United Way Awarded Major Three-Year IRS Grant for Successful Volunteer Tax Program
ALBANY, N.Y. - The Internal Revenue Service has awarded a three-year, $255,000 grant ($85,000 for each of three years) to United Way of the Greater Capital Region to provide free tax preparation and filing services through the CA$H Coalition of the Greater Capital Region.
The CA$H Coalition leads the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) /AARP tax aide program, which is the beneficiary of the IRS grant. With the funds, the CA$H Coalition will offer free state and federal income tax preparation and filing services to individuals and families with gross household incomes below $49,000 in 2011 at more than 50 VITA/ AARP sites across the greater Capital Region.
For the most recent tax season, the CA$H Coalition returned more than $18 million in tax credits and savings to a record 13,165 local tax filers.
The funds will be used to:
- Enable VITA programs to extend services to underserved populations, both urban and non-urban
- Increase the capacity to file returns electronically
- Heighten quality control and improve the accuracy of returns prepared by the VITA sites
- Provide better coordination of, and staff support for, VITA sites and partners
- Improve and enhance VITA volunteer training.
The CA$H (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) Coalition is composed of social, faith-based, educational, business, financial and government organizations dedicated to promoting financial stability and asset building for local individuals and families. United Way leads the CA$H Coalition as part of its commitment to strengthen the community and create opportunities for a better life for all by investing in initiatives in education, income and health – which are the building blocks for a good quality of life.
United Way of the Greater Capital Region brings people and resources together to achieve <br>measurable and sustainable improvements in the quality of life for our community.