IRS-SPEC Partner Coalition FY-11
Please Check One: Existing [ X ] Emerging [ ]
TERRITORY NAME: Denver
FORMAL NAME OF COALITION: Rural Dynamics Incorporated - Tax Help Montana
Coalition Website: taxhelpmontana.org and ruraldynamics.org
Key Coalition City/State: Great Falls, MT
Coalition Chair's Name and Organization: Karen Heisler, Dir. Asset Development, Consumer Credit Counseling Service
Coalition Chair's e-mail address/Phone #: karenh@cccsmt.org 406-761-8721
Date Coalition Started and Geographical Area Covered: December 2004 - Montana statewide
Strategies - briefly define each strategy, if applicable
Outreach Strategy: Reach low-income taxpayers, including those with disabilities, so they can access free tax
preparation within the state of Montana. Improve awareness of available credits including EITC, CTC and education
h credits.
Tax Preparation Strategy: Deliver free tax preparation service to low income, disabled, Native American and rural
h taxpayers. Sponsor EITC Day events. Maintain a mobile site to visit rural locations in Montana.
Asset-Building Strategy: Promote financial literacy through education, bank accounts, IDAs, debit cards and U.S.
Savings Bonds. Provide information about various public benefits and financial support. (Bridge to Benefits screening
h tool/Credit Counseling, etc.)
Partners: (List Core Planning Group, then Sub-Committee Members, then others if applicable)
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Core Planning Group
Rural Dynamics Inc.
Other Coalition Members
W K Kellogg Foundation
Anaconda Community Service Center
Anaconda Job Corps
Belgrade Community Library
Big Timber Library
Browning Community Development Corp.
CCCC of Northern Idaho
CCCS of Montana - Missoula
Chief Dull Knife College
Forsyth-Rosebud Extension Services
Geyser/Raynesford Senior Center
GF College of Technology
GF Teachers Federal Credit Union
Good Samaritan Thrift Store
Great Falls Job Service
Great Falls Senior Center
Great Northern Development Corporation
Harlowton Public Library
Helena College of Technology
Lewistown Library
Little Big Horn College
Livingston Learning Partners
LV Jackson Agency
Montana Department of Revenue
Montana Legal Services Association
MT State University Horizon Program
Northwest Area Foundation
One Economy
Parisian Cleaners
Paul G Allen Foundation
RSVP
Salish Kootenai College
Self Employment Tax Initiative (SETI)
St Labre Youth & Family Services
Stone Child College
Three Forks Library
Townsend Senior Center
West Yellowstone Job Service
White Sulphur Springs Senior Center
Whitehall Local Development/MSE Extension Services
Significant Coalition Activities: (List major items only, using bulleted style)
During 2011 filing season, 4379 returns were prepared, 98% filed electronically.
The coalition operated 13 sites in schools, senior centers, neighborhood centers, businesses and tribal communities.
Rural Dynamics traveling site offered multiple one- and two-day tax clinics in locations too small for permanent sites.
Rural Dynamics implemented an alternative filing method for some of its rural sites.
Partners hosted several tax clinics emphasizing assistance for taxpayers with disabilities.
Rural Dynamics Inc. administered a statewide asset-building coalition
This coalition is a VITA grant recipient.
Planned Future Activities: ( Summarize major plans, using bulleted style)
Partnering with additional tribal and rural community organizations to expand service delivery.
Statewide outreach with Alternative Filing Methods
Increase financial education and asset-building services at existing tax sites.
IRS-SPEC Partner Coalition FY-11
Please Check One: Existing [ ] Emerging [ X ]
TERRITORY NAME: Denver
FORMAL NAME OF COALITION: Montana VITA Partnership
Coalition Website: montanafreefile.org and montanacreditunions.coop
Key Coalition City/State: Helena, MT
Coalition Chair's Name and Organization: Jeanne Saarinen, Executive Director, Montana Credit Unions for Community Dev.
Coalition Chair's e-mail address/Phone #: jeanne@mcun.org 406-442-9081 Ext 131
Date Coalition Started and Geographical Area Covered: June 2010 - Montana
Strategies - briefly define each strategy, if applicable
Outreach Strategy: Reaching low- to moderate-income Montanans primarily in underserved regions of Montana through
television, print and radio PSAs, credit union membership and social service providers. Work to improve awareness of
available tax credits for low income, including -- but not limited to -- EITC, CTC and education credits. Also providing
h financial education and asset-building training.
Tax Preparation Strategy: Deliver free tax preparation service to low income, Native American and disabled taxpayers in
rural and underserved regions of Montana through credit unions and social service providers. Providing remote quality
review for rural tax sites with only one volunteer. Incorporating alternative filing methods to reach low populated areas.
h
Asset-Building Strategy: Promote asset-building through financial education. Offering checking/savings accounts, debit
cards, IRAs, savings bonds, consumer loans; as well as non-traditional financial products, such as IDAs and other
affordable alternatives. Providing taxpayers with information, knowledge and skills to evaluate their financial options.
h
Partners: (List Core Planning Group, then Sub-Committee Members, then others if applicable)
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Core Planning Group
Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana
Montana Credit Union for Community Development
HRDC 7
Opportunity Link, Inc.
United Way of Yellowstone County
Other Coalition Members
AARP Tax Counseling for the Elderly MT
Aldersgate Methodist Church
Altana Federal Credit Union (FCU)
Bear Paw FCU
Billings FCU
Blackfeet Community Development Corporation
Bozeman Public Library
Butte Business Development Center
Butte Community FCU
EDTECH FCU
Elkhorn FCU
EnergComm FCU
Flathead Valley Community College
Fort Belknap Indian Reservation
Fort Peck Community FCU
Garfield Community Center
Glacier County Community Development
Helena Community CU
Heritage FCU
High Peak FCU
HRDC 4
Liberty County Hospital
Lincoln County CU
McCone County CU
Mile High FCU
Montana Department of Revenue
Montana Educators' CU
Montana Legal Services Association
Mountain West FCU
MSU Extension Services
MT State University Billings
MT State University-Northern
Park Side FCU
Parmly/Billings Library
Powell County Council on Aging
Ravalli County FCU
Richland FCU
Rimrock CU
Russell Country FCU
SEG FCU
Shelby Community FCU
Southwest Montana Community FCU
Toole County Senior Center
Wolf Point FCU
Significant Coalition Activities: (List major items only, using bulleted style)
During the FY11 filing season, the coalition operated 38 sites in credit unions, schools, libraries, churches, community
centers and tribal communities.
4,252 returns were prepared during the FY2011 filing season; 95% of those returns were filed electronically.
The majority of the sites were in credit unions where there were opportunities for financial education and asset building.
The coalition maintained and promoted www.montanafreefile.org as a resource to find options for free tax filing.
Provided statewide volunteer training-classroom and teleconference training (Tax Telecourse)
Planned Future Activities: ( Summarize major plans, using bulleted style)
Coalition plans on implementing Alternative Filing Methods to reach out to the rural communities.
Develop creative ways to bring financial education and asset-building opportunities to the tax preparation sites.
Standardizing promotional material to be customized by partners at a local level
Creating a statewide VITA e-newsletter and a VITA Facebook page
Enacting a program with Filiene Research Institute to promote retirement savings