VOLUNTEER WITH VITA
Make A Donation
Get Involved
Find Resources
Attend An Event
Make A Donation
VITA VOLUNTEERS
Welcome and thank you for your interest in joining our amazing team of VITA volunteers!
What is VITA?
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona’s VITA program is dedicated to providing free, quality tax preparation services to low- and moderate-income families and individuals throughout Arizona. By becoming a VITA volunteer, you will have a direct impact on the financial well-being of thousands of households in your community by helping them maximize their refund and receive one of the largest paychecks they’ll receive all year, their tax refund!
What makes me a good fit?
- A strong desire to make a difference in your community
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Good interpersonal skills and comfortability working with a wide range of people
- Thorough attention to detail
No Prior Experience necessary, we provide all necessary training!
What will I be doing?
We have a variety of volunteer roles available:
- Intake Specialist – Greet taxpayers and help manage the waiting area, complete intake interview to ensure taxpayer has all necessary documents, and upload documents for virtual tax preparation as needed
- Tax Preparer – Complete tax return with taxpayer, answering questions and helping them to understand their tax situation
- Spanish Interpreter – Assist with interviews, tax preparation, and quality review by providing Spanish interpretation and massively expanding the accessibility of our program
- More Advanced Roles – Once you’ve completed one tax season with our VITA program, you’re eligible to develop into more experienced roles such as Quality Reviewer or Site Coordinator
- Roles without tax training or certification are also available!
All roles are available in-person or virtually with flexible hours!
What will I get out of volunteering?
- Demonstrate a commitment to community service
- Gain knowledge about taxes and develop a lifelong skill
- Opportunities for advancement into more experienced roles
- Expand your resume
- Hands-on field experience in case management and customer service
- Gain Continuing Education Credits and explore additional volunteer opportunities
Most importantly, you’ll leave every shift knowing you had a direct, positive impact on the financial well-being of your community!
How much time will I spend volunteering?
- Minimum of 40 hours during tax season
- One shift per week from mid-January to mid-April
Multiple locations and virtual opportunities with flexible hours!
How do I get involved?
Click the link below to fill out our Interest Form and select an Orientation session to attend!
Fill out the Interest Form
to start the VITA volunteer onboarding process!
Use this timeline to see important links and dates, and to track your progress through the VITA volunteer onboarding process. Click here!
Find the role that’s right for you!
Site Coordinator
Manage day-to-day operations at a VITA site and lead a team of VITA volunteers, all with extensive support from United Way of Tucson staff.
Tax Preparer
As a VITA Tax Preparer, you’ll serve as the backbone of our program, working with clients at an in-person VITA site or virtually to prepare their tax returns. No prior tax training or experience is necessary!
Quality Reviewer
Quality Reviewers serve many roles within our VITA program such as verifying returns are prepared accurately, helping clients understand their tax situation, and helping Site Coordinators mentor new volunteers.
Volunteer Interpreter
For many of the taxpayers we serve, English is not their first language. As a volunteer interpreter, you will help these clients communicate with your fellow volunteers throughout the entire tax filing process, and no tax training or certification is required!
Intake Specialist
As an Intake Specialist, you’ll help your Site Coordinator manage the flow of taxpayers through the VITA process. Help clients get checked in and complete a quick intake interview to make sure they are ready to file their taxes with VITA. No tax training or certification required!
All roles also available virtually!
Thank you to our 2023 Sponsors
VOLUNTEER WITH VITA
Meet A Volunteer
While going to classes at Pima Community College to become a tax preparer, Tri began volunteering with United Way of Tucson’s VITA Program by completing our FREE IRS Certification training. He assumed a role as a volunteer tax preparer and was able to gain valuable experience helping hard-working, low-wage earners receive the highest tax refund available to their circumstances. In Tri’s words, “By volunteering as a tax preparer, United Way has given me the opportunity to work individually and in a team to gain experience for my future career. This experience has given me a chance to make a difference in our community. It has been great to be a part of the program as United Way seeks to promote equity and excellence in education, financial stability, and healthy communities through their important programs.” By working together towards a United Community, we all win, one volunteer and one individual at a time.
