Form 13980: VITA Grant Performance Measures Report

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Form 13980 is the VITA Grant Performance Measures Report, filed by the grantee organizations that run the sites, not by the individuals who receive free tax help there. It travels as a companion to the Year End Narrative rather than on its own, and it computes no individual or business tax at all, so brackets and standard deductions have no bearing on it. What it reports is program results.

The trouble is almost never the arithmetic on the form. It is the data discipline behind it. The lines roll up in blocks: federal return preparation on Lines 1 Through 4, sites and volunteers and hours on Lines 5 Through 10, underserved populations on Lines 11 Through 16, and dollars generated for low income filers on Lines 17 Through 19, all covering the Period of Performance from October 1 through September 30. Keep program records clean and reconciled all year and the report closes fast; let them slide and you spend the back half of the closeout window chasing numbers that should already have been captured.

Key Takeaways

Form 13980 is the VITA Grant Performance Measures Report, completed by VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) grant recipient organizations to document program results, not by individual taxpayers.
Form 13980 is submitted as an attachment to the VITA Grant Program Year End Narrative; it does not stand alone, and its due date follows the VITA Grant Program reporting calendar, not the individual April 15 filing deadline.
Form 13980 is an administrative grant-reporting form; it does not compute or report any individual or business tax liability, so standard deduction, bracket, and similar figures have no bearing on it.
The VITA Grant Program provides matching funds to partner organizations that offer free tax preparation to low-to-moderate income individuals, elderly persons, people with disabilities, and people with limited English proficiency across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The form rolls up performance measures for the full Period of Performance (October 1 through September 30): returns prepared by filing method, sites operated, volunteer counts and hours, underserved populations served, and refund dollars generated for low income filers.
VITA grant recipient organizations file Form 13980, not the individual taxpayers who receive the free tax-prep services at VITA sites.

What Form 13980 Reports, and Who Files It

Form 13980 is an administrative grant-reporting form, not a tax return. Per the IRS site index, it is the “VITA Grant Performance Measures Report,” and it is “used by VITA grant recipients to accompany the completed VITA Grant Program Year End Narrative.” In plain terms, it is the scoreboard for what your grant dollars produced over the program year.

The VITA Grant Program funds partner organizations that deliver free tax preparation to low-to-moderate income individuals, elderly persons, people with disabilities, and people with limited English proficiency across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Form 13980 is how those grantee organizations report the results back to the IRS Grant Program Office. The taxpayers who walk into a VITA site never file it, and it does not compute or report any individual or business tax liability.

Who Should Read This Guide

VITA grant recipient organizations preparing their year-end reporting package.
Program coordinators and site coordinators who own the underlying counts and hours.
Grant accountants and finance staff who reconcile program data before the responsible official signs.

The Form at a Glance

Title: VITA Grant Performance Measures Report (per the form Subject field).
Revision: Rev. 6-2025, also shown as June 2025 on the form.
Catalog Number: 51539E. OMB Number: 1545-2222 (the VITA Grant Program control number).
Period of performance: October 1 through September 30, entered at the top of the form.
Identifiers required up top: Recipient name, Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN), and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Federal Return Preparation, Lines 1 Through 4

The first block counts the low income federal returns your sites prepared, broken out by how they were filed. Each line is a straight count in the Number of Returns column.

Line 1, federal returns filed electronically. Enter the number of low income federal returns filed electronically.
Line 2, federal returns filed as paper. Enter the number of low income federal returns filed as a paper return.
Line 3, federal returns filed through MyFreeTaxes. Enter the count routed through MyFreeTaxes.
Line 4, total federal returns prepared. This is the sum of Lines 1 through 3, and the form adds it for you.

Quick rule you can copy into your SOP, reconcile Lines 1 through 3 against your site production logs before you trust the Line 4 total. Small miscounts here ripple into every per-population number later on the form.

Sites, Volunteers, and Hours, Lines 5 Through 10

The next two blocks describe your delivery footprint, the sites you operated and the volunteer effort behind them.

