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 $190,000 to Chinese Christian Herald Crusades, Inc. through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009) on October 1, 2025, for a performance period ending September 30, 2026.

The recipient will deliver free tax return preparation and electronic filing services to low-income and underserved populations in California, including low- to moderate-income individuals, persons with disabilities, non-English speakers, elderly taxpayers, Native Americans, rural residents, and military families. Chinese Christian Herald Crusades operates this work through its Herald Christian Community Center Division. Under the grant, the recipient must ensure at least 90 percent of returns prepared serve populations whose earned income does not exceed EITC thresholds, file all eligible returns electronically, and achieve production goals while demonstrating year-over-year increases in return preparation volume.

The VITA program funds organizations that extend services to underserved populations in both urban and non-urban areas, increase capacity for electronic filing, enhance volunteer training, heighten quality control, and improve return accuracy. Recipients operate as matching grant recipients and may utilize sub-recipients to deliver key program elements.

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.