of pass-through businesses. C corporations, trusts, and certain electing pass-through businesses may generally request up to 75 percent of their annual Georgia income tax liability. Because limits vary by structure, we encourage you to review the opportunity with your tax advisor.
Statewide demand is real: Georgia's 2026 credit cap was fully preapproved. Apply early so your request is ready when 2027 credits are submitted. The amount ultimately approved may depend on statewide demand, so the approved figure can be less than the amount requested.
American GOAL
A federal credit, alongside the state one.
Beginning January 1, 2027, WSA will also participate in American GOAL, a new federal scholarship tax credit operated by the same organization that runs Georgia GOAL. Individual taxpayers can receive a 100 percent federal income tax credit for contributions up to $1,700 per year, and there is no national cap on total contributions.
American GOAL does not replace Georgia GOAL. You can participate in both by making a separate contribution to each: one against your Georgia income taxes, one against your federal income taxes. American GOAL scholarships may also support students who are already enrolled, which broadens who a contribution can help.
How to apply to American GOAL
1
Pledge. Complete the 2027 American GOAL pledge form at goalscholarship.org anytime between January 1 and December 31, 2027, and select the Waldorf School of Atlanta.
2
Pay. Contribute by check, ACH, or credit card by December 31, 2027.
3
Claim. American GOAL sends a tax receipt for claiming the credit when you file your 2027 return in 2028.
There is no application step and no approval wait. Applications open January 2027.
| Georgia GOAL | American GOAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Credit against | Georgia income tax | Federal income tax |
| Who can participate | Individuals and businesses | Individual taxpayers only |
| Contribution limit | $2,500 single, $5,000 joint, higher for businesses | $1,700 per taxpayer |
| Application | June 1 to December 31, the year before | No application step |
| Approval | January, subject to statewide demand | No approval wait |
| Payment | After approval, per GOAL instructions | By December 31, 2027 |
| Claim the credit on | Your Georgia return | Your 2027 federal return, filed in 2028 |
| Available | Open now | Beginning January 1, 2027 |
- Credit against
- Georgia income tax
- Who can participate
- Individuals and businesses
- Contribution limit
- $2,500 single filers, $5,000 joint filers, $25,000 pass-through owners, and up to 75 percent of annual Georgia liability for C corporations, trusts, and certain electing pass-through businesses
- Application
- June 1 to December 31 of the year before the credit year
- Approval
- All applications go to the Department of Revenue on the first business day of January. Approvals are issued together, not on a rolling basis.
- Payment
- After approval, following instructions from GOAL
- Claim the credit on
- Your Georgia income tax return
- Available
- Open now for the 2027 credit
- Credit against
- Federal income tax
- Who can participate
- Individual taxpayers only. Corporations are not eligible.
- Contribution limit
- $1,700 per taxpayer per year, with no national cap on total contributions
- Application
- No application step. Complete the pledge form between January 1 and December 31, 2027.
- Approval
- No approval wait and no proration
- Payment
- By check, ACH, or credit card by December 31, 2027
- Claim the credit on
- Your 2027 federal return, filed in 2028
- Available
- Beginning January 1, 2027
You can participate in both programs by making a separate contribution to each. Limits and eligibility depend on your circumstances, so please review the opportunity with your tax advisor.
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No. GOAL is a redirection of taxes you already owe, and you receive a dollar-for-dollar credit for the approved amount. There is still a contribution and a payment, so it is not free, but the approved amount comes back to you as a credit rather than a deduction.
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The Annual Fund is a charitable gift that supports faculty, tuition assistance, and school programs together. GOAL is a tax redirection that funds tuition assistance specifically. Many families do both, and each is tracked and thanked separately.
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No. You are requesting the credit. Payment comes after approval, in January, with instructions from GOAL.
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That can happen when statewide demand exceeds the cap. You contribute the approved amount and receive the credit for that amount.
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Yes, starting in 2027, by making a separate contribution to each program.
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No. Any Georgia taxpayer can designate WSA.
FAQs
For Georgia Businesses
Eligible Georgia businesses can participate in Georgia GOAL as well, with limits based on entity type and tax liability. Businesses that participate on behalf of WSA are recognized as Evergreen Partners, with priority placement in our Business Directory and a designation that grows with each consecutive year. American GOAL is open to individual taxpayers only, so business participation runs through Georgia GOAL.
You might also be interested in:
Other Ways to Give
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Annual Fund
The school's operating support, raised fresh every year. It is the most flexible gift you can make and the one we build the budget around. Our goal this year is $115,000.
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GOAL Scholarships
Redirect a portion of the income tax you already owe to fund tuition assistance at WSA, and receive a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit. Applying takes two minutes, and no payment is due when you apply. The window closes December 31.
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Auction & Gala
One evening each spring, our community gathers for dinner, dancing, and an auction of extraordinary things, and the whole night funds the school. Buy a ticket and bid, sponsor the evening, or donate something to the auction table. It is the rare way of giving where you also get a night out.
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Matching Gifts
Many employers match charitable gifts, and some match monthly ones too. Ask your HR department whether yours is one of them, and let us know if it is so we can thank you for both.
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Stock, Retirement, IRAs
A gift of appreciated securities can carry meaningful tax advantages compared with selling first and giving the proceeds. Contact us before you initiate a transfer so we can watch for your gift and thank you promptly.
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Wills & Bequests
Some families choose to make WSA part of their legacy through a bequest, a trust, or an endowment gift: the gift of this education for children they may never meet. We would be honored to talk it through with you and your advisor.
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Sponsorship
Sponsor the Holiday Fair in November or the Annual Auction and Gala in April, in cash or in-kind. Four simple levels at each event, with recognition that stays visible on our website.
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In-Kind Donations
Auction items and experiences valued at $50 or more, gift cards, flowers for the Fair, or professional services like printing, catering, or photography.
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Evergreen Partners
Georgia businesses that participate in GOAL on behalf of WSA are recognized as Evergreen Partners, with priority placement in our Business Directory.
Questions? We are here to help.
Reach Mae Hill, Development Director, at development@waldorfatlanta.org or (404) 809-3777.