Missouri Community Action Network

What Missouri Community Action Network does

Missouri Community Action Network (Missouri CAN) is a private, non-governmental, nonpartisan nonprofit statewide association headquartered at 3337 Emerald Lane, Jefferson City, Missouri. The organization functions as the umbrella body for Missouri's 19 Community Action Agencies (CAAs), which collectively serve every county in the state. Missouri CAN's roots trace to the federal War on Poverty and the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act; by 1965, a CAA was operating in every Missouri county, and the state association was formalized to coordinate, advocate for, and support those agencies. The organization's functional mandate is threefold: advocate for low-income Missourians across five elements of poverty (Economic and Family Security, Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, and Housing and Energy); educate the public and policymakers about poverty; and provide training, technical assistance, and capacity-building services to CAA staff across the network.

Missouri CAN does not build or operate proprietary technology platforms. Its portfolio consists of services and event programs: an annual statewide conference (regular registration at $450 per attendee, with discounts on every fifth registrant), a Poverty Simulation training program with kit sales, the SkillUp workforce development initiative, training and technical assistance for CAA staff, advocacy services, a Comprehensive Community Needs Assessment Data Tool, and priority-setting facilitation services. Day-to-day operations are supported by a lean leadership team of seven staff — Executive Director Megan Bania, an Executive Assistant, and coordinators for training/capacity building, business operations, special projects (SkillUp), CAPS business development, and advocacy. The board of directors comprises officers (President Terry Sanders, First VP Ryan Peterson, Second VP Traci Lawrence, Secretary Jim Thomas, Treasurer Heather Shortell, Historian Darin Preis) plus representatives from the 19 member CAAs.

The organization's revenue mechanics are limited and largely disclosed through program-level commentary rather than audited financials. Missouri CAN administers Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding that is heavily pass-through: 94% of CSBG funds flow directly to assist Missourians, with only 6% supporting administrative overhead across the network. Supplemental revenue comes from annual conference registration, special project grants (including for SkillUp), and Poverty Simulation kit sales. In 2023, Missouri CAAs assisted nearly 185,000 individuals and families — including nearly 73,000 children and over 29,000 seniors — and CSBG-funded activities leveraged more than $315 million in total community investment (including $37.8 million in private-sector, state, and local capital). The geographic footprint is exclusively Missouri; there are no disclosed plans for out-of-state expansion, and the operating model is structurally bounded by the state's CAA network.

Name

Missouri Community Action Network

Legal name

Missouri Community Action Network

Website

https://communityaction.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Missouri Community Action Network is a nonprofit statewide association that advocates for low-income Missourians and provides training, technical assistance, and coordination services to Missouri's 19 Community Action Agencies, which collectively serve every county in the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Jefferson City

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. CSBG (Community Services Block Grant) Administration: Missouri CAN receives and administers CSBG funding which is passed through to Community Action Agencies. 94% of CSBG funds received by Missouri's CAAs go directly to assisting Missourians, with only 6% supporting administrative costs.
2. Annual Conference Revenue: Registration fees for the annual conference. Regular registration is $450 per attendee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Missouri Community Action Network (Missouri CAN) is the statewide association for Missouri's 19 Community Action Agencies (CAAs). It advocates for low-income Missourians, educates the public about poverty, and provides training, technical assistance, and capacity-building services to Community Action staff. The organization coordinates anti-poverty services delivered locally by its member agencies, administers CSBG funding, hosts an annual statewide conference, and operates programs such as the Poverty Simulation training and the SkillUp workforce development initiative.

Product overview

Missouri Community Action Network (Missouri CAN) is a statewide association for Missouri's 19 Community Action Agencies. Rather than a single unified product, the organization offers a portfolio of interconnected services: advocacy and policy services for low-income Missourians; the annual Missouri CAN conference for professional development and networking; the Poverty Simulation training program for poverty awareness; the SkillUp workforce development initiative; training and technical assistance for CAAs; and data tools like the Community Needs Assessment. These services work together to fulfill the mission of advocating for low-income Missourians and strengthening the Community Action Network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Missouri CAN Annual Conference Annual statewide conference for staff, partners, and leaders of Missouri's Community Action Agencies to learn best practices, improve conditions of poverty, and deepen connections across anti-poverty organizations. Regular registration is $450 per attendee with every fifth registrant receiving a $200 discount.
• Poverty Simulation Immersive experience that educates policy makers and community members about the realities of poverty, helping build understanding and empathy. Kits can be purchased via the Missouri CAN portal.
• SkillUp Program Initiative Workforce development initiative focused on helping families obtain the skills and financial resources needed to leave poverty behind. Overseen by Missouri CAN's Special Projects Manager.
• Training & Technical Assistance Tailored training and technical assistance services provided to Community Action staff from front-line workers to program directors across a wide range of job functions, customized to the needs of the network upon request.
• Community Action Programs Network Coordinated direct services delivered through 19 Community Action Agencies across Missouri counties, including economic and family security programs, education and job training, health services, and housing and energy assistance.
• Statewide Advocacy Services Grassroots and statewide advocacy and education focused on five elements of poverty: Economic and Family Security, Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, and Housing and Energy.
• Priority Setting Facilitation Facilitation service for priority setting events for boards and staff of Community Action Agencies, with bid opportunities available for contracted facilitators.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of CSBG funds go directly to assisting Missourians
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Conference Sponsors (logos displayed, names not specified)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20262026 Conference Sponsors are featured on the annual conference page with logo placement. Sponsors and exhibitor opportunities are available for organizations wanting to support the event.
• Private Sector OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAAs partner with private-sector organizations to create impactful economic opportunities that drive prosperity and put tax dollars back into communities. In 2023, private sector partners contributed $37,781,710 in investment into Missouri communities, tripling the CSBG investment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/missouri-association-for-community-action

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Missouri Community Action Network