Promote equality in your community by becoming a participating community organization for the Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program to help taxpayers claim the benefits and tax credits they are entitled to.

What is expected of a participating community organization?

As a participating community organization, you:

• help taxpayers meet their tax obligations and receive the benefits and credits they are entitled to without interruption;
• plan and hold income tax return preparation sessions online or in person;
• manage and coordinate volunteer efforts and make sure volunteers complete returns for eligible taxpayers;
• process taxpayer information confidentially and securely and ensure that your volunteers do so as well;
• ensure that all your volunteers register for the Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program;

• ensure that your volunteers who intend to file federal income tax returns online register for EFILE to get an EFILE number or renew their registration for EFILE with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA);

  Note Important

  When volunteers register for EFILE or renew their registration for EFILE, they must provide a representative identifier (RepID). If they don't have a RepID, they can get one by registering with the Represent a Client service.

  If volunteers do not intend to file returns online, they must not request an EFILE number or renew their EFILE account. Only people who file returns online are required to request an EFILE number or renew their EFILE account. Failure to meet this requirement may result in the suspension of the volunteer's EFILE account.

  End of note

• register your volunteers for NetFile Québec using form TP-223.PB-V, Application for NetFile Québec Registration for Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program Volunteers, so they can file Québec income tax returns online;
• ensure that your volunteers meet the security requirements (see Become a Volunteer).

What are the benefits of participating in the income tax assistance program for organizations and their volunteers?

As a participating community organization, you:

• will get tax preparation software and training material that you can provide to volunteers on the basics of completing personal income tax returns;
• will benefit from support and coaching provided by CRA and Revenu Québec coordinators throughout the year;
• will have access to an electronic toolkit to help you recruit volunteers and to announce the dates and locations of your income tax return preparation sessions;
• may benefit from the CRA's computer donation program;
• can promote your income tax return preparation sessions on the Government of Canada website;
• will receive certificates from the CRA and Revenu Québec.

Your volunteers will:

• receive comprehensive training to prepare them for the entire season;
• have access to CRA and Revenu Québec phone lines just for them;
• have access, if they meet certain requirements, to the CRA's and Revenu Québec's online filing services, as well as the CRA's Auto-fill my return and Revenu Québec's Tax Data Download service. 

How to register as a community organization for the income tax assistance program

To register as a community organization for the program, complete the form on the Register as a Community Organization page.

Grants for community organizations participating in the income tax assistance program

Community Volunteer Income Tax Program Grant (CRA)

Under the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP), the CRA provided more than $10 million in grants to local community organizations in the first three years of the pilot project. 

Financial assistance for 2024 should reach $6 million. For 2025 and future years, the CRA is looking for a permanent source of funding so that it can continue to offer the grant.

The CRA will share its plans for the 2025 income tax season in December 2024. 

For more information, see the Grant for Hosting Free Tax Clinics page on the Government of Canada website.

Revenu Québec grant

As a participating community organization, you may be eligible for a grant from Revenu Québec in the amount of $5 for each Québec income tax return (form TP-1-V) your organization files under the income tax assistance program.

Eligibility requirements for the Revenu Québec grant

To be eligible as a community organization, you must:

• be registered for the Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program;
• have prepared provincial income tax returns on behalf of taxpayers during the filing period that normally runs from June 1 of the year to May 31 of the next year;
• complete form LM-94.9.PB-V, Grant for Community Organizations Participating in the Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program, and send it to Revenu Québec by December 31 following the end of the filing period.

The grant is awarded only once for each Québec income tax return prepared during the filing period. Therefore, you must submit only one grant application to Revenu Québec for this period.

Accountants and tax professionals

If you are an accountant or tax professional, you must make a clear distinction between your own clients and the taxpayers taking advantage of the income tax assistance program. You or your volunteers cannot use the EFILE and NetFile Québec numbers used for your business when preparing returns under the program. You must obtain separate numbers for use under the program.

Need more information?

For more information, contact a program coordinator using the CRA's online request form.