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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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