2026/2027 Community Needs Assessment (CNA) and Community Action Plan (CAP) Template - Draft

Sep 24, 2026

Template text for the 2026/2027 Community Needs Assessment (CNA) and Community Action Plan (CAP) required by the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Service Providers network. The Department of Community Services and Development requests completed CAPs (including a CNA) by June 30, 2025, and describes font and formatting expectations, page limits, and submission timing. It outlines federal and state programmatic assurances and certifications, organizational standards compliance, and key updates for 2026/2027 including ROMA certification capacity and revised assurance certification language by signature.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryForms

FormatPDF

Pages50

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Purpose

Federal CSBG Programmatic Assurances and Certification

State Assurances and Certification

Compliance with CSBG Organizational Standards

What’s New for 2026/2027?

Checklist

Cover Page

Public Hearing(s)

Part I: Community Needs Assessment Summary

Narrative

Results

Part II: Community Action Plan

Vision and Mission Statements

Causes and Conditions of Poverty

Tripartite Board of Directors

Service Delivery System

Linkages and Funding Coordination

Monitoring

ROMA Application

Part III: Appendices

emplat R vised 02/13/2025 Contents Introduction 3 Purpose 3 Federal CSBG Programmatic Assurances and Certification 3 State Assurances and Certification 3 Compliance with CSBG Organizational Standards 4 What’s New for 2026/2027? 4 Checklist 5 Cover Page 6 Public Hearing(s) 7 Part I: Community Needs Assessment Summary 9 Narrative 11 Results 14 Part II: Community Action Plan 16 Vision and Mission Statements 16 Causes and Conditions of Poverty 17 Tripartite Board of Directors 18 Service Delivery System 19 Linkages and Funding Coordination 20 Monitoring 23 ROMA Application 24 Federal CSBG Programmatic Assurances 25 State Assurances 28 Organizational Standards 29 Part III: Appendices 31 Introduction The Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) has developed the 2026/2027 Community Needs Assessment (CNA) and Community Action Plan (CAP) template for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Service Providers network. CSD requests agencies submit a completed CAP, including a CNA, to CSD on or before June 30, 2025. Changes from the previous template are detailed below in the “What’s New for 2026/2027?” section. Provide all narrative responses in 12-point Arial font with 1.15 spacing. A completed CAP template should not exceed 65 pages, excluding the appendices. Purpose Public Law 105-285 (the CSBG Act) and the California Government Code require that CSD secure a CAP, including a CNA from each agency. Section 676(b)(11) of the CSBG Act directs that receipt of a CAP is a condition to receive funding. Section 12747(a) of the California Government Code requires the CAP to assess poverty-related needs, available resources, feasible goals, and strategies that yield program priorities consistent with standards of effectiveness established for the program. Although CSD may prescribe statewide priorities or strategies that shall be considered and addressed at the local level, each agency is authorized to set its own program priorities in conformance to its determination of local needs. The CAP supported by the CNA is a two-year plan that shows how agencies will deliver CSBG services. CSBG funds are by their nature designed to be flexible. They shall be used to support activities that increase the capacity of low-income families and individuals to become self-sufficient. Federal CSBG Programmatic Assurances and Certification The Federal CSBG Programmatic Assurances are found in Section 676(b) of the CSBG Act. These assurances are an integral part of the information included in the CSBG State Plan. A list of the assurances that are applicable to CSBG agencies has been provided in the Federal Programmatic Assurances section of this template. CSBG agencies should review these assurances and confirm that they are in compliance. Signature of the board chair and executive director on the Cover Page certify compliance with the Federal CSBG Programmatic Assurances. State Assurances and Certification As required by the CSBG Act, states are required to submit a State Plan as a condition to receive funding. Information provided in agencies’ CAPs will be included in the CSBG State Plan. Alongside Organizational Standards, the state will be reporting on State Accountability Measures in order to ensure accountability and program performance improvement. A list of the applicable State Assurances is provided in this template. CSBG agencies should review these assurances and confirm that they are in compliance. Signature of the board chair and executive director on the Cover Page certify compliance with the State Assurances. Compliance with CSBG Organizational Standards As described in the Office of Community Services (OCS) Information Memorandum (IM) \#138 dated January 26, 2015, CSBG agencies will comply with the Organizational Standards. A list of Organizational Standards that are met by an accepted CAP, including a CNA, are found in the Organizational Standards section of this

FAQs

When are agencies required to submit the 2026/2027 CAP (including the CNA)?

Agencies must submit a completed CAP, including a CNA, on or before June 30, 2025. Earlier submission is requested to give more time for review and incorporation into the CSBG State Plan and Application.

What requirement applies to ROMA certification for the 2026/2027 CAP?

Agencies must have the capacity to provide their own ROMA, or a comparable system, certification. Certification may be provided by trained agency staff or through a consultant or another agency partnership.

How will federal and state assurances be certified in the 2026/2027 template?

Unlike prior templates that used checkboxes and covered language, the 2026/2027 template requires board chair and executive director certification by signature only. The assurances language remains included in the federal and state sections.

Sep 24, 2026

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