The Internal Revenue Service is now accepting applications for the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) grants.
These grants allow eligible organizations to receive annual funding for up to three years to provide free federal tax return preparation assistance. In 2026, the IRS awarded TCE grantees $12 million and the VITA grantees $41 million.
Tax Counseling for the Elderly and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs provide invaluable, free assistance to taxpayers in need,” said IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano. “The VITA program, which has been around for more than 50 years, provides help to America’s underserved populations, while the TCE program offers specialized assistance for older Americans related to pensions and retirement plans.”
Applications will be accepted on Grants.gov from May 1, 2026, through May 31, 2026, for both programs. Organizations can visit IRS VITA and TCE grants for grant application and program information.
The IRS established the TCE program in 1978 to provide tax counseling and return preparation primarily for individuals aged 60 and older. The IRS also provides training and technical assistance to support these services nationwide.
The VITA grant program, established in 2007, supplements the original VITA initiative, launched in 1969. The grant program helps expand services to underserved populations in the hard-to-reach urban and non-urban areas, increase the ability of taxpayers to file returns electronically, enhance volunteer training, and improve the accuracy rate of returns prepared at VITA sites.
