The Community Action Partnership (CAP) was established in 1972 and is the largest national organization representing the interests of Community Action Agencies (CAAs) and other private and public groups organized to fight poverty at the local level. The Association is governed by a democratically elected Board of Directors that works closely with CAA state and regional associations to respond to the professional needs of CAAs. 

CAAs are non-profit private and public organizations originally established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to fight America's War on Poverty. Today, there are nearly 1,000 CAAs across the United States, in fact CAAs can be found in 98 percent of our cities and counties. CAAs are a primary source of support for the more than 38 million Americans who are living in poverty in both rural and urban areas. Through their innovative programs, these CAAs are able to help thousands of people achieve self-sufficiency each year. 

CAAs are governed by uniquely structured tripartite boards of directors whose members come from three diverse segments of each community.  Specifically, at least one-third of the board's members must be from the low-income community, up to one-third must be from the private sector, and exactly one-third must be public officials. 

The core source of funding for CAAs comes from the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), which was created in 1981 by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. The CSBG channels federal funds through the states to local agencies to fight poverty and promote self-sufficiency. CSBG funding accounts for less than 10 percent of CAA funding. CAAs use these federal dollars to build and attract additional investments in their programs from state, local, and private sources. In fact, CAAs have consistently been successful in leveraging an average of $13 for every $1 of CSBG funding. Any CSBG-funded agency that is governed by a tripartite board of directors is eligible for CAP membership. 

CAP is committed to improving the lives of America's low-income population through the continued education, support, and empowerment of Community Action Agencies across the United States. CAP provides information and support for news media and public inquiries. You can reach a representative at 202-265-7546.

Visit their web page at http://www.communityactionpartnership.com/

The organization name and logo was unanimously accepted during the 2002 Annual Conference held September 3-6, at the Hilton New York in New York City. The agency is now know as Community Action Partnership (CAP) (Previously known as the National Association of Comunity Action Agencies - NACAA).  The conference theme is Community Action: The Promise to America.

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MISSION: The Virginia Council Against Poverty is the Commonwealth's network of Community Action Agencies.  Our mission is to increase awareness about poverty in Virginia and to promote comprehensive approaches to eliminate poverty.  The organization accomplishes this mission by:

-being an advocate on behalf of the poor

-promoting self-sufficiency or individuals, families and communities

-mobilizing all public and private resources

-working in partnership with community-based organizations

-stimulating community participation and leadership development

-promoting innovative and creative strategies

-creating services to meet basic needs

-promoting long-range reforms

-establishing equal opportunity and political, economic and social justice.

 

HISTORY:  Virginia's Community Action Agencies came together in 1968 to form the Virginia Association of Community Action Agencies to advocated on behalf of the Commonwealth's low-income individuals and families, to educate government and the general public on poverty, its causes, problems and solutions, and to facilitate the sharing of information and ideas among agencies in the network.  The name was changed in 1992 to the Virginia Council Against Poverty, thereby reaffirming our purpose of fighting poverty and improving the lives of low-income Virginians.

Working Families In Poverty - Click on the link below to download the Working Families study produced by the Virginia Council Against Poverty.  You must have Adobe Reader to view the document.

• Working Poverty Study   

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What Is a Community Action Agency?

Community Action Agencies are public-private partnerships, locally managed and controlled by volunteer boards of directors for the purpose of reducing poverty and promoting self-sufficiency of the poor.  Since their founding under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, the network of Community Action Agencies has become a real safety net for America's low-income population.  Community Action Agencies serve both the long-term and the temporary poor, public assistance recipients and the working poor; the low-income elderly, handicapped and children of the unemployed, the homeless and any other population that meets the eligibility criterion of having income at or below 125% of the federal poverty line.

The philosophy of Community Action provides that, to be responsive to local needs, each agency should be as unique as the localities it serves.  Thus, although the mission of Community Action is to fight poverty and increase self-sufficiency among the poor, the program and services provided vary from one agency to another based upon the needs identified at the local level.

CAAs receive core support from the Federal Community Services Block Grant.  Virginia CAAs also receive supplemental core funding from the General Assembly. CAAs use core dollars as the foundation for all the federal, state and local programs which they operate and as seed money for the development of new initiatives.  Core funding is the "glue" that holds CAAs together, providing administrative and program support, and paying for needed services when other funding is inadequate or unavailable.

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Conducting a Framework for an Outcome-Based System

As Washington continues its commitment to a balanced budget, lower taxes and a smaller, smarter, common sense government, its focus is on implementing new systems to make government work better for less.  A part of its strategy includes the implementation of the 1993 Government Performance and Results Act (Results act).  The basic purpose of the strategic plan is to explain, in results-oriented terms, what the agency is trying to accomplish and what are the positive outcomes to its clients.  These outcomes can often be confused with the number of outputs or services provided.  Outcomes are benefits or changes for individuals or populations during or after participating in program activities.  They are influenced by a program's outputs.  Outcomes may relate to behavior, skills, knowledge, attitudes, values, conditions, or other attributes.  They are what participants know, think, or can do; or how they behave; or what their condition is, that is different following agency intervention.

It is no longer sufficient to just provide the service.  In growing numbers, service providers, government, other funders, and the public are calling for evidence that the resources they expend actually produce benefits for people.  As a result of current legislation, and through the renewal of our commitment to the clients we serve, the Office of Human Affairs (OHA) has adopted and begun implementation of outcomes and results measurement to improve accountability in the services it provided.

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Virginia Council Against Poverty Member Agencies