How outreach officers can help your community learn about tax and benefits

Benefit and credit payments can make a big difference to those in your community. The CRA’s outreach officers can help them learn about these payments and what they can get by doing their taxes.

Who we support

We can help if your organization provides services to:

adults 65 years and older
housing-insecure individuals
Indigenous Peoples
modest-income individuals
newcomers to Canada
persons with disabilities
students and youth

Some of the organizations we help include non-profits, shelters, retirement homes, friendship centres, immigration associations and schools.

If you have questions about or need information for your personal taxes, please refer to personal income tax or call 1-800-959-8281 where an agent will be able to assist you. Outreach officers do not have access to personal tax information and cannot answer individual tax-related questions.

What CRA outreach officers can do

CRA outreach officers can:

lead an information session for your employees or community
host a booth at an event
make a presentation at a conference
provide handouts for your community
offer information on how to get benefit and credit payments
give training workshops

CRA outreach officers can share information about:

benefits and credits available, such as the:
- Canada child benefit
- GST/HST credit
- Canada workers benefit
- Disability tax credit
- Child disability benefit
- Canada caregiver credit
who can apply for benefits and credits
how to apply for benefits and credits
Canada's tax system
tax information for specific communities
online services
scams and frauds

Get help from an outreach officer

Complete the request form and someone from one of our regional offices will contact you to discuss how the CRA can help your organization support your community’s needs.

Help people with their taxes

The individuals your organization serves must do their taxes every year to receive their entitled benefits and credits. You can help by hosting a free tax clinic.

Host a free tax clinic

A free tax clinic is a place where eligible people can get their tax returns done by volunteers for free. To be eligible, a person must have a modest income and a simple tax situation. These tax clinics are hosted by community organizations across Canada through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) and the Income tax assistance – Volunteer Program (ITAVP) in Quebec.

This tax season, community organizations are hosting free tax clinics. If your organization chooses to host free tax clinics, your volunteers can complete taxes in person or virtually, by videoconference, by phone, or through a drop off clinic.

Funding may be available for eligible organizations that host free tax clinics. To find out more, see our grant for hosting free tax clinics.

Learn more about hosting a free tax clinic or register as a host organization.

Become a volunteer at a free tax clinic

This tax season, community organizations are hosting free in-person and virtual tax clinics. You can participate as a tax preparer, a coordinator, or in a support role. If you volunteer as a tax preparer, you can choose to complete taxes in person or virtually, by videoconference, by phone, or through a drop-off clinic.

For more information and to register as a volunteer, go to volunteer at a free tax clinic.