Wateree Community Actions Inc

What Wateree Community Actions Inc does

Wateree Community Actions, Inc. (WCAI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community action agency incorporated in South Carolina and headquartered at 201 Columbia Mall Blvd Ste 91 in Columbia. Founded in July 1970 through the merger of the Sumter County and Kershaw County community action agencies — and subsequently absorbing the Lee, Clarendon, and Richland county agencies by April 1988 — WCAI administers a portfolio of federally funded anti-poverty programs across Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee, Richland, and Sumter counties. Its core service lines are the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), Head Start/Early Head Start, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). In 2021 it added the LIHWAP water assistance program, and in 2023 consolidated three administrative offices into a single Columbia location.

The organization operates a distributed service delivery model through 16+ physical sites: 10 Head Start/Early Head Start centers, county-level CSBG/LIHEAP/WAP offices, and an administrative headquarters. Service intake occurs via a central appointment line, online portals (childplus.net, capappointments.com), and community outreach events such as Back-to-School Bash and Thankful Thursday Drop-Ins. Technology infrastructure consists of standard nonprofit case management and online enrollment platforms; no proprietary technology or AI capabilities are present. The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on grassroots outreach, word-of-mouth referrals, and partnerships with organizations including Dominion Energy, SC Thrive, DSS, Humana, WellCare, the VA, and Richland School District One.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through federal grants (HHS-administered LIHEAP, CSBG, WAP, Head Start, and LIHWAP), with minor ancillary income from donations including through the Amazon Smile program (EIN 57-0524980). Services are provided free of charge to eligible low-income households, so there is no commercial pricing. The agency is governed by a Board of Directors and led by CEO Annette Tucker. Recognitions include the 2018 SC Community Action Partnership Teacher of the Year Award and CSBG Impact Award, and a 2026 Google-based recognition as an outstanding non-profit.

Name

Wateree Community Actions Inc

Legal name

Wateree Community Actions, Inc.

Website

https://wcai.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Wateree Community Actions, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) community action agency serving Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee, Richland, and Sumter counties in South Carolina. It administers federally funded anti-poverty programs including Head Start, LIHEAP, CSBG, weatherization, and tax assistance for low-income households.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Action Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA), Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA)

Keywords

• Community action services
• Early childhood education
• Energy assistance programs
• Weatherization services
• Anti-poverty programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Programs: Primary funding from federal programs including LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), CSBG (Community Services Block Grant), WAP (Weatherization Assistance Program), and Head Start/Early Head Start federal grants.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Accepts donations through Amazon Smile program and other channels. Tax-exempt organization registered under EIN 57-0524980.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wateree Community Actions, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community action agency founded in July 1970 that delivers federally and state-funded anti-poverty programs to low-income individuals and families across Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee, Richland, and Sumter counties in South Carolina. Its core offerings include the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) self-sufficiency programs, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), Head Start and Early Head Start early childhood education, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) free tax preparation. All services are provided free of charge to income-eligible households.

Product overview

Wateree Community Actions, Inc. is a community action agency serving Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee, Richland, and Sumter counties in South Carolina. The organization offers a suite of federal and state-funded social service programs designed to help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. The core programs include the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) providing employment training, youth leadership, nutrition, and education services; LIHEAP for utility bill assistance; Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) for home energy efficiency improvements; Head Start/Early Head Start for early childhood education; and VITA Tax Assistance for free tax preparation. These programs operate through multiple physical locations across the five-county service area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Weatherization program achieves average energy cost savings in excess of 20%

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS)minorOthersParticipating agency at Thankful Thursday Community and Customer Drop-In Event providing information about regulatory services.
• Dominion EnergyminorOthersParticipating vendor at community events providing information about energy services and assistance programs.
• Central Midlands Area Agency on AgingminorOthersPartner agency providing information about aging services at community resource events.
• South Carolina Commission for the BlindminorOthersPartner agency participating in community events to provide resources for individuals with visual impairments.
• Midlands Technical CollegeminorOthersEducational partner participating in community outreach events.
• HumanaminorOthersHealthcare partner providing information about health insurance and wellness programs at community events.
• WellCareminorOthersHealthcare partner providing information about Medicaid and healthcare assistance at community events.
• SC ThriveminorOthersPartner organization providing tax assistance and community resources at events.
• South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS)minorOthersGovernment partner providing information about social services programs at community events.
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)minorOthersFederal partner providing veteran services information at community resource events.
• Richland School District OneminorOthersEducational partner providing school district information at community events.
• Cooperative MinistriesminorOthersCommunity partner organization providing information about services at community events.
• Community Action PartnershipcoreOthersNational organization representing Community Action agencies. WCAI adheres to the Promise of Community Action and participates in national initiatives.
• South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity (SCOEO)coreOthersState-level organization administering programs to help communities and families. Coordinates with community action agencies statewide.
• South Carolina Community Action PartnershipcoreOthersState-level association that coordinates training, resources, and advocacy for South Carolina's community action agencies.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Telamon Corporation: National nonprofit Head Start/Early Head Start operator active in the Carolinas delivering federal early-childhood education and family services. Directly comparable for the Head Start portion of WCAI's portfolio.
• Carolina Community Actions: Designated South Carolina Community Action Agency serving nearby counties (Marlboro, Dillon, Chesterfield, etc.) with the same federal anti-poverty program portfolio (CSBG, LIHEAP, WAP, Head Start). Direct comparable in mission, funding streams, and service model.
• Acelero Learning: Large national Head Start grantee operating preschool and Early Head Start programs across multiple states. Comparable on Head Start delivery model, federal compliance, and child-outcomes measurement.
• Pee Dee Regional Council of Governments: Regional council administering LIHEAP, WAP, CSBG, and Workforce Innovation Act programs across Pee Dee counties in South Carolina. Competes for the same federal funding pool and serves a comparable low-income population base.
• Lowcountry Community Action Agency: Another SC-based Community Action Agency delivering CSBG, LIHEAP, WAP, and Head Start services to low-income families in Allendale, Hampton, Jasper, and Beaufort counties. Operates the same federal program stack under the same state-level SCOEO oversight.

Emerging players

• East Coast Migrant Head Start Project: Federally funded migrant and seasonal Head Start provider operating in the Carolinas and elsewhere. Comparable for Head Start delivery, federal grant administration, and family-services integration.

Others

• Community Action Partnership: National membership association representing all U.S. Community Action Agencies including WCAI. Relevant as an ecosystem/umbrella organization setting ROMA outcomes standards and federal advocacy for the same funding streams WCAI depends on.
• South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity (SCOEO): State agency overseeing CSBG and CAA designations across South Carolina. Functions as the regulator/funder/distributor of much of WCAI's grant funding; a key stakeholder rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• Santee-Lynches Council of Governments: Adjacent SC regional council serving Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee, and Sumter counties alongside WCAI for workforce and community planning programs. Geographic overlap with WCAI's service territory makes it a natural regional peer.
• Upper Savannah Council of Governments: Another South Carolina regional council administering community, workforce, and aging programs across the Upper Savannah region. Comparable in regional administrative scope and federal-grant funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Wateree-Community-Actions/661028330676744
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wateree-community-actions-inc

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 Wateree Community Actions Inc