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 Goodwill Industries of Tulsa Inc. $150,000 under the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009) on October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026.

Goodwill Industries of Tulsa will deliver free tax return preparation and electronic filing services to low-to-moderate income individuals and underserved populations in the Oklahoma City area, including persons with disabilities, individuals with limited English proficiency, Native Americans, rural residents, military personnel and families, and elderly taxpayers. The organization must ensure at least 90 percent of returns prepared serve individuals whose earned income does not exceed Earned Income Tax Credit thresholds and file all eligible returns electronically. Expected outcomes include achieving 100 percent of return production goals, heightening quality control, enhancing volunteer training, and demonstrating incremental increases in return preparation annually.

Goodwill Industries of Tulsa operates as a sub-recipient structure for VITA service delivery, with sub-recipients required to adhere to grant program guidelines. The matching grant program funds organizations that extend services to underserved populations in hardest-to-reach urban and non-urban areas, increase capacity for electronic filing, strengthen quality control, train volunteers, and improve return accuracy at VITA 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.