About ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµAPP

What we do

Best-in-class scholarship granting operations empowering kids, families, schools and communities.

Our History

25+ years advancing best-fit education

For over 25 years, ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµAPP has been serving Illinois students, families, schools and communities by advancing and advocating for innovative educational policy solutions that increase access to best-fit education.

In 2018, ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµAPP helped to pass the historic Invest in Kids Act, providing the first-ever tax credit scholarship program for students from low-income and working-class communities in Illinois — and served as Illinois’ largest Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) for the duration of the program.

$300M+

In scholarship donations

Raised and processed for Illinois students over the life of the Invest in Kids Act.

50K+

scholarships awarded to Illinois students

400+

school and network partners statewide

empowerXchange

Our patented scholarship granting technology powers applications, awards and status tracking.

Our People

Board and Staff

Jim Perry

Chair — Senior Advisor

Madison Dearborn ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµAPPs

Jack Buck

President

Free Market Ventures

Meredith Kirshenbaum

Principal

Goldberg Kohn Law Firm

Dan Lipinski

Professor of Political Science

US Representative (Former)

Patrick Loughery

Corporate ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµAPP

Kirkland and Ellis Law Firm

John Schoenig

Senior Director of Teacher Formation and Public Policy

Alliance for Catholic Education, University of Notre Dame

Chris Vallace

Managing ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµAPP

M3 Investment Group

Anthony Holter

President

ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµAPP

Get Involved

Be part of what’s next

The Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program launches in January 2027. Pledge your support today, or apply for a scholarship on EmpowerXchange.