The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is pleased to announce the availability of the 2012 Tax Credit Outreach Campaign Kit. This resource is intended to provide community groups, social service agencies and employers with the materials and information needed to conduct community outreach efforts promoting the Earned Income Credit (EIC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Throughout the United States, millions of people are working hard to make life better for themselves and their families. With the jobs they hold, and the current difficult economic circumstances, many of them simply cannot earn enough to achieve their goals.  Veterans – especially those recently transitioning out of the military – often find themselves in a similar situation as they seek to translate military skills into qualification for civilian jobs.

However, this year eligible families – including military families – can get as much as $5,751 from the EIC, and even more if they also qualify for the CTC. Claiming the credits can put an eligible veteran or worker on the path to securing better housing, pursuing higher education, obtaining dependable transportation, covering out-of-pocket health care costs, or paying for quality child care. In 2010, 27 million eligible families and individuals claimed EICs worth $59.7 billion, yet millions of dollars still went unclaimed. Outreach efforts are needed to inform eligible workers about the tax credits and how to get free tax filing assistance.

The 2012 Tax Credit Outreach Kit contains:
•    Six key elements of an effective Outreach Campaign;
•    Outreach materials including: full-color posters, flyers, envelope stuffers all in English and Spanish;
•    Fact sheets presenting tax credit and free tax filing assistance essentials;
•    A full stock of outreach strategies including ideas for reaching homeless workers, military members and veterans;
•    Examples of how outreach strategies are being successfully implemented across the country;
•    A guide to finding even more information on the Tax Credit Outreach Campaign website, www.eitcoutreach.org; and
•    Much more!

Click here to request a free copy of the Kit.  The Center is eager to work with organizations interested in distributing kits through their own networks and is ready to help facilitate that process. The Center can provide technical assistance and training to help you start or bolster outreach activities. Please contact the Center’s Tax Credit Outreach team at 202-408-1080 or eickit@cbpp.org if you have any questions or would like to order additional materials.