How Do Tax Credits Create Future Leaders? | Sponsored Content

For 23 years, Catholic Education Arizona has provided tuition scholarships to students at 37 schools, one of them being St. Mary’s Catholic High School.

St. Mary’s Catholic High School in Phoenix has been creating community leaders for over 100 years. One such alumnus, Justin Bayless, President & CEO of Bayless Integrated Healthcare, has thrived as a leader in Phoenix and set the bar high during the recent pandemic.

Bayless credits his time at St. Mary’s for helping him to become the person and leader he is today. “An important factor for me was St. Mary’s encouragement to excel in all aspects of life, not just one part of it,” said Bayless. He also shared, “The school was dedicated to ensuring it produced well-rounded students, requiring participation in extracurriculars, pursuing academic excellence, and ensuring students gave back through community service. That goal of creating multidimensional students has played an incredible role in my life, especially as I look at how we take care of people’s total health – body and mind – at Bayless Integrated Healthcare.”

Bayless has melded his philosophy of business with the values instilled in him as a student at St. Mary’s. “An important part of Catholic education is instilling in students a commitment to serving the underserved. That philosophy stays with me today, and I am so proud to see Bayless Integrated Healthcare’s dedication to ensuring that care is accessible to everyone,” stated Bayless.

According to the National Catholic Education Association, Catholic school graduates engage in lifelong service and become more civilly engaged.

Catholic Education Arizona has been serving families and creating future leaders through tax credit scholarships for 23 years.

Over 138,000 tuition scholarships have been provided
Over $268 million raised
99% graduation rate
97% of graduates matriculate to higher education or military service
1000s of hours of community service are performed by Catholic school students every year

The Low-Income Corporate Tax Credit and Disabled/Displaced Corporate Tax Credit are available to both large and small businesses. Michael Rapisand of B2B CFO, CPA, and former CFO for both small and large businesses, advises corporate clients on how they can make an impact on the community through the benefit of Arizona corporate tax credits. As a recent CEA podcast guest, Rapisand shared, “A lot of business owners love to make an impact on the community. They recognize that it is the community that has made their business successful and they want to give back. Business owners recognize the importance of quality education, and education is the future. It is the tide that lifts the boat to a better quality of life.” Contributing to tuition scholarships is one-way businesses can make a difference in the lives of others as a result of their own corporate success.

The impact of the Corporate Low-Income Tax Credit and the Disabled/Displaced Tax Credit is significant and changes lives. After receiving assistance last school year, the Vargas family expressed gratitude by sharing, “We believe a Catholic education helps our young people not only with their studies but also finding that light in this world that will guide their paths. Therefore, every dollar of your contribution is helping these young kids have a better future, to be great leaders in society and spread love anywhere they go, to all our brothers and sisters and make this world a better world.”

Catholic Education Arizona is the largest provider of scholarships to underserved families attending private schools. Last year $18.3 million in tax credit donations were made to assist 45% of Arizona’s Catholic school students. Since 1998, more than $268 million have been raised by Catholic Education Arizona to fund the 138,000 student scholarships provided to Catholic school students. Learn more about how Catholic Education Arizona is Changing Lives One Scholarship at a Time. www.ceaz.org. ( 602) 218-6542