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 Reinvestment Partners $570,000 under the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009) on October 1, 2025, for the period of performance through September 30, 2026, with place of performance in North Carolina.

Reinvestment Partners operates VITA sites that prepare free tax returns for low- to moderate-income individuals, persons with disabilities, those for whom English is a second language, Native Americans, rural residents, military members and their families, and elderly taxpayers with earned income at or below EITC thresholds. The organization extends services to underserved populations in both urban and non-urban areas, increases capacity for electronic filing, heightens quality control, enhances volunteer training, and improves return preparation accuracy. Recipients under this matching grant must ensure at least 90 percent of returns prepared serve individuals whose income does not exceed the EITC threshold, file all eligible returns electronically, meet return production goals, and demonstrate incremental increases in annual return preparation. The VITA grant program supports organizations that serve communities with limited access to tax assistance and aims to improve efficiency and accuracy in return preparation at participating sites.

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.