Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)
The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program provides Native American and Alaskan Native Tribes and Tribal Organization with funds to address the causes and conditions of poverty in their communities. CSBG is a flexible, community-responsive block grant that can support a range of services and activities, including employment, education, housing, emergency services, nutrition, health, income management, support for improved service linkages, and self-sufficiency programs. Funding is provided directly to Tribes and Tribal Organizations through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Community Services (OCS).
Flexible funding is available to support your community!
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FY19 CSBG Tribal Overview highlighting CSBG Tribal allocations and core services provided in Fiscal Year 2019.
Federal Legislation & Regulations
“Because it is right, because it is wise, and because for the first time in our history it is possible to conquer poverty and I submit for the consideration of the Congress and the country the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. The act does not merely expand old programs or improve what is already being done. It charts a new course. It strikes at the causes not just the consequences of poverty.”
– President Linden B. Johnson
CSBG provides federal funds to States, Territories, and Tribes to support a wide range of community-based activities to reduce poverty. It is administered at the federal level by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)/Administration of Children and Families (ACF)/Office of Community Services (OCS).
Review legislation governing the CSBG read the Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) Act.
The HHS regulations for the CSBG block grant are found in Title 45 (Public Welfare) of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 96 (Block Grants), Subpart I (CSBG), cited as 45 C.F.R. §§ 96.90 – 96.92. Subparts A-F of the HHS block grant regulations also pertains to CSBG. View the regulations for CSBG.
Review more resources:
OCS Communications
CSBG Reports to Congress
CSBG Core Services
CSBG is a flexible, community-responsive block grant that can support a range of services and activities including employment, education, housing, health & nutrition, emergency services, youth development, linkages & coordination, self-sufficiency, income management, and partnership & community engagement.
Employment
Support for job placement programs, vocational and skills training, career counseling, job development, and eliminating barriers to work
Education
Adult education, literacy programs, scholarships, Head Start enhancement, child development, and anti-drug education.
Housing
Ownership & fair housing counseling, landlord/tenant relations, housing assistance, services for homeless, & home rehabilitation.
Emergency Services
Homeownership counseling and loan assistance, counseling with fair housing concerns, housing assistance, shelters and services for the homeless, and home repair and rehabilitation
Youth Development
Establishment of violence-free zones, youth intervention, youth mediation, youth mentoring, life skills training, job creation, entrepreneurship, and after-school child care programs.
Health & Nutrition
Food banks, health and nutrition counseling and education, community gardening, water and food production, emergency medical services, and transportation to medical services.
Self-Sufficiency
Assist families in becoming more financially independent, including assessing family needs & resources, developing a plan of support, & identifying resources.
Income Management
Services include programs and activities that support assistance with budgeting, tax preparation, tax credit information, and medical and other benefit claims assistance.
Linkages & Coordination
Support for service linkages and coordination with anti-poverty programs to make more effective use of related programs, including other public and private sources.
Partnership & Community Engagement
Development of public and private grassroots partnerships with local law enforcement agencies, local housing authorities, private foundations, and other public and private partners. CSBG funding also supports inter-agency partnerships and Tribal/State partnerships as well.
