ABSTRACT
Community Action agencies were created to fight the War on Poverty at the local level. This chapter presents a local leadership perspective regarding how Community Action agencies tailor their programs to meet the needs of local communities. It focuses on how having a tripartite board develops ties to the community. The chapter discusses how the agencies assess community needs and develop programs to meet those needs. It describes the ways in which agencies empower low-income people and educate elected officials, potential clients, and the general public about Community Action. In addition to the formal community needs assessment, Community Action leaders also emphasized the importance of using informal networks to learn about local needs and gaps in services. The Community Action agency leaders indicated that their agencies have or plan to develop a separate foundation for fundraising. Community Action agencies use the results from the community needs assessment to prepare an action plan.