Return Preparation Site Information, Lines 5 Through 8

Line 5, traditional sites. The number of sites you operated as traditional, in-person locations.
Line 6, virtual sites. The number operated as virtual locations.
Line 7, Facilitated Self-Assistance (FSA) sites. The number operated as FSA locations.
Line 8, total sites operated. The sum of Lines 5 through 7, auto-calculated. You complete page 2 with the detail for each site.

Volunteers and Total Volunteer Hours, Lines 9 and 10

This block captures both the number of volunteers and the total hours worked, split by primary responsibility.

Line 9, volunteers whose primary responsibility is certified tax return preparation, plus the total hours those volunteers worked.
Line 10, volunteers whose primary responsibility is support, such as a greeter, plus their total hours.

Small errors create big cleanup. If a volunteer served in two roles during the year, decide one primary responsibility and report them there once, so your headcount and hours do not double-count.

Underserved Populations You Served, Lines 11 Through 16

This is the heart of the performance story. For each underserved population, the form asks you to mark whether it was a Primary or Secondary focus (select one) and to enter the Number of Returns prepared for that low income population.

Line	Population	What you enter
11	Elderly	Returns prepared for the low income elderly population
12	Rural	Returns prepared for the low income rural population
13	Persons with disabilities	Returns prepared for the low income persons-with-disabilities population
14	Limited English proficient	Returns prepared for the low income limited English proficient population
15	Native American	Returns prepared for the low income Native American population
16	Low income (not in Lines 11-15)	Returns for the low income population not already counted above

From my side of the desk, the Primary and Secondary selections are where reviewers slow down. Pick the designations that match what your program proposed and delivered, and keep a short note in your workpapers explaining the call so a grant reviewer is not guessing.

Dollars Generated for Low Income Filers, Lines 17 Through 19

The final measures block reports the dollar impact of the returns your sites prepared. These are entered in the Dollars column.

Line 17, total EITC refund dollars generated by low income federal returns filed.
Line 18, total refund dollars generated by low income federal returns filed.
Line 19, number of federal returns prepared meeting the EITC Threshold.

Tie Line 17 and Line 18 back to your production software reports rather than re-keying from memory. If the EITC figure on Line 17 cannot be supported from your site data, fix the source before the report goes out, not after.

Site Information Page and Signature

Page 2, Site-by-Site Detail

Line 5 directs you to complete page 2 with site information. For each location you list, the form captures Site Name, EFIN, SIDN, City, State, County, and an Open All Year selection (Yes or No). You can add a new row for each additional site.

Signature of the Responsible Official

Form 13980 is signed by the responsible official, with the date entered in MM/DD/YYYY format. Treat the signature line the way you would on any award document, the person who signs is attesting the program measures are accurate.

How the Totals Roll Up

Two totals are calculated for you, Line 4 (total federal returns prepared) and Line 8 (total sites operated). Do not hand-key over an auto-calculated total. If the calculated total looks wrong, the fix is in the component lines, not the total.

Where Form 13980 Fits in Your Grant Closeout

Form 13980 does not stand alone. It accompanies the completed VITA Grant Program Year End Narrative, so the two pieces move together as one reporting package.
It reports outcomes for the full Period of Performance, October 1 through September 30, not an interim snapshot.
If you also close out finances on Form 13979 (the VITA Grant Final Expense Report), keep the two consistent, the performance story on 13980 should square with the spending story on 13979.
For the full program rules, including reporting requirements and what counts, the IRS points grantees to its VITA Grant Program publications. Confirm the current instructions for your award year before you submit.

How To Complete Form 13980, Step by Step

1. Fill the Identification Block

Enter the Recipient name, FAIN, and UEI exactly as they appear on your award.
Enter the Period of performance, October 1 through September 30 for the program year you are reporting.

2. Report Returns and Sites

Enter Lines 1 through 3 (electronic, paper, MyFreeTaxes), then confirm the auto-calculated Line 4 total.
Enter Lines 5 through 7 (traditional, virtual, FSA sites), then confirm the Line 8 total and complete the page 2 site detail.

3. Report Volunteers and Populations

Enter Lines 9 and 10 with the volunteer counts and total hours by primary responsibility.
For Lines 11 through 16, mark Primary or Secondary for each population and enter the Number of Returns prepared.

4. Report Dollars Generated

Enter Line 17 (EITC refund dollars), Line 18 (total refund dollars), and Line 19 (returns meeting the EITC Threshold).
Reconcile each dollar figure to your production reports before you lock the form.

5. Review, Sign, and Package

Have the responsible official review the measures, then sign and date in MM/DD/YYYY.
Submit Form 13980 together with the completed Year End Narrative as a single package.

Keeping Your Program Data Report-Ready All Year

Capture return counts at the source. Tag each prepared return by filing method (electronic, paper, MyFreeTaxes) so Lines 1 through 3 fall out of your production reports, not a year-end count.
Keep a running site roster with Site Name, EFIN, SIDN, City, State, County, and the Open All Year status, so page 2 is already built when closeout arrives.
Log volunteer hours by primary responsibility (preparer vs. support) throughout the year, and record each volunteer once to avoid double-counting on Lines 9 and 10.
Track the underserved-population counts (Lines 11 through 16) as you go, with a short note on the Primary versus Secondary designation you expect to report.
Pull EITC and total refund dollars (Lines 17 and 18) and the EITC Threshold count (Line 19) from your software, and keep the supporting report with the workpapers.

Trust Signals You Can Add In Minutes

Note the IRS source you relied on (the form instructions, the VITA Grant Program publications) and the date you reviewed it.
Keep the data definitions plain and consistent, so anyone reviewing the report reads each line the same way.
Record who reconciled the numbers and who signed, so the chain from site data to responsible-official signature is clear.

When Offshore Capacity Helps

Grant closeout lands at the same time as the back half of busy season, and reconciliation work is exactly what gets squeezed. If you are not ready to add staff, structure helps more than headcount. Accountably can supply disciplined offshore teams that work in your templates, inside your systems, and follow your review notes, so the reconciliation and workpaper build move on schedule without giving up control. Use this for seasonal surge and standardize the data discipline that feeds Form 13980.

Compliance Notes And Year Stamps

This guide reflects Form 13980 (Rev. 6-2025) and is current as of October 29, 2025.
Always confirm the latest IRS instructions and VITA Grant Program reporting requirements for your award year before you submit.
Keep copies of everything, including production reports, the site roster, volunteer-hour logs, and the signed report with its submission date.

Summary, Your Next Three Moves

Know what the form is. Form 13980 is the VITA Grant Performance Measures Report, filed by grantee organizations to report program outcomes, not a tax return and not a relief form.
Build the numbers from your records. Reconcile returns, sites, volunteer hours, population counts, and refund dollars to your production reports before the responsible official signs.
Package it correctly. Submit Form 13980 with the completed VITA Grant Program Year End Narrative as one reporting package, and keep it consistent with your Form 13979 expense report.

Disclaimer

This article is for general information as of October 29, 2025, and reflects Form 13980 (Rev. 6-2025). Program rules and reporting requirements change. Always confirm the latest IRS instructions and VITA Grant Program guidance for your award year before you submit. If the matter is high stakes, talk with a qualified professional.

Common Mistakes We See Every Season

Most of the trouble I see with Form 13980 starts well before anyone opens the form. The performance numbers are only as good as the data discipline behind them, and the cleanup at closeout costs days. Here are the slips we catch every grant cycle.

1. Treating Form 13980 as a tax return. Form 13980 is the VITA Grant Performance Measures Report, an administrative report for VITA grant recipient organizations. It does not compute any individual or business tax, and the taxpayers served at VITA sites never file it. Fix: Frame it as a grantee outcomes report and assign it to your program and grant-finance staff, not to your individual-return preparers.

2. Submitting the form on its own. Form 13980 is used to accompany the completed VITA Grant Program Year End Narrative. Sending the performance measures without the narrative leaves the reporting package incomplete. Fix: Submit Form 13980 together with the Year End Narrative as one package, and confirm the current reporting requirements for your award year first.

3. Hand-keying the auto-calculated totals. Line 4 (total federal returns) and Line 8 (total sites) are calculated by the form. Overwriting them masks an error in the component lines and creates a reconciliation mismatch. Fix: Enter only Lines 1 through 3 and Lines 5 through 7, then verify the totals the form produces.

