Businesses Can Get A Tax Credit For Supporting Environmental Education Programs

Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program is a way for businesses to enrich educational opportunities for students and earn tax credits by donating to an Educational Improvement Organization.  

Through EITC, eligible businesses can receive tax credits equal to 75 percent of their contribution, up to $750,000 per taxable year.  The tax credit may be increased to 90 percent of the contribution if the business agrees to provide the same amount for two consecutive tax years.

The Pennsylvania Resources Council and the Stroud Water Research Center are two Pennsylvania nonprofit environmental groups that have been designated as Educational Improvement Organizations under the EITC program for providing innovative educational programs that enhance the public school curriculum.

The Pennsylvania Resources Council’s hands-on, interactive programs promote the practical application of earth-friendly lifestyle choices and include topics such as recycling and waste reduction, litter prevention, energy and resource conservation, watershed awareness, stream ecology, and environmental health.  

All of PRC’s programs are designed to address Pennsylvania’s State Academic Standards for “Environment and Ecology” and “Science and Technology” as well as many other relevant standards across the curriculum.

By contributing to PRC through the EITC program, businesses can receive a tax credits while making positive impact on both students and the environment.  

For more information about making an EITC contribution to PRC, please contact Mario Cimino at 610-353-1555 x221 or send email to: cimino@prc.org.

The Stroud Water Research Center offers a variety of programs and workshops aimed at helping students and teachers understand many of the science concepts in their schools’ curricula by direct, concrete and academic exposure to their local streams and regional watersheds.

These programs are rooted in the most up-to-date research and are tied directly to Pennsylvania’s Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology and Science and Technology.

For more information on EITC and Stroud, contact Kristine Lisi, Director of Development, 610-268-2153, ext. 304 or send email to: klisi@stroudcenter.org, or Tara Muenz, Education Programs Manager, 610-268-2153, ext. 301 or send email to: tmuenz@stroudcenter.org.

A list of approved educational improvement organizations is available online.

Other environment-related organizations include: the Academy of Natural Sciences, Brandywine Conservancy, Brandywine Valley Association, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Environment Erie, Great Valley Nature Center, Grey Towers Heritage Association, Pennsylvania Envirothon, Phipps Conservatory,  Riverbend Environmental Education Center, The Outdoor Classroom, The Outdoor School In Horsham and the Lehigh Gap Nature Center (Wildlife Information Center, Inc.).