Two Decades of Opening Doors: Celebrating the Catholic Tuition Organization as the 2026 Bishop's Honored Guests

August 14, 2026

2026 Bishop's Honored Guests - CTO

For twenty years, one question has driven the work of the Catholic Tuition Organization (CTO): when a family wants a faith-filled, values-centered education for their children, why should the size of a paycheck decide whether they get it?

This year, as the diocese gathers for the 2026 Bishop's Celebration of Catholic Schools, CTO will be honored as the Bishop's Honored Guests, a tribute to two decades of work that has changed the trajectory of thousands of young lives across Southwest Iowa.

"After arriving in this country as refugees, our highest priority was to provide a bright future for our children," said one family, who sends their children to a Catholic school in Dallas County. "However, with the many financial challenges of raising a young family, it was impossible for us to send them to a Catholic school. [CTO's] generous contribution has made a tremendous difference in our lives and is helping us provide our children with the gift of a Catholic education. We are immensely grateful."

A Two-Decade Legacy of Opportunity

CTO was founded following the enactment of Iowa's School Tuition Organization tax credit legislation twenty years ago, with a singular mission: make Catholic education accessible and affordable to qualifying families.

Before CTO existed, many working families faced a hard trade-off between household budgets and tuition costs. Over the past two decades, CTO has changed that calculus, turning generous donor contributions into direct tuition assistance so that students from a range of economic backgrounds can thrive in Catholic classrooms throughout the Diocese of Des Moines.

Impact by the Numbers

The scope of CTO's work shows up clearly in the data:

  • Direct support: More than $2.1 million in tuition grants were awarded in the 2025-2026 academic year, helping nearly 2,000 students across 16 regional Catholic schools.
  • Reaching working families: CTO grants are targeted at lower- and middle-income households. The average income of receiving families is about $67,897, and 76% come from fully employed households.
  • Essential aid: Nearly 38% of student grant recipients also qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a sign of how much this tuition relief matters to day-to-day household stability.
  • First dollar applied: In the Diocese of Des Moines, CTO grants are the very first financial aid applied to a student's balance, cutting out-of-pocket tuition costs from day one.

A Win-Win for Donors and Students

CTO's staying power over twenty years rests on a strong partnership between donors and Iowa's tax incentive structure. Through CTO, Iowa taxpayers can direct their state tax liability toward student scholarships, and in return, donors receive a 75% Iowa state tax credit, the most generous in the state, along with potential federal tax deductions.

Donor generosity reaches CTO through several channels: cash gifts, corporate giving, stock distributions, and agricultural transfers. Each one directly powers the future of local Catholic education.

"The reason donors give to CTO is not because of the tax credit," said CTO Executive Director Brian Tingleff. "I really do believe it's because of the experiences they've either had themselves being in a Catholic school ... The experiences they had in Catholic school are life-changing, and people want to share that, pass it along."

Honoring the Past, Building the Future

As the 2026 Bishop's Celebration of Catholic Schools honors the Catholic Tuition Organization, the focus stays where it belongs: on the students, teachers, and school communities strengthened by twenty years of faithful support.

"This recognition tonight is all about the donors who have made this possible," said CTO President Kevin Shires. "The thousands of kids that you've put through school that have gone on to become productive members of our community, people we wouldn't have known without your generosity getting them into the schools that they wanted to go to and do the things they want to do and supporting their families now."

To every donor, board member, administrator, and supporter who has contributed to CTO's journey — thank you. You have opened doors, nurtured faith, and changed lives.