May is Community Action Month, and Minnesota agencies that help address poverty say demand for services isn't going away. To help clients thrive, they're adding some new parts to their revenue engines.

Community Action Agencies create and help carry out programs that assist struggling households in accessing aid such as energy bill relief, tax preparation and job training.

Kendra Krolik, chief strategy officer with Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County, said state and federal grants make up a big portion of their funding.

She said it certainly helps, but offices such as hers are now expanding their outreach to corporations and foundations to meet current demand.

"With the eviction moratoriums lifting," said Krolik, "we've just seen a big increase in the number of folks who are looking for assistance with their monthly rent payments, with security deposits."

And in the past year, the office saw a 10% increase in energy assistance applications.

Krolik said private partnerships not only allow them to close gaps for those in a crisis but also enhance long-term self-sufficiency programs.

Offices around the state embracing this approach say it gives them more room for discretionary spending based on client needs within their regions.

While community action agencies are diversifying their revenue streams, they did receive an extra $5 million in the new state budget. That additional public support falls under the scope of grant guidelines to which offices have to adhere to.

But Krolik said it's another positive step in establishing financial wiggle room and that collectively, they have more tools to work with in putting a dent in poverty.

"If we have funding that is flexible, that isn't tied to one specific program," said Krolik, "then that just allows us to be more nimble in providing the kind of support that our residents in Hennepin County need."

A corporate partnership with the Hennepin County community action agency provides financial incentives for clients to attend educational workshops.

Clients can use the money for things such as transportation or child-care needs to be able to show up to these events.




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May is Community Action Month, and in North Dakota, groups trying to help households escape poverty are gathering feedback on which obstacles are the biggest. It coincides with potential legislative efforts to study housing barriers. Census data show that in 2021, more than 11% of North Dakotans were living in poverty. That is a slight increase from the previous year.

Andrea Olson, Executive Director of Community Action Partnership of North Dakota, which leads offices around the state in linking low-income residents with supportive programs, said their periodic needs assessments allow reliable data to be included in policy discussions for all levels of government.

"We can flesh out the details at a county level, we can flesh out the details regionally, and statewide. Perhaps there are new programs that could be created - streamlined collaboration that could happen," she said.

Olson added affordable housing topped the recent survey, and so far, it is being mentioned a lot in the current assessment. Residents have until the end of June to participate in the new survey, which is found on the CAP-ND website. Meanwhile, this Thursday, a legislative body will decide which studies proposed in the recent session to adopt, including one dealing with housing-access issues.

That pending decision follows a recent announcement from the state's Rent Help program that it is scaling down applications for aid. Strong demand drew down the available funds from federal pandemic-relief bills.

Rep. Josh Boschee, D-Fargo, is proposing the housing study, which he said would take a holistic approach.

"What resources are out there for tenants' rights when it comes to evaluating their contracts? What kind of financial supports are available? And then the conversation has expanded with others, in terms of affordable homeownership," he said.

Boschee added the study would also look at what has worked with Rent Help and what has not, in hopes of carving out long-term solutions for renters. His proposal has bipartisan support, but it is unclear the state's legislative management will choose it for an interim study between sessions.

Community action agencies in the Commonwealth are working with state lawmakers to ensure funding of their work to alleviate poverty continues.

Previous state funding helped the Worcester Community Action Council, serving Central and South-Central Massachusetts, create a Resiliency Center, offering financial coaching and income-tax assistance to low-income families.

Marybeth Campbell, executive director of the council, said her agency is not doing things for people, but with them.

"We can help affect change that isn't just about stabilizing someone for a period of time who might be in crisis but really moving them onto that crisis to thriving continuum," Campbell explained.

Campbell observed low-income families are struggling more now than during the pandemic, and flexible state funding as well as federal aid allows her agency to innovate and evolve to best serve the needs of people.

State funds helped the nonprofit Pace Incorporated in New Bedford acquire and renovate a building, where families receive help with health care, financial and child care services.

Pam Kuechler, executive director of Pace, said funds were also used to create a food pantry, offering greater choice and dignity to families in need.

"We wanted this to be a place where people felt welcome," Kuechler emphasized. "We wanted them to feel like they had the decision on what they wanted to take, and we wanted them to walk away feeling like they got what they needed."

Kuechler stressed food insecurity remains high due to inflation and supply chain issues. She added community action agencies are there to identify needs and fill in the gaps, contribute to workforce development and ensure all families have a fair shot at success.


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Amid workforce issues within health care, the state of Minnesota is poised to soon roll out a nursing recruiting initiative.

In the meantime, some community-action agencies are helping those experiencing poverty enter the field. The offices connect low-income individuals to a variety of resources, including home heating assistance and housing support. At the Lakes and Prairies Community Action Partnership in Moorhead, job training is on the list, too.

Amy Feland, career connect manager for the partnership, said they work with a local technical college in helping people interested in becoming a certified nursing assistant. Her team serves as the coach, cheering and supporting clients along the way.

"Whether it's supporting [them] through the training, supporting them because they don't have housing or transportation, things like that," Feland explained.

When a client completes training, the office assists with things like resume writing and interview practice.

Meanwhile, the state health department said plans are still coming together for its recruiting effort, which will cover education and career advancement. A 2022 department report found job vacancies have increased in nearly all health professions since the pandemic began.

For her office's part, Feland emphasized follow-through is crucial in guiding clients who sign up for the training. She added they recognize those trying to escape poverty are navigating a variety of forces complicating the process.

"We don't want them to just go through the training and be like, 'OK, I did that.' And then not even getting a job because of A, B or C," Feland noted.

She stressed having success early on can help inspire clients to go back to school in hopes of taking their careers even further. The job training program uses funding from Community Services Block Grants. In Minnesota, the community action agency in Duluth carries out a similar training effort for nursing assistants, even providing participants with free child care.