The Cuyahoga Earned Income Tax Credit
The Cuyahoga Earned Income Tax Credit

The Cuyahoga EITC Coalition: Who We Are

The Cuyahoga EITC Coalition is part of the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Since 2005, we have been helping families and individuals make use of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other asset-building programs. The EITC is the largest, most effective relief program in the country designed to supplement taxpayers' income. Earning less than $60,000 a year will qualify you for our free tax preparation services.

Each year the Coalition volunteers serve over 10,000 families and individuals from across Cuyahoga County at about 15 tax preparation sites. In addition, the refunds our clients receive are spent locally, which directly benefits the community in which they live and work.

Our Mission: Move hardworking families from financial uncertainty to financial security

We achieve our mission by:

  • Providing high-quality, free tax preparation through dedicated volunteers working in neighborhood-based locations.
  • Giving families access to financial counseling and other tools to help them make good financial decisions.
  • Supporting policies and practices that create a financial system that benefits everyone.

Our Dedicated Staff

Senior Program Director, Kathy Matthews
kmatthews@enterprisecommunity.org

Kathy Matthews, a Senior Program Director with Enterprise Community Partners, has led the Cuyahoga EITC Coalition since 2006. Ms. Matthews is well-versed in the administration and operation of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites and provides oversight for over 400 IRS-certified volunteers and 18 VITA locations.

Prior to joining Enterprise, Ms. Matthews has over 18 years of corporate work experience in the financial industry in Cleveland and Chicago. During her corporate tenure, she held various leadership roles within the retail, commercial, and client services business units. Her experiences include several management positions along with time spent leading corporate-wide, diverse, revenue generating and expense reduction initiatives.

Ms. Matthews has a bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology from John Carroll University. She is a founding member of OutRun Ovarian Cancer (OROC)—a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to raising ovarian cancer awareness and money for research and education. She also dedicates her volunteer time in support of several schools located throughout the Cleveland area.

Senior Program Officer, Marci Blue
mblue@enterprisecommunity.org

Marci is an experienced program management, data analysis, and research leader who deeply understands our commitment to service and connecting people to resources that provide access to income and opportunity.  

Marci comes to us after serving as a Director, Lead for Equity & Inclusion with Catalyst Inc. Prior to that Marci worked in various capacities at Greater Cleveland Partnership for three years and Case Western Reserve University for six years. Marci holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Baldwin Wallace and a Master of Nonprofit Organizations and Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University.   

Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator, Antoinette Teasley
volunteer@refundohio.org

Antoinette holds a B.A. in Communication Analysis & Practice (The Ohio State University), and a M. Ed. (Cleveland State University) with a focus on Program Planning and Organizational Learning for Adults. She is an Army Veteran with 8 years of service where she worked as an Information Technology Specialist. Antoinette's prior work history includes working in the finance sector and community development.  
 
Antoinette volunteers in her community, assisting initiatives that aim to educate and empower underserved groups. She is a proud graduate of the Mandel Foundation's Neighborhood Leadership Program Cohort 16. Antoinette was a former volunteer with the EITC Coalition and then became a site coordinator in 2018 and 2019. All of this experience and knowledge place her in a position to be an amazing addition to Enterprise.

 

 

 

Operations Coordinator, Amy Eiben
support@refundohio.org 

Amy began her career with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Cleveland State University. She brings over twelve years of experience working with the Cuyahoga EITC Coalition in the site coordinator role and transitioned to the Operations Coordinator position in 2021. She’s worked in different non-profit leadership positions and continues to expanded her knowledge of tax law, which brings tremendous value to the team.