May is Community Action Month! Check out our toolkit for sample graphics and social media messages, activities and events, outreach resources, customizable templates, and more.

Click here to access the toolkit.

Join us for our 2026 Annual Convention, taking place September 2–4 in St. Louis, Missouri!

LOCATION

Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch

AGENDA

Click here to check out the preliminary agenda.

ABOUT THE EVENT

Community Action Agencies (CAAs) and human services providers play a vital role in strengthening families and communities. As trusted leaders, they bring together professional expertise, lived experience, and a shared commitment to expanding opportunity.

The National Community Action Partnership’s Annual Convention convenes these changemakers to spark new ideas, highlight effective practices, and navigate an evolving policy landscape. It’s not just a gathering—it’s a space for connection, learning, and forward momentum.

Participants leave with practical strategies, relevant training, and fresh insights to enhance their work—from supporting whole-family economic mobility to building stronger community partnerships.

When families are supported, communities grow stronger. The convention equips providers to open doors to stability, increase access to opportunity, and help families build a more secure future—together.

Click here to register and learn more.

Our new address is:

919 18th St. NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006

We look forward to helping people, changing lives from our new location!

Leaders aren’t manufactured; they’re developed through experience, education, and intentional growth. To support the next generation of Community Action leaders, the National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) is proud to introduce an updated curriculum for the Emerging Leaders Institute for Training and Excellence (ELITE).

The ELITE Cohort brings together emerging leaders from across the network—decision-makers, change agents, and rising professionals—who are ready to grow and lead with purpose. Whether you’re new to Community Action or stepping into your first management role, this experience is designed with you in mind.

Through ELITE, participants will:

• Build a strong foundation for leading within the Community Action Network
• Strengthen their leadership skills and confidence
• Contribute to growing leadership capacity across the Community Action Network

This is more than a training—it is A leadership experience designed to equip you for what’s next.

Explore what ELITE has to offer. Join us for an upcoming information session.

• Tuesday, April 28th at 4 PM ET | 3 PM CT | 2 PM MT | 1 PM PT
• Thursday, May 14th at 3 PM ET | 2 PM CT | 1 PM MT | 12 PM PT

Click here to register for the ELITE Cohort.

A strong partnership between a Community Action Agency’s Executive Director and Board Chair shapes how an organization functions, makes decisions, and delivers results for people and communities.

The Executive Director / Board Chair Symposium is designed for leadership pairs to step out of day-to-day demands and focus on how they work together. Over 1.5 days, you will engage in shared learning, planning, and peer exchange to strengthen alignment, clarify roles, and build a more effective working relationship.

What this is:

• 1.5-day, in-person Symposium
• Designed for Executive Directors/CEOs and Board Chairs/Presidents attending to who attend as a pair
• Shared learning experience focused on alignment and how you lead together

What you’ll do together:

• Clarify roles and responsibilities across the Executive Director / Board Chair partnership
• Strengthen governance, decision-making, and financial oversight
• Align on organizational direction and priorities
• Strengthen communication and day-to-day coordination
• Engage with other leadership pairs and learn from shared experience

📍 Arlington, VA (DC area)

📅 June 25 (8:30am – 5:00pm) | June 26 (8:30am – 12:30pm)

Cost: $999 (members) | $1299 (non-members)

Registration is for both the Executive Director/CEO and Board Chair/President. Both participants attend together as part of the full Symposium experience.

Get details and register here.

New to your Executive Director or CEO role? Build on your Executive Director / Board Chair Symposium experience at the New Executive Directors Institute, held in the same location immediately before the Symposium. Attend both and receive $50 off each registration.

Are you new to your Executive Director or CEO role in Community Action? The expectations are immediate, and the learning curve is real. The New Executive Director Institute is built for that reality.

What this is:

• Virtual pre-session + two-day, in-person Institute
• Designed for Community Action EDs/CEOs with less than five years in their role
• In-depth learning experience facilitated by subject matter experts and peer Community Action executives

What you’ll do:

• Understand how Community Action’s model, structure, and funding environment
• Clarify roles and responsibilities with your board
• Strengthen financial oversight and organizational sustainability
• Engage with peers and learn from shared experience
• Explore how to lead your organization with intention

📍 Arlington, VA (DC area)

📅 May 27 (virtual) | June 23–24 (in person)

Participants should plan to attend both the virtual and in-person sessions

Can’t join us in DC? A Western U.S. New ED Institute is planned for fall 2026 – stay tuned!

Cost: $499 (members) | $699 (non-members)

Get details and register here.

Build on your New Executive Director Institute experience at the Executive Director/Board Chair Symposium (June 25–26), held in the same location. Bring your Board Chair and focus on how you lead together—aligning roles, strengthening governance, and supporting effective decision-making. Attend both and receive $50 off each registration.