Quickly, Securely, & with Flexibility
States choose Merit’s unique combination of software and services to administer education grant programs with ease - without adding to their team’s workload. Our experienced team stands up programs in mere weeks and acts as an extension of state departments, managing program qualification, fund distribution, marketing outreach, education marketplaces, customer support, real-time reporting, and more.
We are proud that Ohio ACE has become the largest ESA program in the nation. Ohio’s partnership with Merit to deliver excellent, friction-free services is a perfect example of what public-private partnerships can achieve when everyone is committed to the mission.
— OHIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Ohio ACE
When the Ohio State Legislature approved the Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) program in the fall of 2021 to provide educational activities to students who experienced learning disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) was tasked to establish the program with a daunting timeline. ODE turned to Merit's tech and team to guide them through the process and support the program end-to-end. The powerful partnership has allowed Ohio ACE to:
Grant 115,000+ awards to students- Enroll 75,000+ students
- Allocate more than $100M to qualified families
Kansas KEEP
The Kansas Educational Enrichment Program (KEEP) provides eligible students $1,000 to pay for various educational goods and services that facilitate academic enrichment. The meaningful program connects students to educational resources like tutoring, after-school camps, musical instrument lessons, language classes, and more. Kansas partnered with Merit helping Kansas:
- Award-eligible students with $1,000 for educational resources
- Qualify hundreds of educational service providers in the KEEP Marketplace
- Allocate nearly $50M to Kansas families
Oklahoma PCTC
The Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit program (PCTC) provides families with an income tax credit of up to $7,500 per Oklahoma student to pay for certain private school expenses. The program is launching in November 2023.
- $150M education program
- $25k awards expected
- 200+ schools onboarding
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Direct Eligibility Verification
Expedite the application approval process by pre-qualifying families already participating in select government programs or scholarships.
Digital Wallet
Provide convenient access to receive and manage funds in a secure web or mobile app, easily making payments, purchases and reimbursement requests.
Education Marketplace
Dedicated Customer Support
Awareness & Outreach
No Fraud Guarantee
Should fraudulent activity related to your program occur, zero state or public dollars will be used to compensate for the financial damages incurred.
Streamline Eligibility
Verification
Automate Payments and Reimbursements
Ensure Funds are Spent Correctly
Easily Track Program Success
