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 Ladder Up $422,981 under the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009) on October 1, 2025, for a period of performance ending September 30, 2026.

Ladder Up will provide free tax return preparation and electronic filing services at VITA sites across Illinois, targeting low-to-moderate-income taxpayers with focus on earned-income tax credit eligibility. The program serves vulnerable populations including persons with disabilities, limited English speakers, Native Americans, rural residents, military members and their families, and elderly taxpayers. The recipient must provide matching funds equal to the federal obligation of $422,981.

As a matching grant program, VITA funding supports organizations that extend services to underserved populations, increase capacity for electronic return filing, heighten quality control, enhance volunteer training, and improve return accuracy. Recipients must ensure at least 90 percent of returns prepared serve individuals whose income equals or falls below EITC thresholds, file all eligible returns electronically, and achieve 100 percent of return production goals. The program expects incremental increases in return preparation annually and compliance with existing VITA site operations guidance.

Ladder Up is a Chicago-based nonprofit providing tax representation, tax preparation, and financial assistance services. The organization operates exclusively through federal grant programs administered by the Internal Revenue Service, with this VITA award representing one of two primary IRS grant initiatives in its portfolio; the organization also holds multiple Low Income Taxpayer Clinics awards (CFDA 21.008) spanning 2023 through 2028.

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.