The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Grant Program is an IRS initiative designed to promote and support free tax preparation service for the underserved, low income populations. These include the elderly, disabled, limited-English-speaking, non-urban, and native American taxpayers.

In November 2011, IRS awarded matching grants to 213 organizations that will be offering free tax preparation services during the 2012 tax filing season at locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Congress appropriated $12 million in funding to support the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.

This Grant Program is intended to provide direct funds to organizations to:

• Enable VITA Programs to extend services to underserved populations in hardest-to-reach areas, both urban and non-urban;
• Increase the capacity to file returns electronically;
• Heighten quality control;
• Enhance volunteer training; and
• Significantly improve the accuracy rate of returns prepared at volunteer sites.

Please refer to IRS Publication 4671, VITA Grant 2012 Program Overview and Application Package for more information.

Contact the VITA Grant Program at Grant.Program.Office@irs.gov.