KALISPELL — While taxes may not be on your mind just yet, Kalispell Public Schools is looking for taxpayers to help fund programs through the Innovative Educational Tax Credit Program.
Anyone interested in supporting KPS and school districts across the state can donate money and receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit without spending a penny.
This means that every dollar you donate to the school district — up to $200,000 — will be taken off what you owe the state in taxes this year.
If the amount donated exceeds what you owe this year, the credit will go towards your taxes for up to the next three years.
The program was made possible through a bill passed in the legislature where the state of Montana has allotted $6 million a year.
The donations are different from levies as they benefit the taxpayers with the funding going straight to the students rather than operational costs for the district.
“There are some guidelines on how we use that money, and it is specifically focused and required to be used on areas of transformation learning for students,” explained KPS Director of Business Service Chris Campbell.
“Our district is currently one of the leading districts in the state in some of the innovative kind of learning strategies that we've been implementing over the last couple of years, and money from this will primarily be used to kind of further that,” Campbell continued.
Anyone who would like to donate and receive the tax break needs to do so before Jan. 15.
To donate, you must fill out a form that is on the KPS website and then deliver the filled-out form and check to the district office.
Anyone with questions can contact KPS at 406-751-3400.
