OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Nov. 12, 2015) - Every year, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) supports community organizations across the country as they run free tax preparation clinics. It happens in communities just like yours, through a program called the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP). This program has been active for 45 years. Last year alone, thousands of community organizations and their volunteers helped over half a million individuals file their income tax and benefit returns.

How can my organization participate?

Your organization would host free tax preparation clinics and recruit volunteers to prepare tax returns for individuals and families with modest incomes and simple tax situations. The CRA will provide your volunteers with training, reference material, free tax software, and where available, surplus computer equipment. The CRA will also provide a dedicated 1-800 number specifically for CVITP volunteers to get help if they need it.

What's in it for my organization?

When you partner with the CVITP, you are helping members of your community maintain uninterrupted access to the benefits and credits they are entitled to, such as the GST/HST credit and the Canada child tax benefit. You'll be lending a hand to the people in your community who need it most.

How do I get started?

If your organization would like to host a tax clinic, go to www.cra.gc.ca/volunteer and complete the online registration. Once you are accepted as a community partner with the CVITP, you will have access to a CRA coordinator who will support and guide you throughout the program.

Need more information?

To find out more about the CVITP and how to become a community partner, go to www.cra.gc.ca/volunteer, or call 1-800-959-8281.

Stay connected

To receive updates when new information is added to our website, you can:

Follow the CRA on Twitter - @CanRevAgency.

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You can also watch our tax-related videos on YouTube.