Proposal for eLearning Platform Development – OC Free Tax Prep Volunteer Training

We are seeking support to develop an interactive, self-paced eLearning course to train volunteers for Orange County United Way’s OC Free Tax Prep (OCFTP) program, which is part of the national Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) initiative. Each year, OC Free Tax Prep mobilizes hundreds of IRS-certified volunteers who provide free tax preparation services to low- and moderate-income households throughout Orange County. These services help families claim important tax credits and refunds that strengthen financial stability and reduce poverty.

We are looking for a skilled Taproot volunteer to help us design and build the structure of the eLearning course, transforming our traditional training into a modern, engaging, and accessible experience. The project will include translating complex tax topics into clear, learner-friendly modules, incorporating videos, quizzes, and scenario-based lessons, creating an intuitive and appealing course layout, and recommending a scalable eLearning platform or authoring tool that can be used annually.

This project reflects Taproot’s impact-oriented value by addressing a real need for improved volunteer training and its value of progress by helping our organization modernize how we prepare volunteers to make a lasting difference in their community.

Orange County United Way’s mission is to improve lives and strengthen the community by focusing on financial stability, education, health, and housing. Through the OC Free Tax Prep program, we help residents keep more of what they earn by providing free, high-quality tax preparation services. Last year, our coalition served 13,751 individuals, generating a total community impact of $26.8 million through tax refunds, credits, and savings on tax preparation fees. This work was made possible by 641 trained volunteers who became IRS-certified through our program.

Creating this eLearning platform will strengthen the foundation of our volunteer network by improving the accessibility and quality of our training process. It will help us recruit and prepare more volunteers, increase knowledge retention, and ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery. By doing so, we can serve more residents, increase the accuracy of tax filings, and expand access to vital credits such as the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC), and Foster Youth Tax Credit (FYTC). This project directly supports Taproot’s values of impact and progress by helping our organization evolve in a way that benefits both our volunteers and the thousands of families who depend on our program each year.

To set this project up for success, our team has already secured internal support and has begun gathering the materials needed to move forward. Our subject matter experts, who are experienced in tax law, volunteer coordination, and training, will provide the technical content and work closely with the Taproot volunteer to convert it into a structured and engaging eLearning format. Three dedicated OCUW team members will actively manage the project, track progress, and stay in consistent communication to ensure smooth collaboration.

We will take a hands-on and collaborative approach that draws on both our knowledge of the VITA program and the volunteer’s expertise in instructional design and technology. Our team will also conduct quality assurance testing, provide feedback on user experience, and help develop the creative direction for the final course. With strong internal coordination and leadership buy-in, this project will reflect Taproot’s belief that progress is achieved through shared effort and purpose.