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 Helping To Ensure Laredo's Prosperity $168,000 on October 1, 2025, under the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009) to support free tax return preparation services for low to moderate income taxpayers and other underserved populations in Laredo, Texas.

The recipient will extend VITA services to individuals whose income equals or falls below the earned income tax credit threshold, 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. Grant-funded activities include increasing capacity for electronic return filing, enhancing volunteer training, heightening quality control, and improving return preparation accuracy. The recipient must ensure at least 90 percent of returns prepared serve eligible populations, file all eligible returns electronically, and achieve 100 percent of return production goals.

The period of performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. The recipient may utilize sub-recipients to deliver key program elements, provided they adhere to VITA program guidelines. The award is structured as a matching grant requiring documented local or organizational match funds.

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.