CSBG is administered by HHS and is the modern day version of a major antipoverty initiative launched by President Johnson during the 1960s. The statute envisions a wide variety of activities undertaken on behalf of low-income families and individuals, including those who are welfare recipients, homeless, migrant or seasonal farm workers, or elderly. Many of these organizations, in turn, contract with other groups to deliver various services. Each CAA is governed by a board of directors of which at least one third are representatives of the low-income community. Another third of the board members must be local elected officials or their representatives, and the remaining board members must represent other community interests such as business, labor, religious organizations, and education.
Local activities vary depending on the needs and circumstances of the local community.
Examples of CSBG-funded services include emergency assistance, home weatherization, activities for youth and senior citizens, transportation, income management and credit counseling, domestic violence crisis assistance, parenting education, food pantries, and emergency shelters. This is an official Web site of the United States House of Representatives.