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How Do I Accept Scholarship Payments for Events?

Many homeschool families use Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), scholarship programs, or other educational funding to pay for activities. Homeschool Hive makes it easy to accept these payments by generating professional invoices that families can submit to their scholarship providers.

Quick Answer​

To accept scholarship payments: Go to your Group Settings > Scholarship Settings, configure your organization information for invoices, then enable scholarship eligibility on individual events or tickets. When families choose scholarship payment at checkout, Homeschool Hive automatically generates a detailed invoice they can submit to their funding provider.

Understanding Scholarship Payments​

How It Works​

  1. Group Setup: You configure your organization's details for invoice generation
  2. Event Setup: You mark events or tickets as scholarship-eligible
  3. Family Checkout: Families select "Pay with Scholarship" at checkout
  4. Invoice Generation: The system creates a professional invoice with all required details
  5. Payment Tracking: You track which invoices have been paid by scholarship providers

Supported Funding Types​

Homeschool Hive invoices are designed to work with:

  • Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) - Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, etc.
  • Scholarship Programs - Private and state-funded scholarships
  • Educational Grants - Foundation and nonprofit grants
  • 529 Plan Distributions - For qualifying educational expenses
  • Coverdell ESAs - Education savings accounts

Step-by-Step Guide​

Part 1: Configure Scholarship Settings​

Before accepting scholarship payments, set up your organization's invoice information.

Step 1: Access Scholarship Settings​

  1. Go to your group's Dashboard
  2. Click Settings in the navigation
  3. Select Scholarship from the settings menu

Step 2: Add Organization Information​

Fill in the details that will appear on generated invoices:

Required Information:

  • Organization Name: Your group or co-op's official name
  • Address: Street address, city, state, and ZIP code

Recommended Information:

  • EIN (Tax ID): Many scholarship providers require this
  • Phone Number: For provider inquiries
  • Email Address: Contact email for payment questions
  • Website: Your group's website (if applicable)
  • Logo URL: A link to your organization's logo for professional invoices

Step 3: Set Default Instructions​

Add instructions that appear on all invoices:

Example instructions:
"Please submit this invoice to your scholarship provider within 30 days of the
event date. Include the invoice number in all correspondence. For questions
about this invoice, contact treasurer@yourhomeschoolgroup.com"
EIN Requirements

Many ESA and scholarship programs require a valid Employer Identification Number (EIN) to process payments. If your group doesn't have an EIN, consider:

  • Applying for one through the IRS (free)
  • Operating under a fiscal sponsor that has an EIN
  • Checking if your state allows payments without an EIN

Step 4: Save Your Settings​

Click Save Settings to store your configuration. These settings apply to all scholarship invoices generated for your group.

Part 2: Enable Scholarship Eligibility on Events​

Method 1: Enable for Entire Event​

  1. Create or edit an event
  2. In the Event Settings section, find Scholarship Eligible
  3. Toggle the option to On
  4. All tickets for this event will accept scholarship payments

Method 2: Enable for Specific Tickets​

  1. In your event's Tickets & Pricing section
  2. Click to edit the specific ticket type
  3. Enable Scholarship Eligible for that ticket
  4. Only that ticket type will show scholarship payment option
Mixed Payment Events

You can have some tickets that accept scholarships and others that don't. For example, a "Member" ticket might accept scholarships while an "Adult Chaperone" ticket requires regular payment.

Part 3: Managing Scholarship Invoices​

Viewing Generated Invoices​

  1. Go to your group Dashboard
  2. Click Scholarships in the navigation
  3. View all generated scholarship invoices
  4. Filter by status: Pending, Paid, or Overdue

Invoice Information Includes​

Each generated invoice contains:

  • Unique invoice number
  • Parent/guardian name and contact info
  • Student name(s) attending
  • Event details (name, date, location)
  • Itemized list of tickets/fees
  • Your organization's information
  • Payment instructions
  • Due date

Updating Invoice Status​

When you receive payment from a scholarship provider:

  1. Find the invoice in your Scholarships dashboard
  2. Click the invoice to open details
  3. Click Mark as Paid
  4. Enter payment details (date received, reference number)
  5. The family's registration is automatically confirmed

Exporting Invoice Data​

For record-keeping and tax purposes:

  1. Go to the Scholarships dashboard
  2. Click Export
  3. Select date range and status filters
  4. Download as CSV or PDF

What Families See​

During Checkout​

When a family registers for a scholarship-eligible event:

  1. They select their tickets and attendees
  2. At payment, they see a "Pay with Scholarship" option
  3. Selecting this shows information about the process
  4. They confirm and receive their invoice immediately

Invoice Delivery​

Families receive their invoice:

  • Immediately via email after checkout
  • Downloadable PDF from their account
  • In their Payment History under "Scholarship Invoices"

Invoice Format​

The professional invoice includes:

  • Your organization's letterhead/logo
  • Clear itemization of charges
  • Student and event information
  • Your custom instructions
  • Payment remittance details

Tips​

Invoice Timing

Generate invoices as close to the event date as possible. Many scholarship providers require invoices dated within a specific timeframe of the service being provided.

Track Payment Timeline

Scholarship payments often take 2-4 weeks to process. Set your invoice due dates accordingly and follow up on overdue invoices promptly.

Communicate Requirements

Include in your event description if scholarship payment is accepted. Mention any documentation families might need to provide.

Verify Eligibility

Different scholarship programs have different rules about eligible expenses. Encourage families to verify with their provider that your event qualifies before registering.

Common Questions​

What if a scholarship payment is denied? Contact the family to arrange alternative payment. You can update the payment method in their registration or cancel and refund their spot.

Can families pay partially with scholarship? Yes, families can split payment between scholarship and card. At checkout, they specify the scholarship amount and pay the remainder with their saved payment method.

How do I handle refunds for scholarship payments? If you haven't received the scholarship payment yet, simply cancel the invoice. If payment was received, you'll need to arrange refund directly with the scholarship provider according to their policies.

Do I need to be a registered business? Requirements vary by scholarship program. Some accept invoices from informal groups while others require an EIN and formal business status. Check with common providers in your area.

Can I customize invoice templates? The invoice format is standardized to meet scholarship provider requirements. You can customize your organization information and instructions, but not the overall layout.