OCS Fact Sheet

Mission Statement

The Office of Community Services (OCS) partners with states, communities, and agencies to reduce the causes of poverty, increase opportunity and economic security of individuals and families, and revitalize communities. Our social service and community development programs work in a variety of ways to improve the lives of many.

Programs

The OCS administers seven social service and community development programs. In 2022, this totaled almost $6.29 billion in funding, inclusive of supplemental funding for economic relief and disasters.

• Community Economic Development
  Community Economic Development (CED) discretionary grants are awarded to nonprofit community development corporations in disinvested communities for purposes of creating new jobs for individuals with low-income, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients.
• Community Services Block Grant
  The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) supports services designed to ameliorate the causes and conditions of poverty by assisting individuals and families with low-incomes and communities with services based on local needs (i.e. employment, education, and adequate housing).
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
  The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides funds to states, tribes and tribal organizations, and territories to assist households with low-incomes in meeting their home energy costs.
• Low Income Household Water Assistance Program
  The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) provides funds to assist low-income households with water and wastewater bills. LIHWAP grants are available to states, territories, and federally and state-recognized tribes and tribal organizations that received fiscal year 2021 LIHEAP grants.
• Rural Community Development
  The Rural Community Development (RCD) provides discretionary grants to assist low-income communities in developing affordable and safe water and wastewater treatment facilities. RCD increases economic opportunities for low-income rural communities by ensuring they have basic water and sanitation, utilize technical assistance to leverage additional public and private resources, and promote improved coordination of federal, state, and local agencies and financing programs to benefit low-income communities.
• Social Services Block Grant
  The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) provides funding to states to increase economic self-sufficiency, prevent or address neglect, abuse, or the exploitation of children and adults, prevent or reduce inappropriate institutionalization, and secure referrals for institutional care, where appropriate.
• Assets for Independence*
  Assets for Independence (AFI) is a community-based approach that uses matched savings accounts (Individual Development Accounts or IDAs) as a tool for enabling individuals and families with low- incomes and to become economically self-sufficient. Program participants may use their savings, plus the matched amount, to buy a house, expand or start a business, or use their accounts for higher education expenses.

Program Funding ($M)

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