Key Points
- The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) is a federally funded block grant that provides funds to states, territories, and tribes to administer support services that alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty in under-resourced communities.
- States receive funds according to a statutory formula. In turn, states fund a network of local eligible entities with 90 percent of their CSBG grant award.
- Local eligible entities include:
- State-designated nonprofit Community Action Agencies (CAAs)
- Selected local governments
- Migrant and seasonal farm worker organizations
- State or federally recognized tribes or associated tribal organizations
- Local entities provide services and activities addressing employment, education, income and asset building services, housing, nutrition, emergency services, and/or health services based on community needs assessments conducted by the local entities.
- Grants are made annually according to a statutory formula and an accepted state, territory or tribal plan.
- The CSBG does not provide direct grants to individuals or ineligible organizations. Awards to states, territories, and tribes are sub-granted to CAAs and other local groups that fund direct services to individuals in communities.
FIM Opportunities
States, tribes, territories, and approximately 1,000 local CAAs provide CSBG-funded services and activities, including housing, nutrition, utility, and transportation assistance; employment, education, and other income and asset-building services; crisis and emergency services; and community asset building initiatives, among other things.
CAAs within each local community conducts a community needs assessment to determine how the resources are used. This process presents an opportunity to engage in strategies like Food Is Medicine consistent with the needs identified.
