Three metro Atlanta nonprofit groups signed up to participate in a new Georgia program to accept donations from businesses and individuals and use the money to fund private school scholarships.

A new state law that went into effect this week gives citizens and companies income tax credits for donating money to nonprofit scholarship organizations.

The following nonprofits registered with the Georgia Department of Education: Apogee Georgia School Choice Scholarship Fund; Georgia Christian Schools Scholarship Fund; and Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program. More groups are expected to sign on.

The scholarship foundations will set their own rules on scholarship amounts, whether families must have a certain income to be eligible and other requirements. Scholarships will be available for this coming school year.

For more information go to http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_policy.aspx and click on the "Georgia Tax Credit" link under the scholarships category.