ALEXANDRIA, Va.-In keeping with the NCUA-Internal Revenue Service memorandum of understanding in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, attention is now zeroing in on tax counseling for the elderly. Credit unions will have greater access to technical assistance resources through an NCUA-IRS partnership, NCUA Chairman Dennis Dollar announced. "We encourage all credit unions involved in the VITA and other tax service initiatives to review this funding opportunity and evaluate whether this could help them provide additional resources in these efforts," Dollar said. "We value our working relationship with the IRS as an Access Across America partner and certainly commend credit unions who choose to augment their financial education programs by providing their members with this important tax assistance and counseling service." The IRS' Tax Counseling for the Elderly program has grants available to fund administrative expenses, travel expenses, computer upgrades/software, and salaries of clerical personnel for organizations providing tax assistance to the elderly. Narratives regarding experience in coordinating volunteer programs, delivering services to the elderly, number of elderly serviced, and proposed program plan are required in the application. In addition, NCUA's Office of Credit Union Development plans to provide additional resources through the Community Development Revolving Loan Fund's Technical Assistance program for low-income credit unions for administrative expenses for VITA program. More information will be available in August.