Community Action Resource and Development

What Community Action Resource and Development does

Community Action Resource and Development (CARD) is a non-profit community action agency founded in 1966 and headquartered in Claremore, Oklahoma, that administers anti-poverty programs for low-income individuals and families in northeastern Oklahoma. Its core work falls into four integrated program lines: (1) Early Childhood Services, anchored by federally-funded Head Start (ages 4-5) and Early Head Start (pregnant mothers through age 3) delivered through center-based classrooms, home-based educator visits, Extended Care, and School Readiness/Transitions; (2) Senior Services, comprising Senior Nutrition congregate and home-delivered meals, the Homemaker Program, the OK DHS-partnered Advantage Program, and Referral Services via outreach workers; (3) Housing Services, including new construction partnerships in Drumright, Bristow, and Tiawah, a Down Payment Assistance program (up to 5% of purchase price, capped at $5,000), required Homebuyer Education Classes, and Section 8-approved rental units; and (4) Emergency Services providing utility and rental assistance referrals.

CARD operates across at least six Oklahoma counties — Washington, Nowata, Rogers, Mayes, Wagoner, and part of Tulsa County (Broken Arrow) — through roughly 30 named service locations including the Claremore headquarters at 707 W. Lowry Rd., county offices, Head Start/Early Head Start centers, senior nutrition sites, and home-base educator routes. Underlying "technology" is non-technical: a website (cardcaa.org) hosted via cardheadstart.com, an SMS/email alert subscription system, and Facebook as the primary social channel. No commercial software product, mobile app, or proprietary platform is disclosed.

The business model is grant-funded rather than commercial: services are delivered at low or no cost to income-qualified participants under federal poverty guidelines, with revenue derived from federal Head Start/Early Head Start grants, federal/state housing program dollars, USDA-linked mortgage eligibility, and Oklahoma Department of Human Services funding. Governance is via an 11+ member volunteer Board of Directors (President Mike Dunlap, VP Robin McSpadden, Secretary Linda (Guinn) Allen, plus members Marianne Bateman, Steve Hendrix, Dennis McCollum, Joshua Steele, Nick Marks, Doug Sonenburg, Katie Wilson, Darrell Yoder, Troy Friddle), with a staffed HR function supporting teacher and family mentor specialist recruitment. The organization does not operate as a market-priced enterprise, so growth, valuation, and competitive dynamics are analyzed through the lens of grant retention, geographic expansion, and program diversification rather than traditional SaaS metrics.

Name

Community Action Resource and Development

Legal name

COMMUNITY ACTION RESOURCE & DEVELOPMENT, INC.

Website

https://cardcaa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CARD is a non-profit community action agency headquartered in Claremore, Oklahoma, delivering federally-funded Head Start early childhood education, senior nutrition and homemaker services, affordable housing assistance, and emergency aid to low-income families, seniors, and first-time homebuyers across six Oklahoma counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (6244), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Head Start & Publicly Funded Infant/Toddler Programs (EDACAGAH), Community & Nonprofit Before/After Care Programs (Early Years) (EDACAHAD), Down Payment Assistance (DPA) & Homebuyer Subsidy Programs (FSALAKAE), Early Childhood Development (ECD) & Pre-Primary Education (BPADAKAB), Cultural, Multilingual & Immigrant Family Engagement Programs (EDACALAL)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Senior nutrition services
• Affordable housing assistance
• Emergency financial assistance
• Community action programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Claremore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Federal Grant Funding: Head Start/Early Head Start programs are funded by Federal grants with income guidelines for participation. The organization operates as a non-profit community action agency.
2. Housing Program Partnerships: Partnerships with housing developers and contractors for new construction programs. Homes qualify for USDA home mortgage loans offering 100% financing.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Community Action Resource and Development (CARD) is a non-profit community action agency operating Head Start and Early Head Start early childhood education programs, senior nutrition and homemaker services, affordable housing programs (new construction, down payment assistance, homebuyer education, and rental housing), and emergency assistance services for low-income individuals and families across multiple counties in northeastern Oklahoma. Services are funded primarily through federal grants and provided at low or no cost to income-qualified participants.

