IRS announces call for grant applications for Tax Counseling for the Elderly and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs

IR-2025-60, May 13, 2025

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is now accepting applications for the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) grants. These grants allow eligible organizations to apply for annual funding to provide free federal tax return preparation assistance for up to three years. In 2025, grant recipients from the two programs helped taxpayers file more than 2.7 million tax returns nationwide.

Applications are being accepted on Grants.gov from May 1, 2025, through May 31, 2025, for both the TCE and VITA grant opportunities. Application packages and guidelines are available on IRS VITA and TCE grants webpage.

The IRS established the TCE program in 1978 to provide tax counseling and return preparation primarily for individuals aged 60 and older. The IRS provides training and technical assistance to senior communities across the nation.

The VITA grant program was established in 2007 to supplement the original VITA initiative, which began in 1969. The grant program enables VITA to extend services to underserved populations in the hard-to-reach urban and non-urban areas, increases the ability of target taxpayers to file returns electronically, enhances volunteer training and improves the accuracy rate of returns prepared at VITA sites.

More information

• Applying for a TCE grant
• Publication 1101, Application Package and Guidelines for Managing a TCE Program PDF
• Applying for a VITA grant
• Publication 4671, VITA Grant Program Overview and Application Instructions PDF