CCAP History 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which 1960s federal legislation created the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) as the primary agency overseeing Community Action Agencies?
- Social Security Act of 1965
- Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 (Correct answer)
- Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Housing Act of 1961
Correct answer: Economic Opportunity Act of 1964
The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 established the OEO, which administered the Community Action Program and funded local CAAs.
Question 2: The 'maximum feasible participation' requirement in the Economic Opportunity Act was controversial because it:
- Required CAAs to hire only credentialed social workers
- Mandated that low-income residents have meaningful input in program governance (Correct answer)
- Prohibited federal employees from sitting on CAA boards
- Set maximum income thresholds for program participation
Correct answer: Mandated that low-income residents have meaningful input in program governance
Maximum feasible participation required low-income community members to have real decision-making roles in CAAs, which challenged existing power structures.
Question 3: The Green Amendment of 1967 to the Economic Opportunity Act primarily affected CAAs by:
- Doubling federal funding for Head Start programs
- Shifting control of CAAs from communities to local elected officials (Correct answer)
- Eliminating the maximum feasible participation requirement entirely
- Creating the Community Services Administration
Correct answer: Shifting control of CAAs from communities to local elected officials
The Green Amendment allowed local governments to take over governance of CAAs, reducing community control and empowering elected officials.
Question 4: Which president's administration impounded Community Action Program funds and worked to dismantle the Office of Economic Opportunity in the early 1970s?
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Richard Nixon (Correct answer)
- Gerald Ford
- Jimmy Carter
Correct answer: Richard Nixon
President Nixon impounded OEO funds and gradually dismantled the agency, transferring its programs to other departments between 1973 and 1974.
Question 5: The Community Services Administration (CSA), which succeeded the OEO, was abolished in which year?
- 1975
- 1978
- 1981 (Correct answer)
- 1986
Correct answer: 1981
President Reagan eliminated the CSA in 1981 as part of budget cuts, replacing it with the Community Services Block Grant administered by states.
Question 6: The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) differed from prior OEO/CSA funding primarily because it:
- Increased total federal appropriations for anti-poverty work
- Gave states discretion in distributing funds rather than direct federal-to-CAA grants (Correct answer)
- Required CAAs to become private nonprofit corporations
- Mandated that 100% of funds go directly to individual clients
Correct answer: Gave states discretion in distributing funds rather than direct federal-to-CAA grants
CSBG routed federal funds through state governments, giving states flexibility in allocation and reducing direct federal oversight of individual CAAs.
Question 7: Which organization, founded in 1971, became the primary national membership association advocating for Community Action Agencies?
- National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
- Community Action Partnership (CAP)
- National Community Action Foundation (NCAF) (Correct answer)
- Urban League National Office
Correct answer: National Community Action Foundation (NCAF)
The National Community Action Foundation (NCAF) was established in 1971 to advocate for CAAs at the federal level and support the network.
CCAP History 2
Which 1960s federal legislation created the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) as the primary agency overseeing Community Action Agencies?