Project Grant 25VITA0171

This Project Grant award of $175,421 was provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to the United Way of Merced County, Inc. under the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009). The grant supports the organization's efforts to provide free tax preparation services to underserved populations, including low-to-moderate income individuals, persons with disabilities, those with limited English proficiency, Native Americans, rural residents, military families, and the elderly. Key activities funded by the grant include extending services to hard-to-reach areas, increasing electronic filing capacity, enhancing volunteer training, and improving the accuracy of tax returns prepared at VITA sites. The grant requires the organization to ensure at least 90% of prepared returns are for individuals at or below the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) thresholds and to file all eligible returns electronically. As a sub-award recipient, the organization has also collaborated with the University of California, San Francisco to coordinate COVID-19 testing efforts in the local Latinx community.