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Local VITA program leaders ask council to fund tax‑prep service that returned $3M to Lincoln households
Summary
Representatives from the Tax Credit Alliance of Nebraska and local VITA volunteers urged the council to support city funding that would unlock an IRS matching grant and allow the program to scale, noting the program returned more than $3 million to local taxpayers and served about 2,000 households.
Advocates for Lincoln’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program told the City Council that modest city funding would amplify the program’s impact by unlocking federal matching and expanding neighborhood sites.
Katharina Stokes, project director for the Tax Credit Alliance of Nebraska, said Lincoln’s VITA effort returned more than $3,000,000 in refunds to local households this year and saved an estimated $500,000 in tax‑preparation fees for low‑income families. "City funding for our Lincoln VITA program will help our continued success and economic impact that we provide to the Lincoln community," Stokes said on Aug. 3. She added that the IRS matching grant process requires confirmations of local match commitments.
Other speakers, including university and nonprofit partners, emphasized VITA’s broader benefits: experiential learning for college students, outreach to vulnerable populations and connections to long‑term financial tools. Council members asked about the program’s funding model and timelines; VITA representatives said they serve approximately 2,000 local households and that the IRS grant cycle requires a match decision by October 1.
