Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL - The Florida Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the Step Further Scholarship Fund to promote the new Education Freedom Tax Credit, a new federal initiative that will allow taxpayers to redirect a portion of their federal tax liability to fund scholarships for low-income students in Florida public schools.

More than 711,000 Florida children live in poverty, making expanded educational opportunity essential to strengthening Florida's future workforce and economic prosperity. Accessing quality education for families stuck in generational poverty is one of the Florida Prosperity Initiatives “ten root causes” of poverty that must be overcome and this new opportunity unlocks huge potential for families.

“The Florida Chamber Foundation’s Prosperity Initiative believes that in order to break cycles of generational poverty, we must expand pathways to opportunity for every child, regardless of their ZIP code,” said Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “The brand-new Education Freedom Tax Credit can help connect students to learning environments and resources in Florida’s public schools that support long-term success.”

The partnership was highlighted during the Florida Chamber Foundation’s 2026 Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit on June 23 in Tampa, which brought together business, education, nonprofit, and government leaders to discuss workforce development and talent pipeline challenges facing Florida. Presenters included U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds from Florida’s 19th Congressional District and Republican gubernatorial candidate; Stasi Kamoutsas, Commissioner of Education for the State of Florida; and Henry Mack, Assistant U.S. Secretary of Labor.

Executives from AdventHealth, Arthrex, Coca-Cola, PNC Bank, and other leading Florida employers shared their perspectives on these workforce development issues. Additionally, nonprofit leaders served as session panelists, including leaders from Collaboratory, Florida Gulf Coast University, the Florida Philanthropic Network, the Florida Virtual School, and Tampa General Hospital. “The new federal scholarship aligns perfectly with the mission of the Chamber’s Prosperity Initiative and talent goals,” said John Kirtley, founder and chairman of Step Up For Students. “We are honored to be a sponsor of the summit and grateful for this partnership.” “The Florida Chamber's statewide network helps connect Florida employers with opportunities to invest in students and strengthen our future workforce,” said Rachel Jones, Senior Director of Fundraising, Step Further Scholarship Fund.

The Education Freedom Tax Credit Explained
Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, individual taxpayers may receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for contributions to eligible Scholarship Granting Organizations, including the Step Further Scholarship Fund. Incredibly, rather than increasing their overall tax burden, participants can redirect a portion of their federal tax liability to support scholarships for low-income public school students in Florida. Through this initiative, Step Further Scholarship Fund will award scholarships that help students access educational resources and services such as tutoring, technology, therapy, after-school programs, and other learning supports.

An Opportunity for Florida Employers
While there is no cost to Florida employers, they can support the initiative through payroll-giving programs that make participation simple for employees while expanding scholarship opportunities in local communities. Step Further Scholarship Fund works directly with employers to implement payroll deduction programs, provide technical support and supply employee communications resources, minimizing administrative burden while maximizing participation.

Next Steps
You can learn more about the Education Freedom Tax Credit initiative administered by the Step Further Scholarship Fund by visiting the following website: http://www.stepupstepfurther.org