The “Community Action Program” (CAP) was established over thirty-five years ago by Congress as a centerpiece of the War on Poverty. The goal of the program, which is now part of the Community Services Block Grant, is to reduce poverty, revitalize low-income communities, and empower low-income individuals and families to become fully self-sufficient. The program is carried out by a national network of over 1,300 designated Community Action Agencies (CAAs), which provide a diverse array of services to and advocacy on behalf of low-income individuals and families.

  Community Action is run by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees a broad range of federal programs that address the needs of children and families. To ease the burden of oversight and administration, ACF created 9 regions. California along with Arizona, Hawaii and Nevada and the trust territories of American Samoa, Guam, and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, make up our region – Region IX.

As the membership organization for Region IX, the purposes of the Association are to provide opportunities for Region IX directors and staff to come together and share information, ideas, and mutual concerns; support the efforts of the Community Action Partnership (CAP), the National Community Action Foundation (NCAF), and other organizations that encourage the development of resources which demonstrate progress toward the elimination of poverty; and promote professional growth and competence of Region IX member agencies and associations through training and support.

Through cooperative agreements with the Office of Community Services (OCS), a division of the ACF, the purpose of Regional Performance and Innovation Consortia (RPIC) is to support ongoing state, regional, and national training and technical assistance (T/TA) strategies for collaboration, capacity-building, and exemplary practice in the CSBG program and among state Community Action agency associations. Each RPIC coordinates regional T/TA activities among state associations with the mission of ensuring that all CSBG-eligible entities are able to meet high-quality performance standards and utilize evidence-informed service approaches to address the identified needs of low-income people.