Education support opportunity

by Allie Tossberg, Hamilton

Have you heard of the Innovative Education Program Tax Credit? Montana House Bill 279 allows taxpayers to get a dollar-to-dollar tax credit for donations of up to $200,000 to the public school district of their choice to support innovative educational programs. This tax credit applies to individuals, estates or trusts, corporations, partnerships and LLCs. Consult your tax advisor to understand your personal tax situation. 

This dollar-for-dollar tax credit is awarded on a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS. Individuals or corporations can donate up to $200,000 per year for our district’s innovative educational programs. The statewide aggregate amount of tax credits that may be claimed for 2026 is $7.2 million. Donated amounts may not exceed the taxpayer’s income tax liability, but may be carried forward for 3 years. 

The instruction, program, or other activities offered through an IEC can include any of the following: 

● Transformational learning 

● Advanced opportunity 

● Any program, service, instructional methodology, or adaptive equipment used to expand opportunity for a child with a disability 

● Any courses provided through work-based learning partnerships or for postsecondary credit or career certification 

● Technology enhancements 

● Capital improvements and equipment necessary to support innovative educational programs 

Let’s support Hamilton School District #3 and make our donations now. The “portal” that administrators use to register the donations opens on January 21st and closes when the $7.2M has been claimed. 

Print and complete the Innovative Educational Programs Donation Form, which can be found on the district website – www.hsd3.org. Please deliver this form AND your donation to the Hamilton School District Office at: 217 Daly Avenue, Hamilton, MT 59840 (Attention: Cathy Binando) on or before Tuesday, January 20th. 

More information can be found on the district website, and on the State of Montana website: https://revenue.mt.gov/taxes/tax-credits/innovative-educational-program-credit