Catholic Education Arizona (CEA) has raised scholarship money for Valley Catholic schools since 1998, and the diocese calls it the largest STO and scholarship provider for its schools. CEA reports more than $408 million raised and over 165,000 scholarships, with 38 partner schools. In fiscal 2025 it funded 3,810 students.
Families apply through FACTS, with a $31 per-family fee. For 2026-27, round one ran Feb 1 to Apr 15, 2026 and round two ran Apr 15 to Aug 21; later applications are funded as money allows. Donors can give to CEA's general scholarship fund or direct their gift to a particular school.
The Diocese of Phoenix is direct with parents: for any one child in any one school year, choose the ESA or STO scholarships, not both. The diocese also notes that most of its elementary tuition sits below the yearly ESA amount, so many K-8 families take the ESA, while some high-school families whose tuition is well above the ESA weigh CEA and other STO awards instead.
CEA is not the only STO that lists Catholic schools. Many parishes also appear on IBE, APSTO or School Choice Arizona lists, and corporate low-income scholarships flow through CEA as well. Ask your school's business office which STOs its families actually use.
Combining it with other sources
This source works alongside a school's own discounts and payment plans. The one hard limit in Arizona is that a child cannot hold an ESA and an STO scholarship in the same school year, so each child goes down one path, and siblings may go down different ones. Our funding check lays out the choice for each child.