Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) awarded $125,000 to United Way of Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, under the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009). This matching grant funds the delivery of free tax return preparation services to underserved and low-to-moderate income populations in Pennsylvania. The awardee will provide volunteer-led tax preparation services targeting individuals whose earned income does not exceed Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) thresholds, including persons with disabilities, limited English proficient individuals, Native Americans, rural residents, military members and their families, and elderly taxpayers.

Under this award, United Way of Wyoming Valley will expand and enhance its VITA program through several key initiatives: extending tax preparation services to hard-to-reach communities, increasing the capacity for electronic return filing, implementing enhanced quality control measures, and strengthening volunteer training programs to improve the accuracy of prepared returns. The organization is expected to achieve specific performance metrics, including ensuring that at least 90 percent of returns prepared serve eligible low-income populations, filing all eligible returns electronically, and demonstrating year-over-year incremental increases in return production. As a matching grant program, the awardee must provide matching funds equal to the federal award amount to support program operations.