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 $221,900 to United Way of Plains on October 1, 2025, under the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009) to support free tax return preparation and electronic filing services for low- to moderate-income populations. The award runs through September 30, 2026, and is focused on service delivery in Kansas.

United Way of Plains will extend VITA services to underserved and hardest-to-reach populations including persons with disabilities, individuals with limited English proficiency, Native Americans, rural residents, military families, and elderly taxpayers. The organization must ensure that at least 90 percent of returns prepared serve individuals whose income does not exceed the earned income tax credit threshold, file all eligible returns electronically, and achieve 100 percent of return production goals. The grant funds capacity-building activities including enhanced volunteer training, quality control improvements, and accuracy enhancements at VITA sites.

The organization may utilize subrecipients to deliver key program elements while maintaining compliance with VITA grant guidelines. As a matching grant, the award requires United Way of Plains to document matching funds and maintain records in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

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.