Albany Community Action Partnership
Administrative Offices
333 Sheridan Avenue
Albany, NY 12206
www.albanycap.org

Phone: 518.463.3175
Fax: 518.463.8185
Head Start Fax: 518.432.6504
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Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:30 am - 4:30 pm

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Albany Community Action Partnership Mission Statement:

Albany Community Action Partnership is an organization of dedicated individuals, acting in partnership with the community to enhance the quality of life in Albany County by empowering individuals, children, and families to achieve economic self-sufficiency and social well-being.

For more information on Community Action Agencies, visit the Community Action Partnership
The information below is from the National Association of Community Action Associations

What is a Community Action Agency?

Community Action Agencies are private non-profit or public organizations created by the federal government in 1964 to combat poverty in geographically designated areas. Status as a Community Action Agency is the result of an explicit designation by local or state government. A Community Action Agency has a tripartite board structure that is designated to promote the participation of the entire community in the reduction or elimination of poverty. Community Action Agencies seek to involve the community, including elected public officials, private sector representatives, and especially low-income residents, in assessing local needs and attacking the causes and conditions of poverty.

What is the Purpose of a Community Action Agency?

In order to reduce poverty in the community, a Community Action Agency works to better focus available local, state, private, and federal resources to assist low-income individuals and families to acquire useful skills and knowledge, gain access to new opportunities and achieve economic self-sufficiency.

What is the Structure of a Community Action Agency?

A Community Action Agency:

• has received designation as a Community Action Agency either from the local government under the provisions of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, or from the state under the Community Services Block Grant Act of 1981, as amended;
• is recognized as an eligible entity as defined in the CSBG Act and can receive funding from the statue under the Community Services Block Grant;
• has a governing board consisting of at least 1/3 democratically selected representatives of low-income people, 1/3 local public officials or their designees, and the remainder representatives of business, industry, labor, religious, social welfare, and other private groups in the community; and
• belongs to a national network of similar agencies, the majority of which received their initial designation, federal recognition and funding under the amended Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.

Why is a Community Action Agency Unique?

Most poverty-related organizations focus on a specific area of need, such as job training, health care, housing, or economic development. Community Action Agencies reach out to low-income people in their communities, address their multiple needs through a comprehensive approach, develop partnerships with other community organizations, involve low-income clients in the agency's operations, and administer a full range of coordinated programs designed to have a measurable impact on poverty.