Product overview

CARD is a community action agency offering a portfolio of social services programs. The core offerings include Head Start/Early Head Start early childhood education programs, Senior Services (nutrition, homemaker assistance, referral services), Housing Services (new construction, down payment assistance, homebuyer education, rental housing), and Emergency Services. These programs operate across multiple counties in Oklahoma (Washington, Nowata, Rogers, Mayes, Wagoner, and parts of Tulsa County) through various center-based and home-based service locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Head Start / Early Head Start Federally-funded early childhood education programs serving children ages 4-5 (Head Start) and pregnant mothers through age 3 (Early Head Start), offering education, nutrition, health, mental health, and family engagement services to income-qualified families.
• Senior Nutrition Congregate and home-delivered meal services for seniors age 60+ at nutrition sites across Rogers, Mayes, Nowata, and Washington Counties, combined with social activities, health screenings, and community engagement.
• Homemaker Program Light housekeeping and laundry assistance for qualifying homebound seniors needing extra help with household chores.
• Referral Services Outreach workers connect senior citizens and families with appropriate service providers through home visits and referrals to community resources.
• Advantage Program Meal delivery service for income-qualified homebound elderly or disabled individuals, provided in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
• New Construction Housing Affordable housing development partnerships with builders to construct homes for low-to-moderate income first-time homebuyers in Drumright, Bristow, and Tiawah, qualifying for USDA home mortgage loans with 100% financing.
• Down Payment Assistance Funds to cover or add to down payments and closing costs for first-time homebuyers, with maximum assistance of 5% of purchase price up to $5,000.
• Homebuyer Education Classes Free courses covering credit reports, lender selection, and homeownership readiness, required for First-Time Home Buyer Program applicants.
• Rentals Affordable rental housing including Claremore 2-bedroom apartments (Section 8 approved), Adair 1-2 bedroom apartments, and Tiawah 3-bedroom single-family homes.
• Emergency Services Low-income emergency assistance including utility and rental assistance, with referrals for long-term solutions through county representatives.
• Extended Care Additional childcare hours for qualified Head Start/Early Head Start families at select centers, with payment options including self-pay, tribal subsidy, and DHS.
• School Readiness & Transitions Kindergarten preparation program with curriculum alignment to public schools and summer transition packets for children moving to kindergarten.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1000 participants engaged in Annual Fishing Derby, demonstrating strong family engagement outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Others

• National Head Start Association: National membership and advocacy body for Head Start grantees. Industry-level peer and infrastructure provider that supports CARD's program delivery and federal funding advocacy.
• Feeding America Eastern Oklahoma (Regional Food Bank): Regional food bank serving the same NE Oklahoma counties as CARD, supplying food for the Senior Nutrition and Head Start meal programs. Adjacent / supplier-side peer with shared service geography.

Direct peers

• INCA Community Action Agency: Oklahoma community action agency delivering Head Start, senior, housing, and emergency programs to low-income households. Direct functional comparable operating under the same federal CAA framework.
• Community Action Project of Tulsa County (CAP Tulsa): Head Start/Early Head Start grantee and full-service community action agency in NE Oklahoma. Operates the same federal Head Start program model with child and family services, making it the closest direct comparable to CARD within the same state.
• KI BOIS Community Action Foundation: Eastern Oklahoma community action agency administering Head Start, senior nutrition, housing, and emergency services across multiple rural counties. Closely mirrors CARD's program portfolio and federal-grant-driven operating model.
• Little Dixie Community Action Agency: Oklahoma-based community action agency providing Head Start, senior services, housing, and emergency assistance across rural counties. Direct comparable in scope, funding model, and rural Oklahoma service-area profile.
• Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma/Canadian Counties: Larger Oklahoma metropolitan community action agency providing Head Start, energy assistance, and housing services. Comparable business model with broader scale, useful as an upper-bound peer.

Emerging players

• Morton Comprehensive Health Services: Tulsa-based nonprofit health and human services provider serving low-income populations. Adjacent peer with overlapping client base and federal-grant funding model, though health-services weighted.

Regional players

• Cherokee Nation Head Start / Early Childhood Unit: Tribal Head Start/Early Head Start grantee serving Cherokee Nation citizens in NE Oklahoma. Competes for the same federal Head Start funding pool within the same geographic region as CARD.

Broad incumbents

• NeighborWorks of Tulsa: HUD-approved housing counseling and affordable housing nonprofit in NE Oklahoma. Directly comparable on CARD's housing services line (DPA, homebuyer education, new construction partnerships).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Action Resource and Development