To support outreach and awareness building about the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, ACT for Alexandria launched two separate mini grant programs to partner with nonprofit organizations who are trusted messengers that could reach the most underserved communities in the city. In addition, ACT partnered with a local organization, Legal Services of Northern Virginia, to offer the Earned Income Tax Credit Workshop to provide nonprofits with the training and understanding to help constituents navigate the tax filing process and tax credit opportunities. The session included tax resources, navigation tools, and troubleshooting common barriers, especially for clients who are not native English-speakers or haven’t filed in the past. Nonprofits were also offered the opportunity to apply for the Tax Prep & EITC mini-grant program to support their efforts in outreach and support to help constituents with the tax filing process.
Child Tax Credit Mini Grant
Nonprofit partners were selected based on their previous advocacy and organizing work and the zip codes in which they serve. Child Tax Credit grants of $2,500 were provided to nonprofits to promote outreach efforts. This included sharing resources, promoting advocacy narratives, and encouraging filers to apply via www.GetCTC.org/ALX.
Earned Income Tax Credit Mini Grant
Awards were provided to five grantees to support outreach efforts to help constituents prepare for the tax filing process.
Examples of grant funding opportunities were provided as:
- Outreach and awareness – helping to explain the process, options for tax filing and what to expect
- Navigating the tax filing process – assisting with acquiring necessary documents for filing, uploading photos of documents, helping filers find a free tax prep site that fits their schedule and needs
- Providing Wi-Fi or technology access for filers
- Hosting pop up filing events in partnership with tax experts
- Making sure resources are accessible in multiple languages
- Recording testimonials/stories (video, audio or written) to highlight the benefits of filing and the tax credits
- Other ideas appropriate for the organization and its constituents
Grantees included:
Dar-Al Hijrah Islamic Center: Dar-Al Hijrah Islamic Center (DAH) is a faith home for Muslims from over fifty countries around the world, and a social services provider to large surrounding Hispanic and Vietnamese communities. With grant funding, the Center developed a series of short “Did you Know?” talking points about the CTC & EITC to be sent via email and social media, specifically targeting those applying to DAH’s financial assistance and food bank programs. In addition, DAH collaborated with a VITA coordinator and Britepaths to host an onsite tax prep clinic at DAH, incorporating a case manager to form a plan on how best to use funds given the benefits that each client is eligible for. The target zip codes reached were: 22206, 22302, 22304, 22311, 22312, and 22314.
Restoration Immigration Legal Aid: Restoration Immigration Legal Aid (RILA) supports the most vulnerable immigrants in our community through pro bono immigration legal assistance. RILA focuses specifically on low-resourced clients to guide them through the complex and lengthy process of applying for asylum. Grant funding was used to pay the salaries of current staff who have been working to facilitate proper tax filing for RILA clients, many of whom are first generation immigrants. Since the beginning of January, RILA staff worked to pilot a program whereby volunteer certified public accountants (CPAs) met with RILA families who are filing taxes for the first time. The target zip codes reached were: 22206, 22302, 22304, 22305, 22311, and 22312.
Concerned Citizens Network of Alexandria: CCNA focuses on the issues of equity in health, education, and social justice, especially among citizens of color. Their regular programs include: a mentoring and tutoring program at local middle schools, family engagement programs, and Community Forums to address issues that may affect the community as a whole. With grant funding, CCNA collaborated with its extensive networks to host a community forum and tax prep seminar with Truist Bank in addition to providing “information tables” at several local faith-based events. CCNA efforts including working closely with Truist Bank and other tax professionals to produce monthly public service announcements to keep residents informed and encouraged and collected interview materials with clients to share their tax success stories. Multilingual materials were also provided to students and their families to learn more about the tax filing process and the benefits they may be eligible for. The target zip codes reached were: 22301, 22302, 22304, 22305, and 22314.
Learn & Live Wholestic Health Service: LLW was established as a safety-net provider to meet the unmet physical and behavioral health needs of the uninsured, underinsured, Limited English Proficiency (LEP) populations, especially those of African immigrants, by providing integrated health care and community services. LLW also offers a variety of case management and educational services in order to aidLEP populations in acclimating to the community. LLW’s primary programs include providing medical services, organizing seminars to increase public awareness, and conflict management resources. With funding from the grant, LLW provided print material regarding Tax Preparation and & EITC in various languages to those arriving at their office for medical and counseling services. Moreover, LLW offered seminars to the immigrant community and offered materials from the workshops on both their website and through targeted emails. The target zip codes reached were: 22302, 22304, 22311, 22312, and 22314.
EnDependence Center of Northern Virginia: ECNV is a community resource and advocacy center run by and for persons with disabilities. ECNV’s mission is to END dependence by empowering people with disabilities to live independently. Grant funding provided to the organization supports a host of activities to promote outreach among BIPOC groups with disabilities. ECNV has used trusted disability champions to explain the tax process and options for filing as well as helped in the acquirement of necessary documents, and assisting with transportation to free tax preparation sites. Outreach materials were made available in multiple languages as well as through multiple interpretation channels, while promoting City resources and referrals regarding tax filing services.