/  Community and Volunteer Services / Community Action Agencies / How to Become a Community Action Agency

How to Become a Community Action Agency

Community action agencies help reduce poverty and strengthen neighborhoods. They do this by listening to the community, assessing needs and offering services that support stability and opportunity. 

To become a community action agency, an organization must meet specific state and federal requirements. 

What Community Action Agencies Do

A community action agency works to: 

  • Reduce poverty 
  • Support families and individuals 
  • Improve conditions in underserved neighborhoods 
  • Identify community needs and respond with services and programs 

The organization must also have support from local government and show it can manage funding responsibly. 

Local Government Approval 

Each city or county the organization wants to serve must approve the request. 

Local government approval must include: 

  • A resolution recommending the organization as a community action agency 
  • A public comment period before the final decision
Basic Requirements
Board Requirements
Financial Management Requirements

To qualify as a community action agency, an organization must: 

  • Have support from the local government in the area it serves 
  • Have enough funding to operate and maintain services 
  • Follow federal and state rules for program and financial management 
  • Show it is financially stable 

The organization must have a board that follows state and federal rules for community action agency leadership. 

The board must: 

  • Have at least 15 members 
  • Use a three-part structure (called tripartite) that includes: 
  • One-third low-income community members 
  • One-third elected public officials (or their representatives) 
  • One-third other community leaders and partners 

The organization must show strong financial oversight. 

This includes: 

  • Proof of financial stability 
  • Financial policies and procedures that meet generally accepted accounting principles 
Experience Serving Low-Income Communities
Community Need

The organization should have a strong record of serving people with low incomes. 

For example, the organization should: 

  • Operate at least four programs 
  • Serve different groups of low-income community members 

The organization must serve an area where there is enough need to support multiple programs. 

This helps ensure funding can support meaningful services across the community. 

Required Community Action Plan
How to Request Community Action Agency Status
Adding a New Agency or Expanding Service

The organization must create a plan for using Community Services Block Grant funding. 

The plan must: 

  • Reflect community needs 
  • Include input from many sources, including people with low incomes who live in the area 
  • Describe how programs and services will address community challenges 

Request Community Action Agency Status

If your organization wants to become a community action agency, you must submit a written request. 

Email your request to: csbg@dss.virginia.gov 

Your request should include documents that show your organization meets all requirements listed above. 

Requests are reviewed under Virginia Code 22VAC40-901-80. 

The Governor may approve community action agency services in areas that are not currently served. This can happen by: 

  • Expanding the service area of an existing agency, or
  • Selecting a new agency for an unserved area 

The agency responsible for oversight reviews requests and provides recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. This process follows agency board rules. 

After review, the Secretary sends recommendations to the Governor. 

How Virginia Selects Community Action Agencies 

Existing Agencies 

Any community action agency that: 

  • Was approved by local government 
  • Received funding under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964
  • Was operating on July 1, 1982 
  • Is still operating today

Service Areas 

An area that already has a community action agency cannot select a new one to serve the same area. 

The map below shows served and unserved areas in Virginia. 

Virginia Community Action Agency Service Map

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