Resource Library
All of CAPLAW’s resources and publications are now available in CAPLAW’s new Resource Library. Use the search filters below to find the resource you need.
Featured Resources
Complying with the New Head Start Performance Standards
On August 21, 2024, the federal Office of Head Start (OHS) released extensive regulatory changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) in Supporting the Head Start Workforce and Consistent Quality Programming (the Final Rule)…
Open Meetings Law State-by-State Guide
Open meetings laws typically apply to federal, state, and local governmental bodies. However, some states expand applicability to non-governmental entities, such as recipients of government grants and certain nonprofit organizations…
Responding to Data Incidents
With cybercrime increasing, this question arises more and more often. Many CAAs have moved away from paper records toward electronic systems which contain significant amounts of data, and it isn’t always clear what obligations a CAA has when data within its care is compromised…
Supreme Court Corner: Update on Anti-Discrimination in Federal Grantmaking
Recent court decisions resulted in a range of challenges to anti-discrimination initiatives in grantmaking by nonprofit organizations. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down race-based affirmative action in higher education in its 2023 Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) decision, and the U.S. Court...
Route Recalculation: New GPS Guides HHS Grants
For the first time since 2007, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a new Grants Policy Statement (GPS). The GPS, which is incorporated as a standard term and condition in a grantee’s Notice of Award, provides information on the award process and legal rules that apply to...
Complying with the New Head Start Performance Standards
On August 21, 2024, the federal Office of Head Start (OHS) released extensive regulatory changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) in Supporting the Head Start Workforce and Consistent Quality Programming (the Final Rule)…
Almost on the Same Page: HHS’s Adoption of the Uniform Guidance
Recipients and subrecipients of federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other federal agencies can soon expect greater uniformity in the rules that govern the administration and use of those funds. HHS published an Interim Final Rule (the "Rule") on October...
Complying with the New Head Start Program Performance Standards in 2024
On August 21, 2024, the federal Office of Head Start (OHS) released extensive regulatory changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards. These changes (the “New HSPPS”) address a wide swath of topics, including staff wages and benefits, child safety, the integration of mental health into...
Grants Pass v. Johnson: The Supreme Court Rules on Approach to Homelessness
On June 28, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson that could increase the challenges faced by unhoused individuals and the CAAs that serve them. The Supreme Court upheld city ordinances in Grants Pass, Oregon, barring people from sleeping or camping outside in...
Go Fish: Reacting to the Shifting Regulatory Framework Post-Loper Bright
Although it’s unlikely any CAAs will wade into the fishery law at the core of the recent U.S. Supreme Court case Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the decision has muddied the legal waters, which has significant implications for organizational operations and programming. This case overturned a...
Incentive Compensation: Another Option in a Staffing Strategy
Many Community Action Agencies (CAAs) routinely review the perks they provide to help retain experienced staff and hire new talent. One way which CAAs may choose to reward productive employees is by adopting and implementing an incentive compensation plan. Incentive compensation is a one-time...
Maximizing Understanding of the New De Minimis Rate (Part 2)
With the effective date of the updated Uniform Guidance fast approaching, the increase in the de minimis rate from 10% to up to 15% of modified total direct costs invites the question: should a CAA elect to use the new de minimis rate? To help CAAs understand the new de minimis rate and other...