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 Interfaith Community Services, Inc. $133,573 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 for low- to moderate-income populations in California.

The recipient will extend VITA services to underserved populations including persons with disabilities, individuals for whom English is a second language, Native Americans, rural residents, members of the Armed Forces and their families, and the elderly. Grant-funded activities include increasing capacity to file returns electronically, enhancing volunteer training, heightening quality control, and improving the accuracy rate of returns prepared at VITA sites. The recipient must ensure that at least 90 percent of returns prepared serve individuals with income at or below the maximum earned income tax credit (EITC) threshold, file all eligible returns electronically, and achieve 100 percent of return production goals.

The award period runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. This is a matching grant requiring the recipient to document local matching funds. Sub-recipients may be utilized to deliver key program elements and must adhere to grant program guidelines.

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.