4. Double-counting volunteers across roles. A volunteer who both prepares returns and greets at the door can end up on both Line 9 and Line 10, inflating headcount and hours. Fix: Assign one primary responsibility per volunteer and report each person once, in that single line.

5. Reporting refund and EITC dollars from memory. Lines 17 through 19 (EITC refund dollars, total refund dollars, returns meeting the EITC Threshold) are easy to estimate and hard to defend if they do not tie to your data. Fix: Pull these figures directly from your production software reports and keep the report with the workpapers. Lean on our tax preparation support when reconciliation capacity is tight.

6. Leaving the page 2 site detail until the end. Line 5 directs you to complete page 2 with site information (Site Name, EFIN, SIDN, City, State, County, Open All Year). Rebuilding that roster at closeout invites gaps and typos. Fix: Maintain the site roster throughout the year so page 2 is already complete when you assemble the report.

Reusable Checklists

These are copy-paste ready for your firm SOPs. Drop them into your workpaper template and check items off as you work the file.

Identification and period block

Enter the Recipient name exactly as it appears on your award.
Enter the Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN).
Enter the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).
Enter the Period of performance, October 1 through September 30 for the reporting year.
Confirm you are using Form 13980 (Rev. 6-2025) for the current award year.

Performance measures data

Returns: Lines 1-3 (electronic, paper, MyFreeTaxes); confirm the Line 4 total.
Sites: Lines 5-7 (traditional, virtual, FSA); confirm the Line 8 total and the page 2 site detail.
Volunteers: Lines 9-10, counts and total hours by one primary responsibility per volunteer.
Populations: Lines 11-16, mark Primary or Secondary and enter Number of Returns.
Dollars: Lines 17-19, EITC refund dollars, total refund dollars, and EITC Threshold count.
Tie every count and dollar figure to a production report kept in the workpapers.

Review, sign, and package

Verify the auto-calculated totals (Lines 4 and 8) match the component lines.
Confirm no volunteer or return is double-counted across lines.
Have the responsible official review the measures, then sign and date in MM/DD/YYYY.
Attach Form 13980 to the completed VITA Grant Program Year End Narrative as one package.
Record who reconciled the data and the date the package was submitted.

Keep 13980 Season From Stalling

VITA grant closeout has a quiet failure mode. Form 13980 looks like a short form, so it slides to the bottom of the list, then the report becomes a scramble to reconstruct return counts, site rosters, volunteer hours, and refund dollars at the end of the program year. The work is small in volume but high in data specificity, and that combination is exactly what gets squeezed when staff are stretched.

The fix is to treat 13980 as a year-round data product, not a closeout task. When the underlying numbers are captured and reconciled as you go, the report assembles itself and the responsible official can sign with confidence.

Capture return counts by filing method (electronic, paper, MyFreeTaxes) at the source, so Lines 1 through 3 fall out of your production reports.
Maintain the page 2 site roster (Site Name, EFIN, SIDN, City, State, County, Open All Year) throughout the year.
Log volunteer hours by one primary responsibility per person, so Lines 9 and 10 never double-count.
Track the underserved-population counts and your Primary versus Secondary designations as the season runs.
Keep Form 13980 attached to the completed Year End Narrative so the reporting package stays whole.

When closeout and the back half of busy season arrive at once, structure protects your turnaround better than another late night. Accountably runs SOP-driven reconciliation and workpaper builds inside your systems and templates, with layered review that keeps the data clean, so the report goes out on schedule. See how that delivery model fits your workflow.

FAQs

What is Form 13980 used for?

Form 13980 is the VITA Grant Performance Measures Report. VITA grant recipient organizations use it to report their program measures for the Period of Performance, including returns prepared, sites operated, volunteer hours, the underserved populations served, and the refund dollars generated for low income filers. It is not a tax return and does not compute any individual or business tax.

Who files Form 13980?

VITA grant recipient organizations file Form 13980, not the individual taxpayers who receive free tax help at VITA sites. It is signed by the responsible official at the grantee organization.

Can I file Form 13980 by itself?

No. The form is used to accompany the completed VITA Grant Program Year End Narrative, so the two pieces are submitted together as one reporting package.

Which lines does Form 13980 calculate automatically?