Because we offer Curriculum Grants to families in all US states and territories, we ask for a variety of documentation to be able to verify that families are homeschooling and meet the grant eligibility criteria.

PLEASE NOTE:
Before proceeding, make sure you are eligible to apply by reading through the eligibility and timeline qualifications at How to Apply for a Curriculum Grant.

Checklist

Before beginning your application, gather the following information and electronic documentation, which are more fully explained in this article:

  • Contact information for two (2) character references
  • List of materials you wish to purchase
  • Documentation showing one month of all forms of income and/or financial support
  • Evidence of homeschooling

If applicable:

  • Diagnosis of child(ren)’s special needs
  • Spouse’s death certificate
  • Evidence of military service

Choose Character References


Select two people to serve as character references. Reapplicants may use the same references as in prior applications.

References should be able to vouch for your integrity, your general family situation, and the fact that you’re homeschooling. They do NOT need to know detailed information about your financial circumstances.

The following individuals may NOT be used as references:

  • You
  • Your spouse/ex-spouse
  • Your significant other
  • Your children
  • Grant applicants from within the past year
  • Anyone living with you

We recommend that you consider references from your homeschooling community or from the leadership of your faith community. We prefer that references not be related to each other.

Gather the following information for your two references:

  • Full name
  • Street address
  • Phone number
  • Current email address (Please type this carefully!)

Be sure to disclose your full and accurate relationship to your references.

Grant Usage Guidelines


Curriculum Grants are intended primarily to help fund core academic subjects and/or address special learning needs. We also recognize the important part that technology and electives play in many homeschools.

Any amount of your grant may be spent on:

  • Curricula and materials for core academic subjects
  • School supplies
  • Academic fees
  • Academic tutoring
  • Tuition for co-ops and classes, including online classes and dual enrollment
  • Academic achievement testing
  • Academic electives
  • Educational technology
  • Diagnostic testing, educational therapies, and specialized materials for children who have special needs
INELIGIBLE PURCHASES*:
  • Extracurriculars
  • Furniture
  • Household goods
  • Bills
  • Religious training materials
  • Continuing education and/or technology for homeschooling parents

* These purchases may be permitted based on unique family circumstances and the availability of funds. Usage guidelines will come with your check and will contain detailed instructions about how your individual grant may be spent.

Listing Your Funding Request

The application will ask you to list the educational items you would use the grant money to buy or items you recently purchased that you want to be reimbursed for.

For each item or collection, list:

  • Company/vendor
  • Program/class
  • Total cost

You do NOT need to itemize by child or grade nor individually list school supplies, books on a reading list, or additional fees. For example, it is fine to list “school supplies, $50” without further breakdown. See below for details.

What items am I required to itemize?

The following items may be grouped under “school supplies” on your application and do NOT need to be itemized:

  • Pencils and pens
  • Pencil sharpeners
  • Erasers
  • Highlighters
  • Crayons and markers
  • Composition books
  • Notebook paper
  • Glue/tape
  • Scissors
  • Rulers
  • Globe/maps/atlas
  • Flash cards

Please itemize more significant materials like:

  • Graphing calculator
  • Geometry tools
  • Dissection kit
  • Microscope
  • Laminator

Can I use my grant to purchase things other than what I list on my application?

Yes! You can use your grant to purchase items besides the ones you listed on your application, as long as they are still within our requirements. However, it is in your best interest to list out the materials you intend to buy, because our team may be able to provide you with special discounts or free materials for the items you list on your application.

You may be interested in the curriculum discounts that are available to our grant recipients. If you would like to use curriculum from a vendor on this list, write down the full price on your application and we will calculate the discount on our end.

Gather Your Documents

The application will ask you to attach a variety of documentation. Format the documents into a clear electronic or digital file (PDF or JPG) before beginning your application. To avoid your application being delayed:

  • Be sure that each document, including photos and screenshots, is clear and readable.
  • Remove any security codes required to open and access each digital file.
  • Each file must NOT exceed 5MB, and your application’s total attachment must NOT exceed 35MB.

Evidence of Homeschooling


The type of documentation you provide as evidence of homeschooling will likely vary based on the homeschool law in your state.

Submit the following:

  • NOT your “Notice of Intent”, but a dated letter, email, receipt, acceptance, or acknowledgement of the Notice of Intent you submitted to the:
    • State, county, school district, or superintendent
    • State, county, school district, or superintendent for religious exemption
    • Public or private school, withdrawing your child(ren)
    • School umbrella program, church/religious school, or accredited day/boarding school your child(ren) attend

If unable to provide the above, submit one (1) of the following:

  • Official letter or invoice from the leader of your homeschool co-op or support group on letterhead (e.g., Classical Conversations, local co-op, hybrid co-op, etc.)
  • End of year assessment or evaluation test results for each child, ages 6–19
  • A month of lesson plans of academic subjects for each child, ages 6–19
  • Current report card/transcript for each child, ages 6–19
  • Writing sample AND a math test for each child, ages 6–19

Financial Documentation

Provide all that apply:

  • Copy of IRS Form 1040 (first 2 pages only) from your recently filed income tax return, if you were required to file
  • One month of current paystubs**
  • Social Security statements for survivor’s benefits or disability (including children’s benefits)
  • Food stamps and housing assistance benefit letters
  • Child support or alimony documentation
  • Student aid loans
  • Any other forms of financial support or benefits
  • Any other forms of current income, including letters of church/pastoral or parental support
OTHER DOCUMENTS, IF APPLICABLE:

The following documentation only applies to specific circumstances. We may be able to grant more of your funding request if we have supporting documentation of your situation.

Diagnosis of special needs: If you are requesting special needs curriculum or therapy for your child(ren), please provide a letter or statement from a medical professional, detailing his/her diagnosis. (Do not send the whole document, only the page with the diagnosis.) If a diagnosis is not available, provide a statement of observation explaining how your child(ren) would benefit from testing or evaluation.

Spouse’s death certificate: If you are a widow or widower, the application may ask you to provide your spouse’s death certificate.

Military status: If you have served in the military, you may be asked to provide documentation reflecting your current military status.

** If self-employed, submit income statements from the last three consecutive months. Be sure this documentation indicates:

Discounts for Compassion Grant Recipients

Before you apply, we encourage you to research curriculum and explore materials that will best suit the needs of your family.

Many curriculum publishers and educational organizations offer generous discounts to our grant families, so you may be interested in one of these vendors. 

Find discounts here »

Start Your Application

You’re now ready to begin your application! We’re excited to partner with you to give your children a brighter homeschool experience.

  • Use Chrome as your browser. We recommend filling out the application on Chrome, even on Apple devices where Safari may be the default browser.
  • Apple devices: If you are filling out the application on an Apple device, such as a Mac computer, iPhone, or iPad, you may see a login screen instead of a confirmation screen upon submission of your application. If this happens and you do not receive a confirmation screen, please email compassioninfo@hslda.org so we can confirm that your application submitted successfully. In your email, please include what device and browser you used to fill out the application.
  • Already started an application? If you started and then saved an application and aren't sure how to resume it, follow these instructions.

Start or Resume Your Application

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