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 United Way of San Diego County $375,000 on October 1, 2025, under the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009) to operate free tax return preparation and electronic filing services for low- to moderate-income individuals and underserved populations across San Diego County.

United Way of San Diego County delivers VITA services through two sub-recipients: the Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty of San Diego County, Inc. (M A A C Project) and Dreams For Change Inc., which operate tax sites and mobile tax sites throughout San Diego County, primarily serving low-income and limited-English-proficiency residents.

The award funds activities to extend services to underserved populations in urban and non-urban areas, increase electronic return filing capacity, heighten quality control, enhance volunteer training, and improve accuracy rates. Recipients must ensure at least 90 percent of prepared returns serve individuals whose earned income does not exceed Earned Income Tax Credit thresholds, file all eligible returns electronically, achieve 100 percent of return production goals, and demonstrate incremental increases in return preparation capacity annually.

The period of performance runs through September 30, 2026. Work is performed in California with focus on serving 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.

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.