Tax Counseling for the Elderly
The government offers many grants and cooperative agreements via a number of its offices. One such grant provides funds for nonprofit agencies to offer counseling to senior citizens to help with completing their own annual taxation statements.
The IRS has allocated $5.1 Million in the 2011 Fiscal Year to aid the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (T.C.E.) Program
The Internal Revenue Service, which operates inside the Treasury Department is authorized to initiate agreements with private or non-governmental public nonprofit 501c(3)'s which give training and technical assistance to volunteers that offer no cost tax counseling and aid to seniors that are age 60 or older for the submission of their tax returns.
Grant funding may be applied to pay volunteers for incidental expenditures including transportation, meals and other expenses borne by them in providing tax counseling help at places convenient for the older persons.
Through a competitive approach, appropriate candidate groups and agencies vie for endorsement to become a T.C.E. sponsor. These groups must be a nonprofit business experienced in managing volunteer services, with knowledge of the tax submission process.
Qualified groups can receive funds to offer regional Counseling Programs. Tax return submission assistance is provided to senior-citizens through the entire traditional Federal Tax filing period, which is from the 1st of January to the 15th of April each year. In addition the guidance activities required to make certain senior taxpayers receive reliable tax assistance of the best quality may be performed throughout the year.
The Cooperative Agreement between the IRS and the nonprofit group specifies the functions that the program sponsor and Internal Revenue Service will perform, the geographical region involved, the maximum amount of funding offered for reimbursement and administrative functions as well as other data.
Starting with the 2011 T.C.E. Program, multi-year funding opportunities are available for not for profit organizations that are qualified and meet the specified criteria.
Groups presenting an application may elect, if they are interested in being considered for a multi-year Tax Counseling for the Elderly grant. Consideration is limited to those candidates that meet all eligibility conditions.
Approval from the IRS of an entity to the Tax Counseling for the Elderly program for one year will not automatically imply the organization is going to be accepted into the T.C.E. system in following years.
A nonprofit group which is approved to supply T.C.E. services is responsible for all aspects of managing a T.C.E. Program which includes, but not limited to marketing the program, volunteer recruitment and instruction, Website design and construction and outreach to senior citizens inside their region.
To look for more information on Tax Counseling for the Elderly and other Government Grants and in particular grants for non profits visit the Top Government Grants Website.
