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CSBG Updates
The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) is a federally funded block grant in the Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families, United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides funds to states, territories, and tribes to administer to support services that alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty in under resourced communities. Tribes, territories, and over 1,000 local Community Action Agencies provide CSBG funded services and activities including housing, nutrition, utility, and transportation assistance; employment, education, and other income and asset building services; crisis and emergency services; and community asset building initiatives, among other things. Over 9 million individuals are served by CSBG-funded programs annually.
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Current News
FY2025 CSBG Request
A “Dear Colleague” letter is currently being circulated in the Senate by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR). Signers will be added until just before the letter due date of May 14th. The House letter, led by Reps. Jim Costa (D-CA-16) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), has been submitted to the Appropriations Committee.
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In addition to the requested funding level, there is strong encouragement for Congress to raise CSBG eligible to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
CSBG Annual Report 3.0
The Office of Community Services has issued a “Dear Colleague” letter notifying the public of the final 30-day public comment period on proposed revisions to the CSBG Annual Report 3.0. OCS has made substantial revisions to the Annual Report based on 1,799 unique comments received during the initial 60-day comment period.
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NASCSP developed a comparative analysis of the original 3.0 report versus the updated version.