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 the City of Boston $250,000 through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009) on October 1, 2025, for a period of performance ending September 30, 2026, with place of performance in Massachusetts.

The City of Boston, through its Mayor's Office of Emergency Management Division operating as the Treasurer's Office, will deliver free tax return preparation services to low to moderate income individuals, persons with disabilities, persons with limited English proficiency, Native Americans, individuals living in rural areas, members of the Armed Forces and their families, and the elderly. The program supports increased capacity for electronic return filing, heightened quality control, enhanced volunteer training, and improved accuracy of prepared returns. Recipients are expected to ensure at least 90 percent of returns prepared serve individuals whose income does not exceed earned income tax credit thresholds, file all eligible returns electronically, and achieve 100 percent of return production goals.

The City of Boston passed sub-awards to Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee (sub-award awarded June 12, 2026) and Action For Boston Community Development, Inc. (sub-award awarded June 12, 2026) to help deliver key program elements under VITA/DOR VITA guidance.

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.