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Part I: The Earned Income Tax Credit -
A Prime Opportunity for Cities
Introduction
What Does an EITC Campaign Include?
What Do City-Led EITC Campaigns Look Like on the Ground?
Opportunities for Support from NLC
Part II: Laying the Groundwork for an EITC Campaign
Assessing Community Needs
Current and Potential EITC Recipients
The State of Tax Preparation for Low-Income Workers
Connections to Financial Institutions and Assets
A Special Note on Constraints and Opportunities for Rural Towns
Building and Branding a Local Coalition
Potential Partners
Outreach to Key Stakeholders
Leadership and Organization
Campaign Branding
Setting Short- and Long-Term Goals
Developing a Campaign Budget and Funding Strategy
Campaign Costs
Finding Resources
EITC Campaign Funding Proposals
Part III: EITC Outreach and Public Awareness
Creating Messages Tailored to Your Audience
Developing Multiple Strategies for Message Delivery
Community Institutions
The Media
Local Champions
Hotlines
City Website
Word of Mouth
Utilizing Available Outreach Support
Part IV: Free or Low-Cost Tax Preparation
Choosing a Tax Assistance Model
Volunteer Tax Preparation
Employer-Based Tax Sites
Partnerships with Private Accountants and the Commerical Tax Industry
Self-Preparation Using Technology
Staffing a Free Tax Preparation Site
Roles for Staff/Volunteers
Recruiting Volunteers
Providing Quality Training for Volunteers
Making Decisions Regarding Electronic Filing
Organizing Tax Preparation Sites
Site Selection
Site Layout and Operations
Client Flow: Walk-In vs. Scheduled Appointments
Collecting Data
Personal Information Provided for Tax Forms
Data Collection to Improve Services and Increase Support
Data on the Overall Campaign
Marketing Free Tax Preparation Services
A Special Note on Serving Immigrants
Undertaking Post-Campaign Activities
Part V: Connecting Families to Multiple Benefits
Identifying Additional Work Supports to Promote
Tax Credits
Benefit Programs
Providing Information on Other Credits and Benefits
Screening Families for Benefit Eligibility
Offering On-Site Enrollment at Tax Preparation Sites
Part VI: Building Assets
Promoting Financial Literacy
Helping Families Avoid High-Cost Financial Services
Consumer Education
Banking the Unbanked
Debt Reduction and Credit Counseling
Local Legislation to Combat Predatory Lending
Launching a Savings Initiative
Savings Campaigns
Individual Development Accounts
Offering Homeownership Counseling and Incentives
Appendix A: Resources and Technical Assistance
Appendix B: Contacting your IRS Territory Manager
Sample Timeline
Sample Campaign Materials
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