WASHINGTON, D.C. — Supported by funding from the Wells Fargo Foundation, Prosperity Now today launched the Fall 2026 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Support Fund Request for Proposals (RFP), opening a second round of grants for IRS-certified VITA sites and organizations that directly support VITA operations nationwide. Grants will range from $5,000 to $20,000. Applications are due September 8, 2026, and recipients will be announced mid-September. Learn more and apply at prosperitynow.org/vitasupport. 

Organizations that applied during the spring 2026 VITA Support Fund round will automatically be considered and do not need to submit a new application. Previous applicants may submit an updated application by September 8 if their funding request, use of funds, service plan, staffing approach, projected reach, or other material information has changed. Prosperity Now will use the most recent submission.

The fall round is funded in part by a $1 million Wells Fargo Foundation grant announced earlier this year to strengthen community-based VITA providers through direct funding and coordinated national support. Applications for the spring round nearly tripled compared with the prior year. Prosperity Now selected 37 organizations in the first group of 2026 recipients. Together, they are expected to prepare more than 20,000 tax returns and help households claim an estimated $25 million in refunds and refundable credits. 

This second round opens as VITA programs begin recruiting and training volunteers, planning service hours and locations, and preparing for the 2027 filing season. Funding may support staffing and volunteer needs, technology and equipment, taxpayer outreach, language access, service delivery, accessibility, and other costs associated with preparing for and providing VITA services.

Organizations of all sizes and from across the United States are eligible. Applicants must be an IRS-certified VITA site or an organization that directly supports VITA operations and must plan to deliver VITA services during the 2027 filing season. Applications will be reviewed using consistent criteria, including demonstrated need, operational readiness, taxpayer outreach, expected reach and outcomes, and how the proposed budget supports service delivery.

The VITA program provides no-cost basic tax return preparation to individuals who generally make $64,000 or less, people with disabilities, and those with limited English proficiency who need assistance preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers help taxpayers file accurate returns and claim the refunds and credits for which they qualify.

“VITA organizations are trusted anchors in their communities, and our goal is to ensure they have the resources, tools, and connections to serve families effectively,” said Marisa Calderon, President and CEO of Prosperity Now. “This funding, together with the training and peer learning we’ll bring to VITACon in Minneapolis this October, is about investing in the people and organizations that make no-cost, high-quality tax preparation possible in communities across the country.”   

“Expanding opportunity starts with helping people access the resources they need to achieve financial well-being,” said Bonnie Wallace, Head of Financial Opportunity Philanthropy of Wells Fargo. “Through our support of Prosperity Now and VITA providers nationwide, we’re helping strengthen access to trusted tax preparation services that can make a meaningful difference for families and communities.”  

Awardees are strongly encouraged to participate in Prosperity Now’s VITACon on October 6, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The one-day gathering will bring together VITA practitioners and partners from across the country for training, peer learning, resource sharing, and preparation for the upcoming filing season. Organizations may include reasonable VITACon travel and participation expenses in their proposed use of grant funds. 

At VITACon, Prosperity Now will release updated VITA Train curriculum materials for the 2027 filing season. The October release is part of the national support provided through the Wells Fargo Foundation grant. Through its Tax Opportunity Network, Prosperity Now will also provide readiness webinars, technical assistance, peer learning, and practical guidance as federal tax rules change.

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