Download - EITC Outreach Strategies for your Community
EITC Outreach Strategies for your Community
Brought to you by the Native Financial Education Coalition’s
Native Earned Income Tax Credit Network
Presentation Overview
Identify your Team Identify your Objective Identify your Resources Identify your Market Outreach activities
Developing your Outreach Campaign
Start with your action planTeam ObjectivesMarketMessageActivities
Your team
“It only takes one person to make difference – but, the work is much easier if you have a team”
Who is on your team? What strengths do they bring to the
table? How will they help you get information
out to your target audience?
Identify your objective
“If you have a clearly defined objective you’re more likely to succeed.”
Bring more dollars into the community Help families save $ on tax
preparation fees by promoting free sites
Reduce the number of Refund Anticipation Loan’s (RAL’s)
Your Target Market
New filers New parents New workers Those using paid tax preparers Those getting RAL’s
Your Message
What is the message that we have to share?1. Untapped $$ 2. Free Tax Preparation – save dollars – get it done for
free3. Refund Anticipation Loans – why pay to borrow your
own money? (Tribal communities were above the 50% range in RAL uptake)
4. Others?1. Liz- article in Iowa Farmer Today said RALs can be as
much as 459% interest2. Some states have statutes that forbid high interest
rates- but fee structure is deceiving3. Can make good estimates on how much being left on
the table- (Nadia will send link)
Outreach Methods
Passive - No direct communication Posters Flyers Brochures
Active – Direct communication – Buder report found that 40% of folks accessed a free tax site thru word of mouth Parenting classes Gatherings Meetings
Spokespersons
Leadership Elders Staff Community Advocates
Utilizing Materials
Remember: Your target market probably has limited time & resources to go to and from your site-Provide clear, detailed information.
If advertising a tax site include: Address with the room information, Staff
contact with phone number & email Hours of Operation What materials they need to bring with them
Accessing Outreach Materials
Oweesta materials include: Paycheck stuffers, poster, flyer.
Center for Budget & Policy Priorities:Roxy Caines: [email protected]
Find out where the free tax sites areIs there a state EITC outreach
campaign Others?
Fun Stuff
Postcards – Get your taxes done for free – a $100 value!
Workshops/Fairs Articles Testimonials Super Saturday National EITC Day!!!!
Distributing info
Community gatherings Headstart classrooms Resource programs Schools Health Clinics Employee orientation packets Employee paychecks
Distributing info
Financial Education classes TANF WorkForce Investment – Dept. of
Labor
Activities
Headstart Parents – What would you do with $1,718?
Cost of RAL’s – Did you know you are paying to borrow your own money?
Tax preparation fees = 3 full tanks of gas, 2 paid light bills, groceries for 2 weeks
Outreach Examples
Presented by: Sarah Ruppel, Asset Development Coordinator
White Earth Investment Initiative
Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corporation
Contact Info:Email: [email protected]
218-844-7027
White Earth Outreach InitiativeStarted 4 years ago with outreach, then expanded VITA to serve
White Earth, last year-first independent White Earth sitePartnered with Shooting Star Casino-they provided space next to
pick up for W-2s- can talk to them while waiting to pick up W-21000 paycheck stuffers, advertised in tribal & local newspapers,
radio ads, TV ad- biggest marketer was word of mouth by volunteers
New loan product –zero interest, zero loan fee- in partnership with bank; added marketing strategy to include refunds in 1-2 business days
Promoting Savings: Onsite link to type in amount of money to save per month by interest rate to see savings potential http://www.planningtips.com/cgi-bin/savings.pl ($10/mo x 12 mo x interest rate = savings)
At capacity this year, so trying to grow assets of existing customers; hoping to expand volunteers to serve more
Low-Income Taxpayer Clinics
Presented by:Liz Diers Assistant Professor at Black Hills
State University in Spearfish, South Dakota; CPA with Masters of Business Taxation and Program Director of South Dakota LITC Program; Also, VITA site coordinator.
Contact info:
Low Income Tax Clinics
An LITC is a Non profit organization that provides free services to low income and English as second language taxpayers
2 components: 1)representation & controversy with IRS (represent in court,
respond to notices, file delinquent returns, file amended returns
2) ESL- outreach & education on rights and responsibilities, including EITC- go into Native communities to provide
Goal- have at least one clinic providing both services (may be one or both)
Great partnering opportunity- speakers & materials Matching can be in kind Grants are calendar year- deadline 7/31
Low Income Tax Clinics
List of 2007 Clinics is at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/pub_4134_02_2007.pdf
Application process in IRS Publication 3319 at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3319.pdf
EITC Outreach Materials & Resources Oweesta: www.oweesta.org/eitc Center on Budget & Policy Priorities:http://www.cbpp.org/pubs/eitc.htmRoxy Caines: [email protected] National EITC Day: www.irs-eitc.info/spec EITC State Links:
http://www.cbpp.org/eitc-partnership/state-links.htm
National Community Tax Coalition: http://www.tax-coalition.org/
Thank you
For more information, please contact:
Patsy Schramm, NFEC EITC Committee Facilitator at: [email protected] or
Iris Friday, Chair at [email protected]
