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
Monitoring Map for CSBG
This guide is intended to help Community Action Agencies (CAAs) and state Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) offices understand the rules, build relationships, and navigate each stage of the...
From Community to Boardroom: FAQ on Democratic Selection and the Low-Income Sector
Low-income individuals in the community have an important voice in the administration of poverty alleviating programs. The federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Act recognizes this and...
Bylaws Toolkit
This updated Bylaws Toolkit will help CAAs develop bylaws that are clear, effective, and up-to-date. The toolkit outlines key concepts for an agency’s bylaws, such as the authority of the Board of...
Requiring Exempt Employees to Record Time Worked
May CAAs require exempt employees to record their hours worked or will doing so undermine the salary-basis test for their exemption from the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)?
What Does the Recent Supreme Court Campaign Finance Decision Mean for Your Organization?
Make no mistake about it - in the recent Citizens United decision, the Supreme Court radically changed the rules of the road for for-profit and some nonprofit corporations looking to influence elections. In sort, it removed the prohibition on corporations and unions spending their own money for...
Sample Attorney Engagement Letter
This Sample Attorney Consultant Engagement Letter is an example of the type of agreement a CAA could enter into with outside counsel to obtain assistance on particular legal matters.
Sample Board Applicant Questionnaire (CAA + Head Start)
CAPLAW's Sample Board Applicant Questionnaire for CAAs with Head Start Programs helps CAAs track the Head Start required qualifications for the governing body, as well as determine a board applicant's relevant experiences for board service.
Head Start Board Composition and Responsibilities Checklist
Use this Head Start Board Checklist to assess your board composition and board responsibilities to ensure compliance with the Head Start Act.
Pennsylvania Court Rules Head Start Program Staff Not Eligible for Unemployment Over Summer Break
Head Start employees in Pennsylvania who are filing for unemployment compensation during summer recess this year may be in for a disappointment. In Montgomery County Head Start v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review,1 a recent decision by the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, a Head Start...
Hatch Act Does Not Apply to Employee Who Merely Uses Equipment Purchased with Federal Funds
The United States Office of Special Counsel (OSC) issued an advisory opinion regarding coverage of the Hatch Act, a federal law restricting the political activity of some government employees, as well as some employees of Community Action Agencies (CAAs) and Head Start grantees. The OSC determined...
Mission Possible: Understanding & Developing an Effective Mission Statement
No one-size-fits-all description of a Community Action Agency (CAA) exists. CAAs serve diverse populations, operate in a range of areas, and fulfill a variety of needs. There is no doubt that reducing poverty and enabling self-sufficiency are principal goals, but every CAA has a different...
Tax Talk: IRS Issues Ruling on Joint Venture with For-profit
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued long awaited guidance on so-called "ancillary" joint ventures between tax exempt organizations and for-profits. An "ancillary" joint venture is a partnership between an exempt organization and a for-profit where the activity being conducted by the...