The volunteer income tax assistance (vita) grant was established as a matching grant program to provide funding for organizations who support community volunteer income tax assistance

The Internal Revenue Service awarded Mountain Community Action Program Corporation (doing business as Open Door Community Action) $115,000 under the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009) on October 1, 2025, for delivery of free tax return preparation and electronic filing services to low- and moderate-income populations across Virginia through September 30, 2026.

The recipient will serve low- and moderate-income individuals, persons with disabilities, non-English speakers, Native Americans, rural residents, military families, and elderly individuals. The recipient must ensure at least ninety percent of prepared returns serve individuals whose earned income does not exceed Earned Income Tax Credit thresholds, achieve one hundred percent electronic filing of eligible returns, and meet annual return production goals. As a matching grant, the recipient must provide non-federal matching funds equal to the federal award amount.

Mountain Community Action Program Corporation is a tax-exempt nonprofit community development corporation based in Wytheville, Virginia. This is the organization's fifth consecutive annual VITA grant from the Internal Revenue Service since 2021. The recipient may utilize subrecipients to deliver key program elements, provided they adhere to grant program guidelines.

Activities

The vita grant program provides financial support to organizations who 1) extend services to underserved populations in hardest to reach areas both urban and non-urban; 2) increase the capacity to file returns electronically; 3) heighten quality control; 4) enhance training of volunteers; and 5) significantly improve the accuracy rate of returns prepared at vita sites. End goal/expected outcomes: vita grant recipients are expected to 1) follow existing guidance governing vita site operations; 2) ensure at least 90% of returns prepared are for individuals whose income is equal to or less than the maximum earned income tax credit (eitc) thresholds; 2) file all eligible returns electronically; 3) achieve 100% of their return production goals; 4) become more efficient with grant funds; and 5) show incremental increases in return preparation each year.

Intended beneficiaries

Taxpayers who are low to moderate income individuals, persons with disabilities, those for whom english is a second language, native americans, individuals living in rural areas, members of the armed forces and their families, and the elderly.

Subrecipient activities

Subrecipients may be utilized by grant recipients to help deliver key elements of the program and must adhere to grant program guidelines. Broadband: specific activities relating to broadband usage are not known at the time of award.