Now that you’ve been approved for a Curriculum Grant, we want to walk you through the three-step process of how you can spend your grant money and how to submit receipts.

1. Make your grant purchases and keep receipts

Grants should be used to directly support private homeschooling for the children 6–19 years old listed on your grant application.

Eligible purchases

  • Curriculum and tutoring for core academic subjects ⓘ
  • Class tuitions for core academic subjects ⓘ, including online and dual-enrollment
  • Shipping & handling fees
  • Materials for core academic subjects ⓘ (i.e., science experiment items, calculators, geometry tools, microscopes, dissection kits, etc.)
  • Academic testing (CAT, Iowa, SAT, ACT, CLT)
  • Educational consulting and transcript services
  • School supplies
  • Technology for educational purposes, such as:
    • Computer/laptop
    • Tablet/iPad
    • Warranties (1 year)
    • Tablet pens
    • MS Office (1 year)
    • Printer
    • Ink subscriptions
    • Headphones
  • Diagnostic testing, educational therapies, or specialized materials for children with special needs
  • Homeschool groups & co-op fees

Ineligible purchases
  • Extracurricular activities outside of homeschool group settings, including:
    • Musical instruments
    • Music lessons
    • Art instruction
    • Extensive art supplies
    • Drama
    • Speech and debate
    • Teen Pact
    • Dance, sports, and other forms of P.E.
    • Drivers Education
  • Furniture and household goods, including:
    • Tables and chairs
    • Desks and bookcases
    • Clothes or school uniforms
    • Utility bills (internet, cell phone)
  • Religious training materials, including:
    • Personal Bible studies or other Holy Book studies
    • Catechisms or prayer books
    • Character development
    • Self-help materials
    • Christian living materials
  • Educational expenses for parents or other children
  • Post-secondary education

You must spend your grant funds within 6 months. 

As you spend your grant, make sure to keep receipts of your purchases. Here are a couple tips for success:

  • Get a separate receipt for grant purchases. When making purchases, try to get a separate receipt for grant items. If you cannot, you may still use the receipt and we will determine which purchases are valid grant spending.
  • Save copies. Scan, photograph, or keep a copy of each receipt for your own records.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

You may also want to check out these resources to make your grant dollars stretch even more!


2. Fill out Grant Usage Report

Your Grant Usage Report and receipts must be submitted within 6 months of receiving your grant approval email. 

You can find a link to your personalized Grant Usage Report in your approval email. (Search for the subject line “Application Approved! Use Link for Receipts” in your inbox.)

Please fill out this report as soon as you have finished spending your grant, to avoid misplacing any of your receipts or information.

3. Email us your receipts

The final step is to email us your receipts! Your receipts should add up to the amount of your grant at least, but may total more.

For quick and accurate processing, please follow these guidelines:

Receipt Guidelines
  • One receipt per purchase. Do not submit a receipt and packing slip for the same purchase.
  • Receipts must show these 6 things:
    1. Date of purchase
    2. List of all items purchased
    3. Name of the seller/vendor
    4. Contact information for the seller/vendor (website, email, address, etc.)
    5. Amount of the purchase
    6. Confirmation that payment was made

See an example of a valid receipt »

  • Examples of invalid receipts
    • Incomplete screenshots—Sometimes screenshots leave off information, so double check that your screenshots show all six requirements above
    • Online carts
    • Credit card statements
    • Bank statements
    • Receipts handwritten by the grantee

Email Guidelines
  • Email your receipts to compassionreceipts@hslda.org.
  • In your email subject line, include your name and the year you received your grant. 
  • Please use the email address associated with your HSLDA account.

Mail-In Guidelines

If unable to email, please mail copies of your receipts to: HSLDA Compassion, PO Box 1152, Purcellville, VA 20134



Congratulations, you’ve completed all three steps!

You are welcome to reapply for a grant next year. Please check out our Curriculum Grant page for more information.

FAQs

What is considered a core academic subject?
  • Math
  • Language arts
  • Foreign language
  • Science and lab supplies
  • History/social studies
  • Government/civics
  • Geography
  • Economics
  • Other courses approved by your grant administrator

Jump back to the eligible purchase list

Can I use the grant to reimburse myself for purchases I have already made?

Yes! So long as the purchases fall within the Grant Spending Guidelines on page 1, you may submit receipts for things bought up to 6 months before your approval email. Look for the subject line, “Application Approved! Use Link for Receipts” to find that email.

My receipts total more than my grant. Is that okay?

Yes!

One of my children is turning 6 soon. Can I use any of my grant on them?

Yes, so long as your 5-year-old turns 6 by November 1.

May I use my grant toward everything offered by a Discount Vendor?

No. Our generous vendor partners may offer discounts on items beyond the scope of our grant usage guidelines. As a grant recipient, you are welcome to take advantage of all the discounts they offer, but you may only use grant funds (and submit receipts) for the items outlined above.

Can I submit handwritten receipts?

Receipts either written by hand or home-produced (via Word, Excel, etc.) are NOT preferred because they are more time-consuming for our staff to verify. If you can provide a printed receipt instead, please do. See an example of a valid receipt.

Handwritten or home-produced receipts must be valid (see list of 6 required pieces of information above) and created by the seller.

Receipt validity is at the discretion of HSLDA Compassion. HSLDA reserves the right to verify handwritten and home-produced receipts.