Applications are open for grants of $5,000 to $20,000 to strengthen VITA operations, organizational capacity, and preparation for the 2027 filing season.
In collaboration with the Wells Fargo Foundation
Prosperity Now, in collaboration with the Wells Fargo Foundation, invites certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs and organizations that directly support VITA operations across the United States to apply for 2026–2027 funding.
This funding opportunity will provide resources to strengthen VITA operations, support volunteer and staffing needs, enhance service delivery, and help organizations prepare for the 2027 filing season.
Applied during the spring 2026 funding round?
Your organization will automatically be considered and does not need to submit a new application. If your organization’s needs, proposed activities, funding request, or approach have changed since your original submission, you may submit a new application by Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Prosperity Now will use your most recent submission when evaluating your organization for funding.
Important Dates:
September 8, 2026: Applications are due
Mid-September: Grant recipients announced
May 31, 2027: Final reports due
Grant awards: $5,000 to $20,000 per organization. Applicants should request an amount tied to specific VITA operating or capacity needs. Final award amounts may differ from the amount requested based on demonstrated need, proposed use of funds, and available funding.
Funding may support VITA program operations and capacity-building activities, including:
Awardees are strongly encouraged to participate in Prosperity Now’s VITACon on October 6, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. VITACon will bring together VITA practitioners and partners from across the country for peer learning, training, resource sharing, and preparation for the 2027 filing season.
Organizations may include reasonable VITACon travel and participation expenses in their proposed use of grant funds, including airfare or other transportation, lodging, and other allowable travel costs.
Eligible applicants must:
Organizations of all sizes and from across the United States are eligible to apply.
Organizations that submitted an application during the spring 2026 VITA Support Fund round will automatically be included in the applicant pool and do not need to reapply.
If your organization’s needs, proposed activities, funding request, or approach have changed since your original submission, you may submit a new application by September 8, 2026. Prosperity Now will use your most recent submission when evaluating your organization for funding.
New applicants and previous applicants submitting an updated application will provide information in the following areas:
Your organization’s mission, history, commitment to providing no-cost basic tax return preparation, VITA operations, volunteer recruitment and training, quality review processes, and relevant certifications.
How grant funds will support the 2027 filing season, including staffing and volunteer engagement, service hours and locations, outreach strategies, accessibility considerations, and planned enhancements.
How requested funds will be used and information about other funding sources supporting your VITA program, if applicable.
The number of individuals you expect to serve, projected tax returns, anticipated refunds and credits, additional services offered, if applicable, and how you will track and report results.
Want to prepare before you apply?
Download the Application Planning Guide to review the application questions in advance and gather the information you’ll need before starting your submission.
Prosperity Now will first confirm that applicants meet the eligibility requirements. Eligible applications will then be reviewed using a standardized scoring rubric so organizations are assessed against the same core criteria.
| Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
| Reach and Scale | Demonstrated service volume and realistic projected reach for the 2027 filing season. |
| Service Delivery Approach | Clarity, feasibility, quality, and readiness of the implementation plan. |
| Taxpayer Engagement and Access | Strength of the outreach and access strategy, including support for taxpayer follow-through. |
| Use of Funds and Operational Need | Alignment between the funding request, identified need, proposed activities, and budget. |
Scores will inform, but will not solely determine, final funding decisions. Final selections will also consider factors such as geography, organization size and type, service scale, communities served, implementation readiness, and available funding.
RFP Release: Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Application Deadline: Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Award Announcement: Mid-September 2026
VITACon: Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Final Report Due: May 31, 2027
New applicants and previous applicants submitting an updated application must apply electronically by Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Spring 2026 applicants do not need to submit a new application to remain under consideration. If you submit a new application, Prosperity Now will use your most recent submission when evaluating your organization for funding.
Questions? Contact [email protected].
Awardees must submit a final report by May 31, 2027. Final reporting will include program results and information about how the funding supported VITA operations.
Reporting requirements are expected to include:
Prosperity Now may use reported information, in aggregate, to support field learning, funder reporting, communications, and future programming.
Through the VITA Support Fund, Prosperity Now and the Wells Fargo Foundation support VITA organizations in strengthening the people, systems, and tools needed to deliver trusted, no-cost tax preparation in communities across the country.
Join a community of changemakers committed to advancing economic opportunity for all.
