Community Action of Nebraska

What Community Action of Nebraska does

Community Action of Nebraska (CAN) is a nonprofit statewide association founded in 1986 and headquartered at 211 N. 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. It coordinates the activities of Nebraska's nine Community Action Agencies (CAAs), which collectively deliver direct services across all 93 Nebraska counties. CAN itself does not provide direct services to end beneficiaries; instead, it enhances program development, facilitates training and technical assistance, leads advocacy as the statewide voice for people experiencing poverty, and conducts data collection and analysis for the network.

The organization's service portfolio, delivered through its member CAAs, spans utilities assistance, food assistance, healthcare services, veterans' supportive services (SSVF), housing and homelessness prevention, early childhood education, workforce development, financial empowerment, transportation, and disaster relief. CAN is led by Interim Executive Director Heather Loughman and operates with a stated headcount of 35 (though internal source notes describe a lean team of three full-time staff, one part-time, plus interns from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Doane University).

CAN's business model is government- and donation-funded. The primary revenue stream is the federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) administered by HHS, which requires CAAs to meet strict accountability and performance standards; secondary funding comes from one-time and recurring public donations. The organization is governed by a board composed of the Executive Directors and CEOs of each member CAA, embedding operational alignment with the network it serves.

Name

Community Action of Nebraska

Legal name

Community Action of Nebraska

Website

https://canhelp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Community Action of Nebraska is a nonprofit statewide association, founded in 1986, that coordinates Nebraska's nine Community Action Agencies covering all 93 counties. It provides program development, training, technical assistance, advocacy, and data analysis to member agencies delivering anti-poverty services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services / Poverty Alleviation Coordination

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food Services (62421), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Community action services
• Poverty alleviation programs
• Social services coordination
• Anti-poverty assistance
• Community needs assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG): Primary funding source through the federal Community Services Block Grant, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. CAAs meet strict accountability and performance standards to receive these funds.
2. Donations: Accepts one-time and recurring donations from the public to support statewide network of Community Action Agencies providing essential services like housing support, food access, early childhood education, and job training.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Community Action of Nebraska (CAN) is a nonprofit statewide association founded in 1986 that coordinates nine member Community Action Agencies (CAAs) delivering essential anti-poverty services across all 93 Nebraska counties. Rather than directly serving individuals, CAN provides statewide coordination, training and technical assistance, advocacy, data collection and analysis, and program development support for its member agencies, which in turn provide utilities, food, healthcare, housing, early childhood education, workforce, veteran, transportation, financial empowerment, and disaster relief services to Nebraskans experiencing poverty.

Product overview

Community Action of Nebraska operates as a statewide nonprofit association coordinating nine Community Action Agencies (CAAs) across all 93 Nebraska counties. Rather than a technology product company, CAN provides a network of social service programs including utilities assistance, food assistance, healthcare services, veterans support (SSVF), housing and homelessness prevention, early childhood education, workforce development, financial empowerment, transportation, and disaster relief. The organization focuses on enhancing program development, facilitating training and technical assistance, and leading advocacy efforts as the statewide voice for people experiencing poverty.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Utilities Assistance
• Food Assistance
• Healthcare Services
• Veterans Services (SSVF)
• Housing and Homelessness Prevention
• Early Childhood Education and Youth Programs
• Workforce and Employment Support
• Financial Empowerment
• Transportation Services
• Disaster Relief

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,641 individuals assisted in February alone
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• National Community Action FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network that aligns Nebraska with a national movement to tackle poverty. Community Action was born during the War on Poverty with passage of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, and today CAAs are present in 99% of counties across America.
• National Community Action PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network partner that aligns Nebraska with a national movement to tackle poverty at its roots.
• Heartland Regional Planning CommissionregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner shown in partnership imagery on the What We Do page.
• Nebraska's nine Community Action AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAN's core partnership with Nebraska's nine CAAs ensures fulfillment of the Community Action promise: 'Community Action changes people's lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live.' Together, they create stronger communities helping people help themselves and one another.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Community Action Partnership of Lancaster & Saunders Counties (CAPLSC): One of CAN's nine member agencies and the host agency for the Interim Executive Director; comparable as a CAA delivering direct anti-poverty services under the same CSBG framework CAN coordinates.

Direct peers

• Minnesota Community Action Partnership: Minnesota's statewide association of Community Action Agencies; directly comparable to CAN as a state-level coordination body with similar federal funding dependence and program portfolio.
• Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies: Statewide association of Ohio's Community Action Agencies; comparable peer with the same statewide coordination, training, and advocacy function for CSBG-funded anti-poverty work.
• Indiana Community Action Association: Statewide association of Community Action Agencies in Indiana; structurally identical to CAN, coordinating member CAAs across counties on poverty programs with CSBG funding.
• Iowa Community Action Association: State-level association representing Iowa's Community Action Agencies; direct peer to CAN with the same statewide coordination mandate, CSBG funding model, and anti-poverty program focus.
• Missouri Community Action Network: Missouri's statewide network of Community Action Agencies; structural peer to CAN coordinating member agencies and administering CSBG-funded anti-poverty programs across counties.
• Wisconsin Community Action Program Association: Wisconsin's statewide association of Community Action Agencies; direct peer performing the same statewide coordination, training, and advocacy role as CAN for member CAAs.

Broad incumbents

• National Community Action Partnership: National coordinating body for Community Action Agencies across the U.S.; CAN is a state-level member/partner within this national network, making it a direct structural peer at the macro level.
• National Community Action Foundation: National advocacy and policy partner that aligns CAN with the broader Community Action movement; comparable as the federal-level counterpart supporting CAAs in every state.

Regional players

• Kansas Association of Community Action Programs: State association of Community Action Programs in neighboring Kansas; closely comparable peer in a neighboring Midwestern state with similar rural demographics and CSBG dependency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityActionNE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-action-of-nebraska

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 of Nebraska