WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service has awarded $38,000 to Black Hills State University of South Dakota in Spearfish through its Low Income Taxpayer Clinics program.

"We're very fortunate to have Black Hills State University serving taxpayers in the western part of South Dakota," said IRS's South Dakota Taxpayer advocate Mary Finnesand.

She urged other nonprofit groups to apply for grants. The 2008 grant application period is open now through July 6, 2007.

LITCs provide representation for free or a nominal fee to low-income taxpayers who are involved in tax disputes with the IRS or who provide education on taxpayer rights and responsibilities to taxpayers for whom English is a second language or those who have limited English proficiency.

Under the LITC program, the IRS awards matching grants of as much as $100,000 a year to qualifying organizations to develop, expand or maintain clinics for low-income taxpayers.