VITA Volunteer Application

What is VITA?

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a national program staffed by local volunteers to provide free preparation and electronic filing of tax returns.  It's an important service to millions of individuals and families in this country with low-to-moderate incomes who are eligible for tax credits. United Way of Racine County VITA also focuses on serving limited English speaking tax payers. In order to best serve these individuals, we need the support of bi-lingual volunteers.

See our volunteers in action! Visit the VITA volunteer impact photo gallery.

Volunteer positions

  • Greeters welcome tax filers to the VITA site and ensure that the tax filers have all necessary information to complete their tax returns. Greeters may also assist the program coordinator/site coordinator with administrative tasks. No tax certification is required.
  • Bi-lingual interpreters work alongside clients and the preparers for a streamlined process. No tax certification is required.
  • Intake specialists help to organize and contact virtual VITA clients and may assist clients at a Valet VITA (drop-off) site. Tax certification is preferred but not required. Virtual volunteers must have access to a laptop with updated antivirus and reliable internet.
  • Tax preparers must complete training and certification at a basic or advanced level. No experience necessary. Self-paced training is web-based, free, and can be completed on your own time, at your own pace.  Optional tax certification prep classes are available virtually through Florida Prosperity Partnership (FPP) to ensure you are prepared for the Advanced Certification Exam. Classes are free to volunteers and offered at a variety of times from November through February.
  • Quality reviewers work with the client to review the finished return. They are quality control for the returns that are completed. Advanced tax certification is preferred. This position can be done virtually or in-person. Optional tax certification prep classes are available virtually through Florida Prosperity Partnership (FPP) to ensure you are prepared for the Advanced Certification Exam. Classes are free to volunteers and offered at a variety of times from November through February. Additional QR training provided.
  • Site coordinator/assistant site coordinator is in charge of ensuring site requirements are met and that the site is functioning as it should. This person would take lead at the site when the Program Coordinator is not on site. Optional tax certification prep classes are available virtually through Florida Prosperity Partnership (FPP) to ensure you are prepared for the Advanced Certification Exam. Classes are free to volunteers and offered at a variety of times from November through February. Advance certification is required and additional site coordinator training will be provided.
2022 Racine in-person and Valet VITA tax sites
  • We are still working on the plan to have limited in-person sites/services including full service sites and Valet VITA (drop-off) locations. Volunteers will be able to select if they have a preference for virtual or in-person volunteer opportunities.
Virtual VITA team

We will offer virtual tax preparation during the 2022 tax season. By partnering with Code for America and GetYourRefund.org, we can offer free tax preparation by IRS certified volunteers from the safety of home. Volunteers will log on from home and prepare taxes during virtual site times. Preparers will be required to have access to secure internet and an available laptop or desktop with updated virus protection. The following virtual volunteer positions are available.

  • Site coordinator
  • Tax preparer
  • Quality reviewer 
  • Intake specialist

Requirements

  • No experience required. We provide all necessary training. Virtual tax certification prep classes will be offered through Florida Prosperity Partnership (FPP) to prepare you to take and pass the Advanced Certification Exam. All trainings are offered free of cost to the volunteer and are offered at a variety of times to fit into your schedule. Additional training and practice opportunities will be offered virtually through United Way of Racine County to ensure that volunteers are prepared and comfortable to start their role with the VITA program.
  • Volunteers are asked to commit to at least one shift per week (minimum of 2 hours) during tax season (January 24, 2022 through April 15, 2022). The site schedule is still unknown at this time. Please select your availability in the application. You will be contacted directly to discuss availability and scheduling in more detail as we get closer to the tax season.
  • All volunteers must attend a mandatory orientation session. Orientation will be offered virtually.
  • All volunteers must consent to and pass a background check conducted by Sterling Volunteers.
    • Volunteers who do not pass the background check will be notified and will not be placed in a volunteer assignment.
  • All individuals will be required to wear a mask at in-person sites regardless of vaccination status.
  • An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, senior citizens and individuals with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable. By volunteering to provide in-person services you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19.

 

Please complete the information below to secure your spot as a 2022 VITA volunteer!

  • Your application must be completed and submitted in one session. If you navigate away from the page, your progress will not be saved.
  • Please do not complete the application in ALL CAPS or all lower case. 
  • Fields marked with a red asterisk (*) are required and must be completed in order for your application to be submitted. 

 

Want to learn more about VITA before applying to become a volunteer? Email Lori Riffer, initiatives manager, at lriffer@unitedwayracine.org.

 

Volunteer information
Contact information
Emergency contact information
Volunteer interest and availability
An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, senior citizens and individuals with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable. By volunteering to provide in-person services you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19.
I am interested in volunteering as a(n)
Please pick your top choice. This does not lock you into a specific volunteer role. If you are interested in multiple positions, let us know in the notes section below. 
Please let me know what day(s) of the week you are typically available to volunteer.
This is general availability. You will be able to select your exact schedule as we get closer to tax season.
Please let me know what time(s) of day you are typically available to volunteer.
This is general availability. You will be able to select your exact schedule as we get closer to tax season.
Volunteer demographics

The information provided in this section will not be connected to your name. 

How do you describe your race?
How do you describe your ethnicity?
Terms
This will confirm that the undersigned, having the sole right to do so, for good and valuable consideration (the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged), grants to United Way of Racine County, to include United Way Worldwide and its affiliated organizations, members, successors, assigns and licensees, a non-exclusive and irrevocable right to photograph, record, reproduce, publish, copyright, or otherwise use my name, photographic portraits or pictures, film, videos, internet postings, or sound recordings or any part thereof that may have been taken of me during United Way events and/or activities in written or electronic format, video or film (Content) for promotional, advertising, or other charitable purposes in any media including the world wide web related to the United Way community impact activities. This also includes any tweets or messages through social media.

I acknowledge and agree that nothing contained herein requires United Way to use any Content as described herein.

I represent and warrant that the consent of no other third party is required to enable United Way to use the Content as described herein, and that such use will not violate or infringe upon the rights of any third parties.

I acknowledge and agree that United Way has the right to assign this agreement and/or the rights herein (in whole or in part) to any party.

I acknowledge that its sole remedy for any breach shall be an action for damages, and irrevocably waive any right to obtain equitable or injunctive relief.

I waive any right of inspection, preapproval, or claims for compensation.

I am of full age and have the right to contract in your own name and have read the above consent and permission and are fully aware of its contents. In the event I am a minor, the signature of a parent or legal guardian is required. I will contact United Way of Racine County to make further arrangements.

This Consent and Release contains the full and complete understanding between the parties and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining hereto and cannot be modified except by a writing signed by each party.
 
I understand that my eligibility to be a volunteer is dependent on my background check results. I understand that before I am able to volunteer, I am responsible for submitting my personal information to Sterling Volunteers in order to provide a background check to United Way of Racine County. I certify that the answers given by me to Sterling Volunteers will be complete, true, and correct without misrepresentations or omissions of any kind.

I understand that United Way of Racine County shall not be held liable in any respect if my volunteering is terminated because of false or incomplete statements, answers or omissions made by me on the disclosure form of any other document. In consideration of United Way of Racine County’s review of the document, I hereby release United Way of Racine County, its Board, its agents, as well as all providers of information from any liability and for any damage which may result from the furnishing and receiving of information. A copy of this authorization and release is as valid as the original and should be recognized as such.

If accepted as a volunteer, I understand that I will be expected to keep in absolute confidence any and all confidential information that comes to my attention as the direct result of my volunteer duties.