IRS-SPEC Partner Coalition FY-11
Please Check One: Existing [ ] Emerging [X]
TERRITORY NAME: St. Paul
FORMAL NAME OF COALITION: Coalition for Multicultural Taxes and Financial Education.
Coalition Website: None
Key Coalition City/State: St Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota
Coalition Chair's Name and Organization: Alejandro Valenzuela Jr - CLUES
Coalition Chair's e-mail address/Phone #: AValenzuela@clues.org, phone number 612-746-3535
Date Coalition Started and Geographical Area Covered: 2011 - Minnesota
Strategies - briefly define each strategy, if applicable
Outreach Strategy: Communicate income taxes and financial education messages throughout the immigrant
h communities in the state.
Tax Preparation Strategy: Expand reach of existing partners/sites to underserved taxpayers, especially with those
having limited English-speaking skills. Open VITA sites during filing season and some post filing season. Include
h alternative filing methods in different sites.
Asset-Building Strategy: Most of the coalition members provide financial education and asset-building services
h such as offering financial education classes and seminars.
Partners: (List Core Planning Group, then Sub-Committee Members, then others if applicable)
Core Planning Group
Tentative members:
Centro Campesino
CLUES
Hmong American Family
La Conexion
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
PRO USA
Vietnam Center
Other Coalition Members
Currently in the process of recruiting new members who are partners with tax prep sites.
Significant Coalition Activities: (List major items only, using bulleted style)
Several meetings were held to form charter, mission, vision statements.
A coalition workshop was held in May on How to start a new Coalition with El Paso IRS and coalition member.
Coalition will be hosting several events for those for whom English is a second language.
Planned Future Activities: ( Summarize major plans, using bulleted style)
Continue to provide free tax preparation with goals of increasing numbers of volunteers and taxpayers helped.
Promotion of alternative filing methods among existing sites where it makes sense, including opening new locations.
The coalition plans three events in July, August and September 2011 in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Brooklyn
Park/Brooklyn Center.
The coalition will hold the second annual EITC Day for the Twin Cities near the end of January 2012. SPEC will
assist in planning.
Strengthen the collaboration of all sites and partners; eventually seek grant support for combined and individual
partners to increase services in Minn.
IRS-SPEC Partner Coalition FY-11
Please Check One: Existing [X] Emerging [ ]
TERRITORY NAME: St. Paul
FORMAL NAME OF COALITION: MN - TEAC (Minnesota Tax Education and Assistance Coalition)
Coalition Website: N/A
Key Coalition City/State: St. Paul, Minnesota
Coalition Chair's Name and Organization: Rosi Heins, University of Minnesota Extension-Anoka County
Coalition Chair's e-mail address/Phone #: 763-767-3879
Date Coalition Started and Geographical Area Covered: 1995 - State of Minnesota
Strategies - briefly define each strategy, if applicable
Outreach Strategy: Provide EITC education to all targeted program recipients in all 87 counties in Minnesota. All
counselors for the State Workforce Centers, County Social Services and Family and Children's Services receive
h materials.
Tax Preparation Strategy: For FY11, advertise free tax preparation sites in targeted EITC low income - high
h population neighborhoods.
Asset-Building Strategy: Partner with local financial institutions at key tax prep sites to provide asset building tools
h (credit union savings accounts, pre-paid debt cards) and free financial planning information to customers.
Partners: (List Core Planning Group, then Sub-Committee Members, then others if applicable)
Add or delete rows by right-clicking on line number below where row is needed, then Insert or Delete.
Core Planning Group
AARP
AccountAbility Minnesota
Children's Defense Fund Minnesota
Greater Twin Cities United Way
Hennepin County Department of Economic Assistance
Minnesota Department of Revenue
University of Minnesota Extension Programs
Other Coalition Members
AARP - MN 1
College of Human Ecology- Univ of MN
Community Action of Minneapolis
Family & Children's Services
Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis
Minneapolis Dept of Health & Family Support
Minnesota Budget Project, MN Council of Nonprofits
MN Community Action Association
MN Depart of Children, Families & Learning
MN Depart of Economic Security - Workforce Center
MN Depart of Human Services
Ramsey County Financial Asst. Services
University of MN Law School
Significant Coalition Activities: (List major items only, using bulleted style)
AccountAbility MN is the only tax prep partner in the coalition. During filing season 2011, they supported 12 metro
sites and provided tech assistance to 17 greater MN sites preparing more than 11,000 returns.
In January 2011, Claim It! materials (United Way developed EITC materials) were ordered and delivered to approx. 90
local service providers to share with their benefits customers. EITC posters with both credit and site info were
distributed for use in offices and waiting areas. Worked with the U of MN extension program to get Claim It! info to the
providers of nutrition info classes which target low-income families with school-age children.
Statistics from Federal Reserve and other sources show reduction in numbers of taxpayers not claiming EITC
compared to years prior to the Claim It! campaign.
Planned Future Activities: ( Summarize major plans, using bulleted style)
AAM plans to incorporate the alternate site model at its main office in St. Paul and at the Mpls Urban League in 2012.
IRS-SPEC Partner Coalition FY-11
Please Check One: Existing [X] Emerging [ ]
TERRITORY NAME: St. Paul
FORMAL NAME OF COALITION: Immigrant Community Roundtable
Coalition Website: None
Key Coalition City/State: St Paul, Minnesota
Coalition Chair's Name and Organization: Larry Walker
Coalition Chair's e-mail address/Phone #: LWalkerKMI@aol.com, phone # 651-726-5051
Date Coalition Started and Geographical Area Covered: 2006 - Minnesota statewide
Strategies - briefly define each strategy, if applicable
h Outreach Strategy: Provide tax information via e-mail to at least 500 members
Tax Preparation Strategy: Some partners in this coalition prepare taxes; all of the rest are outreach and refer LEP
h taxpayers to these partners.
Asset-Building Strategy: Some members provide full range of financial education services; taxpayers are referred to
h them.
Partners: (List Core Planning Group, then Sub-Committee Members, then others if applicable)
Add or delete rows by right-clicking on line number below where row is needed, then Insert or Delete..
Core Planning Group
AccountAbility Minnesota (AAM)
Centro Campesino - Owatonna
Comunidades Latinos Unidos En Servicio (CLUES)
Consulado de Mexico
IRS -TAS and SPEC
La Conexion
Latino Economic Development
MN Dept. of Revenue (MDOR)
Neighborhood House
Other Coalition Members
Casa de Esperanza
Catholic Charities
Chicano Latino Affairs Council
FBI
Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches
Immigrant Law Center
Minneapolis Public Libraray
Social Security Administration
United Way
Significant Coalition Activities: (List major items only, using bulleted style)
The Coalition meets quarterly.
SPEC presents information for outreach, tax preparation and financial education at some of the meetings; next two will
include presentations by SPEC, MDOR and possibly TAS.
Planned Future Activities: ( Summarize major plans, using bulleted style)
CLAC is holding the Latino Community Forum: Economic Development and Education at three southern Minn.
Locations in June 2011: Worthington, St. James and Mankato.
The new Multicultural Taxes Coalition will be hosting events in Minneapolis, St. Paul and other cities through
September. The roundtable will suppport these events, esp. with marketing.
SPEC will work to obtain marketing support and other resources for a multicultural event (including tax prep) on the
2012 EITC Day.