Community Services Block Grant Program

A program of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that helps fund and operate a wide variety of antipoverty activities. These include the coordinating of local programs and providing nutrition services, emergency services, and employment services. Grantees of the block grant also seek funds from other sources to help operate such programs as Head Start, weatherization and low-income energy assistance, emergency food and shelter programs, employment and training, and legal services. This program was originally part of the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO). In 1969 OEO was dismantled, and many of its programs were discontinued or transferred to other government agencies. The Community Services Block Grant Program became part of the Family Services Administration (now ACF) in 1986. See also block grant.