New Tool for EITC and Asset-Building programs

Here's a great new tool developed by the Aspen Institute. This shared platform provides group discounts, products and resources for programs that do EITC outreach, free tax preparation and asset-building. Membership is free and has many benefits. While the site is geared to programs that provide free tax preparation, others can still benefit from the Staples discounts, volunteer scheduling software and other resources. The platform is a partnership with the National Community Tax Coalition with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. 

EITCplatform.org was launched last year with an on-line training course for free tax site quality reviewers. The training was a great success, with over 360 users and an evaluation that found a 75% reduction in tax return errors by programs who used it. Building on that initial success, they have expanded the platform to offer a more comprehensive set of tools. These include volunteer scheduling software, group buying, and partnerships with One Economy and the D2D fund. More details are described below.

But I would encourage you to go to their website ( www.EITCplatform.org), register and check it out for yourself. And please pass on this e-mail to any of your colleagues who might benefit. There is no limit to how many organizations can join or how many people in each organization can register. And the more people who use the platform, the stronger we will be and the more collective power we will have to improve and expand the platform in the future.

Training

•  An updated and improved Quality Reviewer training will be available this fall (last year's version is still currently available). The training is free and self-directed. Staff and volunteers can log in 24/7 and take the training at their own pace. The training will prepare staff and volunteers to be on-site Quality Reviewers, and the training meets the IRS requirements for quality review. Sites that used the training last year and implemented a quality review process saw a 75% reduction in errors.

Volunteer Management/Scheduling

• We have negotiated an agreement with VolunteerHub to provide tax campaigns with a customized volunteer scheduling and management system at an affordable price. This easy-to-use system will allow volunteers to sign up on-line for training, tax sites and special events; sends out automatic reminders and updates; and gives you and your sites the tools to monitor certification, schedules and other data. It can even be used to schedule appointments for clients.

Group Purchasing

• Technology Support: We have negotiated with PC Mall to offer tax sites high-touch technical support for computers, laptops, printers and other equipment. By buying through EITCplatform.org, you can save the time and confusion of comparison shopping and get 24/7 technical support for all purchases. So your tax sites will have someone to call when the laptop crashes of the printer doesn't work! 
• Office Supplies: We have negotiated a group buying arrangement with Staples that provides discount pricing on all purchases plus free next-business day shipping on all orders.

Tools for Tax Sites

• Asst Building: We are partnering with the D2D Fund to promote savings at tax time by facilitating the purchase of savings bonds. By using D2D's savings bond portal, tax sites can efficiently help filers save a part of their tax refund. 

•  On-Line Self-Prep: We are partnering with One Economy to help sites provide facilitated self-preparation (as a companion to volunteer tax preparation) as a way to increase capacity and serve more tax filers, shorten wait times, and empower those individuals who are interested in learning to complete their tax returns themselves.
  
  In addition to these, we are adding lots of useful information and links that help programs operate more easily, efficiently and effectively. Please check out the website at www.EITCplatform.org !