About Community Action Agencies

Community Action Agencies (CAAs) are nonprofit private and public organizations established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to fight America's War on Poverty. Community Action Agencies help people to help themselves in achieving self-sufficiency. Today there are approximately 1000 Community Action Agencies, serving the low-income population in every state as well as Puerto Rico and the Trust Territories.

The CAA Network - Community Action Agencies Across America

The service areas of Community Action Agencies (CAAs) cover 96 percent of the nation's counties. Our agencies are connected by a national network that includes the Community Action Partnership national association, regional associations, state associations, a national lobbying organization, and a national association of Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) administrators.

CAAs are a primary source of direct support for the more than 34.5 million people who live in poverty in the United States. The majority of CAA program participant's incomes are below 75 percent of the federal poverty threshold.

The Community Action network serves more than:

  • 16.2 million individuals per year
  • 3 million families per year; CAAs serve all regions and populations:
    • 54% of CAAs serve rural areas.
    • 36% of CAAs serve areas considered both urban and rural.
    • 10% of CAAs serve urban areas.

The average population a CAA serves is approximately 300,000 people. The average number of low-income people within each service area is 37,600.

Board, Staff, and Volunteers

CAA boards of directors have a unique composition of:

  • One-third from the low-income community
  • One-third from the public sector
  • One-third from the private sector

On average many CAA have over 800 people volunteering at the agency each year.