Community Action

What Community Action does

Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1965 as part of the federal War on Poverty, headquartered in San Marcos, Texas and serving a ten-county rural Central Texas service area (Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, Williamson, and rural Travis). The organization delivers an integrated portfolio of human services across four operating areas: Health Services (family planning, breast and cervical cancer screening, Rural AIDS Services Program), Early Childhood Education (13 Head Start and Early Head Start centers serving 539 children plus Parents as Teachers home visiting), Adult Literacy Education (19 programs across ten counties including GED/ESL/digital literacy/career training), and Community Services (utility and rental assistance, Senior Citizens Center, Youth Services via Core Four Partnership). It also convenes regional coalitions including the SMTX Mental Health Coalition and Start Smart Hays & Caldwell.

The business model is grant-funded and government-contract driven: revenue derives principally from federal and state programs (Office of Head Start, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Breast and Cervical Cancer Services, Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program, WIC, Medicaid enrollment assistance) supplemented by charitable foundation grants (e.g., McKenna Foundation) and individual donations. Services are provided free or on a sliding fee scale based on income eligibility (typically households at or below 80% of Area Median Family Income). The organization is governed by a 15-member volunteer Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Doug Mudd, with an operating budget of over $13M and 298 employees as of recent disclosures.

Technology and operational infrastructure is conventional and non-proprietary: SchoolInSITES/ConnectSuite for document management and online application intake, standard case management practices with human case workers developing self-sufficiency plans, and direct in-person service delivery at centers, clinics, and home visits. Distribution is purely regional with no national or international footprint. The organization derives competitive insulation from its Community Action designation, longstanding Head Start grantee status since 1965, BCCS contractor status since 1986, and embedded relationships with municipalities, school districts, and Texas State University — rather than from any technology-based differentiation.

Name

Community Action

Legal name

Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas

Website

https://communityaction.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1965 that delivers Head Start, adult education, health, youth, and community services to low-income individuals and families across a ten-county rural Central Texas service area, funded primarily by federal and state government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services / Community Human Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC), Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB), Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Adult education services
• Community health services
• Utility assistance programs
• Social services nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

San Marcos

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: Primary revenue source from federal and state government grants including Office of Head Start, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (CEAP), Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and various public health programs. The organization receives funding through programs like the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and breast cancer screening programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas is a 501(c)(3) community-based nonprofit that delivers an integrated portfolio of health, education, and human services through Head Start and Early Head Start centers, adult education and ESL programs, community health clinics, senior centers, home visiting programs, and energy/rental/Medicaid/breast cancer assistance — operated across ten rural counties in Central Texas.

Product overview

Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas is a community-based nonprofit operating an integrated health, education, and human services agency providing multiple interconnected programs. The organization delivers early childhood development through Head Start/Early Head Start centers; adult education including GED preparation, ESL, and career training; comprehensive health services encompassing family planning, cancer screening, and HIV/AIDS case management; youth development through the Core Four Partnership; and community support services including utility assistance, rental assistance, and senior citizen programs. Services are delivered through center-based, home-based, and community outreach modalities across ten counties in Central Texas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Head Start / Early Head Start Free early childhood education for income-eligible children ages 0–5, delivered through Head Start centers across the 10-county service area; includes Early Head Start for prenatal to age 3, parent engagement, developmental screenings, and family support services.
• Adult Education / ESL / GED Preparation Free adult education classes covering adult literacy, GED preparation, and English as a Second Language (ESL) for low-income adults in Central Texas, including basic computer literacy.
• Community Health Services Primary care, family planning, STD testing and treatment, immunizations, and other community health services offered on a sliding-fee schedule for uninsured and underinsured residents of rural Central Texas.
• Utility Assistance (CEAP) Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program providing one-time utility bill payment assistance to income-eligible households to prevent service shutoff, especially during Texas summer cooling and winter heating seasons.
• TBRA Rental Assistance Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program providing rent and security-deposit assistance to income-eligible households facing housing instability or homelessness in Central Texas.
• Parents as Teachers (PAT) Home Visiting Evidence-based home visiting program supporting expectant and new parents with prenatal education, child development, parenting curriculum, and developmental screenings, including the ReadyRosie online parenting curriculum.
• Rural AIDS Services Program (RASP) Ryan White–funded HIV/AIDS services for people living with HIV in rural Central Texas, including case management, ADAP enrollment, transportation, emergency assistance, and peer support.
• Breast Cancer Services Free breast cancer screening, education, and navigation support for income-eligible women in Central Texas, supporting early detection and linkage to treatment.
• Senior Citizens Center Congregate meals, social activities, transportation, and benefits navigation for adults 60+ in the San Marcos / Central Texas area, funded in part through Title III Older Americans Act programming.
• Youth Services After-school programming, summer youth activities, tutoring, and employability/job-readiness training for at-risk children, teens, and young adults ages 6–24 across the 10-county service area.
• Medicaid Assistance Program Free in-person assistance with Medicaid and CHIP applications, renewals, and benefits navigation for Central Texas residents seeking health coverage.
• Community Development Program CSBG–funded community development initiatives including local needs assessment, anti-poverty planning, ROMA-aligned outcome measurement, and capacity-building for partner organizations across the 10-county service area.

