Community Service Block Grant
Community Action Agencies receive their core funding from the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) and General Assembly appropriated CSBG funds. The Virginia Department of Social Services' Office of Community Services provides oversight for the Virginia Community Action Partnership network.
Community action began 50 years ago in the United States as part of the War on Poverty. More than 1,100 local community action agencies across the country now fight poverty and build self-sufficiency, for strong families and communities throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia has 28 nonprofit private and public community action agencies.
Community action's mission is to address the issues of poverty and to increase the self-sufficiency of low-income families. They offer a broad range of anti-poverty programs and work collaboratively with businesses and other agencies to build a network of support for Virginia's most vulnerable populations. Some of the CSBG programs are:
- Education
- Employment
- Child care
- Community and economic development
- Head Start
- Health and nutrition
- Housing and related services
- Special populations (including the elderly, ex-offenders and the homeless)
- Transportation
In addition to the local community action agencies, Virginia has three statewide community action organizations. These organizations address specific problems by working through the local community action agencies, local governments or other community organizations. Those statewide programs are:
- Project Discovery, Inc. - dropout prevention and first-time college options
- Southeast Rural Community Assistance Program - water/wastewater
- Virginia Community Action Re-entry System (VaCARES) - ex-offender transition and support
The Office of Community Services is aware of potentially fraudulent activity by individuals claiming to represent the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). Individuals unrelated to CSBG are contacting people via telephone, email, social media, and text message offering CSBG funding or services in exchange for a fee.
OCS does not provide direct CSBG grants to individuals. Additionally, OCS does not initiate contact with individuals by phone, email, text messages, or social media channels to request personal or financial information.
If you are made aware of or receive any communication offering a CSBG grant or requesting a fee in exchange for additional funding, please report it to the Health and Human Services (HHS) Fraud Hotline at 1-800-447-8477.
For more information, please visit: Grant Fraud and Scams