National Community Action Partnership

What National Community Action Partnership does

National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit membership association founded in 1964 that serves as the national hub for the Community Action network in the United States. The organization supports nearly 1,000 local Community Action Agencies (CAAs), state associations, and national partners working to alleviate poverty, with programs spanning economic mobility, energy assistance, community economic development, SNAP Employment & Training, and a whole-family approach to service delivery. NCAP is federally funded through a Community Services Block Grant (Grant Number 90ET0502) from the HHS Administration for Children and Families.

NCAP's product and service portfolio is built around three pillars: (1) standards and credentials — CCAP Professional Certification, Organizational Standards, and Pathways to Excellence — which codify operating norms across the network; (2) leadership development — the New Executive Director Institute, ED/Board Chair Symposium, ELITE Emerging Leaders cohort, Management & Leadership Training Conference, and the Annual Convention (CAPCON, scheduled for St. Louis in 2026); and (3) digital infrastructure — the Community Action Academy online learning platform and a Data Hub for community needs assessment. Customized training and technical assistance are delivered directly to agencies and state/regional networks, supported by weekly webinars and a scenario-planning toolkit.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining membership dues from local CAAs and state associations, event registration fees (e.g., $499 member / $699 non-member for the New Executive Director Institute; $999 member / $1,299 non-member for the ED/Board Chair Symposium), the federal CSBG pass-through, and ancillary sponsorship and endorsement programs. Go-to-market is community-led: NCAP engages the network through direct membership enrollment, weekly webinars, conferences, and a public-facing 'Find Your CAA' locator. Headcount is reported at 11–50 employees; leadership includes CEO Denise Harlow.

Name

National Community Action Partnership

Legal name

Community Action Partnership

Website

https://communityactionpartnership.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

National Community Action Partnership is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit membership association that supports nearly 1,000 local Community Action Agencies and state associations in the United States through federal grant funding, professional certification, leadership development, and training programs aimed at poverty alleviation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Action and Anti-Poverty Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Community action services
• Anti-poverty programs
• Nonprofit association services
• Workforce development training
• Professional certification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: NCAP generates revenue through membership fees from local Community Action agencies and state associations across the United States.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

National Community Action Partnership is a national nonprofit membership association that supports nearly 1,000 Community Action agencies across the United States. It delivers training, professional certification, technical assistance, advocacy, and convening services to help member agencies run anti-poverty programs serving low-income households, and is funded substantially through federal grants and member dues.

Product overview

National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) is a nonprofit membership association serving the Community Action network, which includes nearly 1,000 local Community Action Agencies, state associations, and national partners. The organization offers a portfolio of programs and initiatives including CCAP Professional Certification, Collaborative on Economic Mobility (CEM), Community Economic Development, Customized Training and Technical Assistance, Energy Partnerships, Organizational Standards, Pathways to Excellence, SNAP Employment & Training, and Whole Family Approach. NCAP also provides professional development through the New Executive Director Institute, Executive Director/Board Chair Symposium, ELITE leadership program, Management & Leadership Training Conference, and Annual Convention. The organization supports its members with tools and resources including the Community Action Academy online learning platform and Data Hub for community needs assessment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CCAP Professional Certification

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered emerging.

• Community Action Partnerships (CAPs) in Community Solar InitiativesemergingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025CAP agencies are identified as good partners for community solar programs, providing cost-effective enrollment of low-income customers and ongoing pilot projects connecting CAPs with solar providers.
• A Home for Every Child InitiativeemergingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCAP is involved in ACF's 'A Home for Every Child' initiative, a new effort from the US HHS Administration for Children and Families.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Feeding America: National network of food banks addressing hunger and food insecurity through member affiliates. Comparable as a national membership nonprofit network delivering community services through distributed local agencies.
• United Way Worldwide: National network of local United Way organizations focused on community impact, poverty alleviation, and economic mobility. Closely mirrors NCAP's hub-and-spoke model supporting a national network of local affiliates addressing poverty.
• NASCSP (National Association for State Community Services Programs): National association representing state agencies administering CSBG and weatherization programs. Direct peer in the Community Action/CSBG ecosystem with overlapping federal funding and member base.
• National Council of Nonprofits: National membership network of nonprofit organizations providing advocacy, training, and resources to the charitable sector. Highly comparable to NCAP as a national nonprofit trade association serving a distributed member base.
• Independent Sector: Coalition of nonprofits, foundations, and corporations advancing the charitable sector through research, policy, and advocacy. Directly comparable membership/coalition model focused on nonprofit ecosystem support.
• Catholic Charities USA: National network of Catholic Charities agencies providing social services to low-income individuals and families. Directly comparable national nonprofit federation addressing poverty and community needs.

Emerging players

• Points of Light Foundation: National nonprofit focused on volunteer engagement and community service. Comparable as a federally-supported organization promoting community action and civic engagement across a distributed network.
• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: National policy think tank focused on anti-poverty and budget policy. Adjacent peer engaged in the same federal anti-poverty policy ecosystem as NCAP.
• National Low Income Housing Coalition: Advocacy and research organization focused on affordable housing and anti-poverty policy. Comparable as a federally-engaged national nonprofit working on overlapping low-income policy priorities.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Social Workers (NASW): Large national professional membership association for social workers offering certification, training, and advocacy. Comparable membership model with certification and professional development focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=UoN6smbLBkQ
• Xx.com/CAPartnership
• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityActionPartnershipNationallOffice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-action-partnership---national-office

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Community Action Partnership