The following is a list of helpful resources for the Community Action Agency network. If you would like to add to the list of resources please email caplawinfo@caplaw.org with the suggested link.
The Nonprofit Lobbying Guide - written by Bob Smucker and published by Independent Sector - provides practical information for nonprofits on how to lobby and on complying with lobbying rules that apply to 501(c)(3) organizations.
Enterprise Resources Database - Communications and Fundraising
NPAction.org - an online resource that supports capacity building for nonprofit advocacy by collecting the best practices of seasoned advocates and engaging newcomers with a wide range of updated topics and tools.
OMB Watch - dedicated to explaining complex governmental processes in understandable terms and to encouraging greater public policy participation.
Federal Register - The Federal Register is the official vehicle by which federal agencies make announcements. The 1994 - 2000 Federal Registers are available at this site.
Thomas - Federal Legislative Information on the Web - Library of Congress web page with information on current bill status as well as archives of public laws and congressional reports.
United States Government Printing Office (GPO) Home Page - Links to wide variety of federal legal material, including the United States Code (USC), the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), agency web pages, executive department web pages, and legislative information.
Find Law - Comprehensive database of general legal information as well as federal and state cases, statutes, and codes.
Glossary of Legal Terms - A glossary of common legal terms prepared by court TV.
Power of Attorney - On-line directory of local programs that provide pro bono business law services to non-profit organizations.
Probono.net - is a unique experiment in the use of information technology and a unique collaboration among the various parts of the public interest legal community.
Pro Bono Partnership - a complete legal resource center for nonprofit organizations and attorneys.
Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Resources
Please note that selected CSBG IMS are listed futher down the page under the heading "OCS CSBG Information Memoranda".
Federal Community Services Block Grant Act (codified version)
Community Services Block Grant homepage, OCS - OCS's site for CSBG, including legislation, regulations, statistics, applications, and contact information.
GAO Report - Community Services Block Grant Program: HHS Should Improve Oversight by Focusing Monitoring and Assistance Efforts on Areas of High Risk
Office of Community Services (OCS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) - Federal office that administers CSBG and other community-based programs.
National Community Action Foundation - National organization serving as advocate and lobbyist for low-income programs.
National Community Action Partnership - National organization that represents the interests of Community Action Agencies around the country.
National Assocition for State Community Services Programs (NASCSP) - A national association advocating and enhancing the leadership role of states in preventing and reducing poverty.
Northeast Institute for Quality Community Action (NIQCA) - A resource for self assessment, model policies and governance/management tips for CAAs nationwide. Self-assessment, peer reviews and trainings are available for CAAs in CT, MA, and RI. Chalkboard - Fraud
VirtualCAP.org - access to successful programs and projects developed by Community Action Agencies around the United States. Provides a searchable database of programs and projects developed nationwide by Community Action Agencies. Programs can be researched by state, category, or keyword. For each program, site provides a summary description and links to useful materials and related websites.
Head Start: Additional Information on Implementation of Transportation Regulations - Letter from the United States Government Accountability Office.
Head Start Bureau, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) - Home page of Head Start Bureau with statistics, announcements, regulations, and policies.
National Head Start Association - National non-profit organization that advocates for Head Start programs around the country.
The Head Start Act - Compilation of the complete and current Head Start Act.
Employment Law Guide from the U.S. Department of Labor - Describes statutes and regulations that employers need to develop policies for the workplace.
Enterprise Resources Database - Human Resources
National Immigration Law Center - Provides information and resources about immigrants and employment.
Social Security Administration (SSA) No-Match Letters - Information from the National Immigration Law Center on SSA No-Match Letters from the National Immigration Law Center.
Financial Management Guide for Federally–Funded Organizations - is a useful resource for federal grantees, especially those receiving Rural Development Section 523 Mutual Self-Help Housing Program funds and other nonprofit housing development corporations. Other guides available at this website include “Board of Directors Guide”, “Guide to Basic Bookkeeping for Nonprofits”, as well as several other self-help training guides.
Political Activity (Hatch Act)
HHS Grants Net - Information about the process by which HHS administers grants.
OMB Circulars: - Links to a number of OMB circulars applicable to CAAs and Head Start Programs.
Cited below are the website links for appeals systems of selected federal agencies whose rulings may impact community action agencies. While key decisions are reviewed in the Legal Update, the ability to read the full text of decisions and search for specific information make these websites important resources.
Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Hearings and Appeals - DOE's Office of Hearings and Appeals is responsible for conducting hearings and issuing the initial decision with respect to any adjudicative proceedings which the Secretary may delegate, except those within the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Board of Contract Appeals. Jurisdiction encompasses complaints filed under the DOE Contractor Employee Protection Program, Proposed Remedial Orders issued by the Economic Regulatory Administration, and Personnel Security Hearing Officer and Review functions.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Departmental Appeals Board - HHS' Departmental Appeals Board (DAB) hears cases and provides dispute resolution services to parties involved in conflict regarding various HHS offices and programs, such as ACF grant disallowances and terminations.
Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Administrative Law Judges - The DOL Office of Administrative Law Judges hear cases involving a wide variety of labor-related actions, such as black lung benefits, longshore workers' compensation, immigration-related alien labor certifications and enforcement actions, nuclear and environmental whistleblower cases, Fair Labor Standards Act enforcement actions, and OFCCP civil rights actions.
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) - Decisions and orders of the NLRB, the independent federal agency that enforces the National Labor Relations Act.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Administrative Law Judges - The Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) conducts rulemaking and adjudicatory hearings in proceedings subject to the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), and issues initial decisions and orders. The Judges also decide appeals of debarments and suspensions.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Judicial Officer - The Judicial Officer acts as final deciding officer in USDA adjudicatory proceedings; the mission is to review carefully the record in each proceeding and to issue expeditiously a fair, clear, well-reasoned final USDA decision. The Judicial Officer's decisions and rulings are published in Agriculture Decisions and are available on WESTLAW under the database USDA.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Administrative Law Judges - HUD Administrative Law Judges hear the following types of cases: Fair Housing Act cases; civil money penalty cases; mortgagee review board cases; suspension and debarment cases; limited denial of participation cases; and program fraud civil penalties cases.
IRS On-Line Workshops for Exempt Organizations
The Internal Revenue Service has launched a new free web-based version of its popular exempt organizations Workshop covering tax compliance issuesconfronted by small and mid-sized tax exempt organizations.
1. Tax Exempt Status
2. Unrelated Business Income
3. Employment Issues
4. Form 990
5. Required Disclosures
Tax Exempt Toolkit - is designed to give directors, executives, and volunteers a basic overview of the various laws and financial responsibilities the average small exept organization is faced with.
A Charity’s Guide to Vehicle Donations is now available from the IRS. Click here for more information and guidance from the IRS on vehicle donations.
American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Audit Committee
Toolkit for Not-for-Profit Organizations - an invaluable resource for boards and
audit committees that includes checklists, forms and sample policies.
Board Café - an electronic newsletter for nonprofit boards published by
CompassPoint Nonprofit Services.
BoardSource - a nonprofit that provides publications, tools, consulting and a
membership program dedicated to strengthening nonprofit boards.
CAA Board Governance: Now More than Ever - By Anita Lichtblau
Enterprise Resources Database - Governance and Planning
Grant Thorton's Not-for-Profit Board Governance Institute - board governance
resources, including Forward Thinking, Grant Thornton’s newsletter on best
governance practices for not-for-profit executives and board members, other
not-for-profit publications, and information on Grant Thornton’s Board
Governance Institute EducationForum.
Iowa Principles and Practices for Charitable Nonprofit Excellence - The purpose
of the Iowa Principles and Practices for Charitable Nonprofit Excellence is to
promote good management practices, ethical conduct, and public accountability
for Iowa charitable nonprofit organizations as they perform their
crucial community services.
IRS's Draft Good Governance Practices for Section 501(c)(3) Organizations -
The IRS has released a "preliminary staff discussion draft" of good governance
practices for tax exempt organizations described in section 501(c)(3). The
discussion draft focuses primarily on policies and practices of the board of
directors, and contains suggested practices in the following areas: mission
statement, code of ethics, due diligence, duty of loyalty, transparency,
fundraising policy, financial audits, compensation practices, and document
retention policy.
OMB Watch article - Link to article “The Ban on Election Intervention:
What Charities Should Know”
PowerPoint presentation prepared by the federal Office of Special Counsel - On
the application of the Hatch Act to state and local employees or employees of
nonprofits deemed to be state or local employees by statute (such as CSBG
and Head Start).
OCS CSBG Information Memoranda
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 2 - Duties and Interests with respect to
property purchased, constructed, or improved by a sub-grantee using block
grant funds provided under section 680(b) of the Community Services Block
Grant Act.
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 3 - Prhobitions against the use of
CSBG funds related to the purchase or improvement of real property and the
Secretary's right to waive the prohibition.
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 10 - 1994 Community Services
Block Grant Reauthorization Amendements.
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 20 - A discussion of Indirect cost rate
principles.
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 30 - Guidance on the interpretation of
"Federal Public Benefit" under the personal responsibility and work opportunity
reconciliation act of 1996 (PRWORA).
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 37 - Definition and allowability of direct
and administrative costs.
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 42 - Statutory requirements for
designation priority of private nonprofit organizations over political subdivisions
as eligible entities in unserved areas.
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 50 - Policy guidance on serving
persons with limited English proficiency.
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 61 - FY 2001 CSBG carryover funds.
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 66a - Special state technical
assistance.
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 82 - Tripartite Boards
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 94 - Fiscal Year 2006 Head Start
triennial and follow-up reviews in Community Action Agencies - immediate
and long-term opportunities.
Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 97 - Guidance on the CSBG
requirement to monitor eligible entities.