Quantifiable outcome

• 539 children and families served through Head Start in Hays and Caldwell counties
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Core Four PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Core Four Partnership is a collaboration between the City of San Marcos, Hays County, San Marcos CISD, and Texas State University, formalized through a city ordinance in February 2020. Community Action serves as the lead agency through the establishment of Youth Services. The partnership continues the work of the 2013 Youth Master Plan and focuses on youth development, mental health, and college/career readiness.
• SMTX Mental Health Coalition PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition established in 2018 in partnership with Center of P-16 Initiatives at Texas State University and City of San Marcos Commission on Children and Youth. Partners include: City of San Marcos, Hays County, Texas State University, SMCISD, Hill Country Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities Center, National Alliance on Mental Illness Central Texas, Dell Children's Health Plan, and over 30 other organizations addressing youth mental health.
• Texas Breast and Cervical Cancer Services (BCCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Action has been a BCCS contractor since 1986, providing free breast and cervical cancer services to women in rural counties. The program includes screening mammograms, diagnostic procedures, patient navigation, and enrollment in Medicaid for breast and cervical cancer treatment.
• Addressing Cancer Together (ACT) CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition providing free breast screenings to women ages 50-74 and high-risk women ages 40-49 in Hays, Bastrop and Williamson County. ACT provides diagnostic imaging and breast cancer treatment funding for individuals not meeting MBCC criteria.
• Workforce SolutionsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for adult education and career training services. Refers job seekers to Community Action programs for GED, ESL, and vocational training.
• Texas HIV Medication ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for linkage with medication assistance for HIV positive individuals through the Rural AIDS Services Program.
• United Way of Greater AustinmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Start Smart Hays & Caldwell coalition and Help Me Grow-Central Texas initiative, an early childhood systems building project supported by United Way.
• Texas PBSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Start Smart Texas, a statewide initiative of United Ways of Texas and Texas PBS supporting grade-level reading across Texas communities.
• Campaign for Grade-Level ReadingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of coalitions working to improve reading proficiency, with Start Smart Hays & Caldwell serving as a local implementation partner.
• Communicaid Care Health CentersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing breast cancer screening services in the BCCS program network.
• Austin Radiological AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiagnostic imaging partner providing mammography and radiology services for breast cancer screening program.
• Parents as Teachers National CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed affiliate providing the Parents as Teachers curriculum for home visiting programs serving pregnant and parenting families with children aged birth to five years in Hays and Caldwell Counties.
• Zero to ThreeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing resources and professional development for early childhood mental health, referenced in Parents as Teachers program materials.
• National Fatherhood InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResource partner for parenting education, referenced in Parents as Teachers program resources.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Community Action Partnership: National membership organization representing the 1,000+ Community Action Agencies in the U.S., including Community Action of Central Texas. As the umbrella body setting training, advocacy, and federal policy priorities for CAAs, it is the most structurally comparable entity for understanding sector position.
• Hill Country Community Action Council: Headquartered in Llano, Texas, this is a neighboring rural CAA serving a 13-county region of the Texas Hill Country. Highly comparable geography, scale, Head Start portfolio, and client demographics, and is the most direct regional peer.
• Rural Alaska Community Action Program (RurAL CAP): Anchorage-based nonprofit operating Head Start, energy assistance, housing, and workforce programs across rural Alaska. Comparable multi-program integration, rural service geography, and reliance on federal grants (Head Start, LIHEAP/CEAP analog) make it a strong functional peer.
• Texas Association of Community Action Agencies (TACAA): The state-level association of Texas CAAs providing training, advocacy, and shared services to member agencies including Community Action of Central Texas. Directly comparable in mission, regulatory framework, and funding streams within the same state.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of Central Texas: Austin-based multi-service nonprofit serving low-income families in Central Texas with case management, immigration, pregnancy support, and emergency assistance programs. Same geography, similar constituent base, but with a faith-based funding and volunteer model.
• Goodwill Industries of Central Texas: Austin-based nonprofit providing workforce development, vocational training, and social services to low-income individuals in the same Central Texas region. Comparable mission and target population, with adjacent (workforce/family stabilization) rather than directly competing service lines.
• United Way of Greater Austin: Regional funder and convening organization for social services in the Greater Austin area, including the Start Smart Hays & Caldwell coalition co-led with Community Action. Operates both as a strategic partner and as a broader-capacity peer spanning the same donor and community networks.

Others

• Workforce Solutions Capital Area: Public Workforce Development Board serving the Austin metro region, including the counties Community Action serves. Functions as a referral partner (sending job seekers into Community Action's adult education and career training programs) while also operating complementary workforce services — an ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/communityactioninc
• Instagraminstagram.com/smtxytf
• Xx.com/CommActionInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-action-inc-of-central-texas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Community Action