(A) Any nonprofit agency or organization seeking designation as a community action agency by the community services division shall obtain the endorsement of the chief elected officials of at least two-thirds of the municipal corporations and the counties within the community to be served by the agency or organization.

(B) Any nonprofit agency or organization that receives the endorsement provided for in division (A) of this section shall be designated by the division as the community action agency for the community it serves and shall receive community services block grant funds for any period of time that the nonprofit agency or organization:

(1) Provides a range of services and opportunities having a measurable and potentially major impact on the causes of poverty in the community or those areas of the community where poverty is a particularly acute problem. These activities may include but shall not be limited to:

(a) Providing activities designed to assist low-income persons, including elderly and handicapped low-income persons, to:

(i) Secure and maintain meaningful employment, training, work experience, and unsubsidized employment;

(ii) Attain an adequate education;

(iii) Make better use of available income;

(iv) Obtain and maintain adequate housing and a suitable living environment;

(v) Obtain emergency assistance through loans or grants to meet immediate and urgent individual and family needs, including the need for health services, nutritious food, housing, and employment-related assistance;

(vi) Remove obstacles and solve personal and family problems that block the achievement of self-sufficiency;

(vii) Achieve greater participation in the affairs of the community;

(viii) Undertake family planning, consistent with personal and family goals and religious and moral convictions;

(ix) Obtain energy assistance, conservation, and weatherization services.

(b) Providing, on an emergency basis, supplies and services, nutritious foodstuffs, and related services necessary to counteract conditions of starvation and malnutrition among low-income persons;

(c) Coordinating and establishing links between government and other social services programs to assure the effective delivery of services to low-income individuals;

(d) Providing child care services, nutrition and health services, transportation services, alcoholism and narcotic addiction prevention and rehabilitation services, youth development services, and community services to elderly and handicapped persons;

(e) Encouraging entities in the private sector to participate in efforts to ameliorate poverty in the community.

(2) Annually submits to the division a program plan and budget for use of community services block grant funds for the next federal fiscal year. At least ten days prior to its submission to the division, a copy of the program plan and budget shall be made available to the chief elected officials of the municipal corporations and counties within the service area in order to provide them the opportunity to review and comment upon such plan and budget.

(3) Composes its board of directors in compliance with section (c)(3) of section 675 of the "Community Services Block Grant Act," 95 Stat. 1609, 42 U.S.C.A. 9904, except that the board shall consist of not less than fifteen nor more than thirty-three members;

(4) Complies with the prohibitions against discrimination and political activity, as provided in the "Community Services Block Grant Act";

(5) Complies with fiscal and program requirements established by development services agency rule.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Effective Date: 10-08-1984 .