History of Community Action Agencies

Lyndon Johnson signs declares his War on PovertyIn 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson and the Congress of the United States proclaimed a national "War on Poverty" by enacting the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.

President Johnson solidified his commitment to forging new opportunities for the poor in the United States by mobilizing financial and human resources to eliminate poverty.

To assist in fighting his "War on Poverty", local Community Action Agencies were created to provide a wide range of human services at the community level to help individuals build self-sufficiency and rise out of poverty.

This act described the purpose, structure, and financing of Community Action Agencies (CAA) in the United States. CAAs are locally controlled organizations whose purpose is to reduce poverty and to help low-income people become self-sufficient. They are governed by a tripartite board of directors composed of no less than 15 and no more than 51 members.

The Board of Directors Includes:

  • Elected public officials (Public Sector)
  • Persons chosen in accordance with democratic selection procedures adequate to assure that they are representative of the poor in the area served (Low-Income Sector)
  • Members or officials of business, industry, labor, religious, education, or other major groups and interests in the local community (Private Sector)

The Creation of LCCAA

LCCAA incorporated in 1966 as a private non-profit organization and tax exempt under the provision of Section 501 (c) (3). The initial mission of the agency was to improve the social well-being, economic capacity, and opportunities for low-to-moderate income individuals and families. To begin to achieve this basic purpose, LCCAA implemented two successful programs, Head Start in 1966 and Home Energy Assistance Program (H.E.A.P.) in 1973.

The Community Services Black Grant (CSBG) was established by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981. While federal funding had been previously awarded directly to local agencies through several programs, the CSBG dollars now go to the States, which are required to allocate 90 percent of the funds to local "eligible entities," most of which are CAAs. No more than five percent of the federal funds may be used by the States to administer the grant, and another five percent may be used to support state discretionary programs.