Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation

What Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation does

Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation (OACAC) is a nonprofit social services agency founded in 1965 and headquartered at 215 S. Barnes Ave., Springfield, Missouri. The organization delivers a coordinated suite of poverty-alleviation programs across ten Southwest Missouri counties (Barry, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Greene, Lawrence, Polk, Stone, Taney, and Webster). OACAC operates as one of 19 Community Action Agencies in Missouri and is part of a national network of more than 1,000 such agencies, which provides programmatic frameworks, advocacy leverage, and federal/state funding pathways. Its service portfolio is organized into three pillars: Community Care (CSBG Outreach Centers, Family Planning, Foster Grandparent, Head Start); Housing & Utilities (Housing Assistance, LIHEAP Energy Programs, Weatherization); and Community Projects (Patient Empowerment Project, Poverty Simulation, REALL Simulation, VOICE Experience).

The operational backbone is a distributed service-delivery network of CSBG Outreach Centers and neighborhood offices that residents access by phone, in person, or via a website contact form. No proprietary technology, software platform, AI capability, or technical stack is disclosed; service delivery is human-led and place-based. Headcount is reported at 251–500 employees, supporting operations across the ten-county service area. Eligibility for all programs is means-tested, and services are delivered at no direct cost to qualifying recipients, so pricing is not publicly disclosed.

OACAC's revenue model is grant- and donation-funded. The primary stream is federal and state program funding flowing through LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), Head Start, and CSBG (Community Services Block Grant) Outreach Centers. A secondary stream is charitable contributions solicited through a "Donate Today" call-to-action on the website, a mailing list, and event-driven fundraising. The organization also runs a structured volunteer engagement program—most notably Foster Grandparent for adults aged 55+—and uses recurring community awareness events (Poverty Simulation, REALL Simulation, VOICE Experience, MO Mac & Cheese Fest, Regional Uniting Network meetings) to drive participation and donations. Marketing and outreach rely on the website, mailing list, volunteer portal, events, and a Community Needs Assessment survey to inform a three-year service plan.

Name

Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation

Legal name

Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation

Website

https://oacac-caa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation (OACAC) is a Springfield, Missouri-based nonprofit, founded in 1965, that delivers poverty-alleviation programs—including housing, utility, family planning, and Head Start services—across ten Southwest Missouri counties, funded by federal/state grants and charitable donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Housing Services (62422), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) and Emergency Livelihood Support (BPAGAAAJ)

Keywords

• Poverty alleviation services
• Community action programs
• Housing assistance services
• Energy assistance programs
• Early childhood education

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Program Funding: OACAC operates federal and state-funded assistance programs including LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) for utility assistance, Head Start early childhood education, and CSBG (Community Services Block Grant) funded Outreach Centers. These programs provide direct financial assistance and services to qualifying low-income residents in Southwest Missouri.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: OACAC accepts monetary donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations to support poverty alleviation programs. The website includes a 'Donate Today' call-to-action, indicating an active donor engagement program. Donations are described as 'an investment in the success of communities throughout Southwest Missouri.'

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

OACAC is a nonprofit community action agency that delivers a unified suite of poverty-alleviation services to low-income residents across ten Southwest Missouri counties. Its core offerings include housing rental assistance, LIHEAP winter heating and summer cooling bill assistance, home weatherization, family planning and reproductive health services, Head Start early childhood education, CSBG Outreach Centers providing life skills classes and emergency assistance, and volunteer programs including the Foster Grandparent initiative.

Product overview

OACAC is a nonprofit agency operating as a unified suite of social service programs designed to alleviate poverty in Southwest Missouri. The organization offers four main service categories: Community Care (CSBG Outreach Centers, Family Planning, Foster Grandparent, Head Start) providing life skills, health, volunteer, and early childhood education services; Housing & Utilities (Housing Assistance, LIHEAP Energy Programs, Weatherization) addressing shelter and energy needs; and Community Projects (Poverty Simulation, REALL Simulation, VOICE Experience) delivering educational awareness programs. These programs work together to empower individuals and families toward self-sufficiency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CSBG Outreach Centers Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)-funded Outreach Centers providing Life Skills Classes and Emergency Assistance to address long- and short-term needs of low-income residents in Southwest Missouri.
• Family Planning Reproductive health care and family planning resources that help families determine the number and spacing of their children.
• Foster Grandparent Program Volunteer program engaging adults aged 55 and older to share their time, talents, and encouragement with children throughout Southwest Missouri.
• Head Start Early childhood education program that prepares children for a lifetime of learning success and fosters healthy development for kids and families.
• Housing Assistance Rental payment assistance helping low-income residents access safe, sanitary, and affordable housing.
• LIHEAP Energy Programs Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helping qualifying residents pay winter heating bills and summer cooling costs.
• Weatherization Home insulation and repair services that improve residential energy efficiency, keep residents warm, and reduce heating costs.
• Poverty Simulation Educational program that brings to life the difficult choices low-income residents face every day, raising awareness and empathy among community members.
• REALL Simulation Educational program challenging teens to think critically about how the choices they make today will impact their lives for years to come.
• VOICE Experience Hands-on career exploration program encouraging elementary students to dream big through introduction to a variety of career fields.
• Patient Empowerment Project (PEP) Community project focused on empowering patients with resources and support.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National hunger-relief organization running the largest food bank network in the U.S. Overlaps with OACAC's food security directory and emergency food assistance work, but at vastly greater scale and through a different supply-chain-driven operating model.
• Catholic Charities USA: National nonprofit network providing housing, emergency assistance, family services, and case management to low-income populations. Operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth than OACAC but competes for the same donor dollars, volunteers, and government contracts in overlapping service domains.
• United Way Worldwide: Global fundraising and grantmaking organization that aggregates workplace giving and distributes funds to local human-services affiliates. Competes with OACAC for the same Southwest Missouri donor dollars and indirectly funds similar community-based poverty alleviation programs through partner agencies.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Global nonprofit focused on affordable home construction and home repair for low-income families. Directly comparable to OACAC's Housing Assistance and Weatherization programs, but with a much larger donor base, volunteer model (house building), and global brand recognition.
• The Salvation Army: Large national nonprofit delivering emergency shelter, utility assistance, food, and disaster relief to low-income and homeless populations. Shares OACAC's mission in housing and utility assistance but operates nationally with substantially greater fundraising capacity and a broader service portfolio.
• Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit network providing workforce development, job training, and social services to people facing barriers to employment. Shares OACAC's nonprofit social-services model and low-income client base, but specializes in workforce outcomes rather than housing/utility/Head Start services.
• Volunteers of America: National faith-based nonprofit providing housing, behavioral health, and human services to vulnerable populations. Operates overlapping programs (housing assistance, family services, senior engagement) comparable to OACAC, but at much greater scale and with more programmatic breadth.

Others

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development organization serving low-income children and teens through after-school and summer programs. Not a direct competitor but serves an overlapping client demographic in OACAC's service area and is a potential partner for Head Start transitions and youth-focused grant funding.

Direct peers

• National Community Action Foundation: National advocacy organization dedicated to preserving and strengthening the Community Action Agency network and its federal funding streams. As a peer within the same CAA ecosystem, it operates in parallel to OACAC's local service delivery, focusing on federal policy rather than direct client services.
• Community Action Partnership: National membership association representing the Community Action Agency network that OACAC belongs to. It defines program standards, advocates for CSBG/LIHEAP/Head Start funding, and shares best practices across the 1,000+ CAAs nationwide, making it the closest institutional peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OzarksOACAC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oacac-gcc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation