Community Action

Community Action At Work

Community Action Expands the Overall Economy

Community Services Block Grant funding, when combined with certain direct program outcomes, generates $43 million in additional statewide economic output annually; when leveraged funds are included, statewide economic output rises by $450 million. In short, every $1 in program spending sparks more than $2 in added economic output.
Community Services Block Grant funding, when combined with certain direct program outcomes, supports a total of 415 jobs across all industry sectors; when leveraged funds are included, a total of 5,123 jobs are supported through funding for community action.
Community Services Block Grant funding, when combined with certain direct program outcomes, produces an estimated $16 million annually in additional labor income; when leveraged funds are included, community action resources boost labor income in North Carolina by $195 million annually.
Community Services Block Grant funding, when combined with certain direct program outcomes, yields an estimated $2 million annually in additional state and local tax revenues; when leveraged funds are included, community action resources expand state and local tax collections in North Carolina by $23 million per year.

Community Action Works to Raise Labor Income in North Carolina

Investments in community action programs raise the amount of labor income received by North Carolinians. Under the narrow view of community action, investments in local programs in North Carolina directly support $9 million in labor income. About $3 million is generated indirectly in downstream industries, with almost $5 million in labor income induced by the direct and indirect impacts. Altogether, these investments in community action boost statewide labor income by $16 million per year.
When leveraged funds are included, investments in local community action programs in North Carolina directly support $122 million in labor income. Another $20 million is generated indirectly in downstream industries, with another $53 million in labor income induced by the direct and indirect impacts. Altogether then, investments in community action programs boost statewide labor income by $195 million annually. Put differently, in this broad scenario, every $1 in labor income paid by community action agencies in North Carolina supports an additional $1.61 in labor income elsewhere in the state.

Community Action Works to Create Jobs across North Carolina

Investments in community action programs support jobs across the state. The job impacts occur directly in community action agencies, indirectly in linked downstream industries, and broadly due to increased household spending induced by the direct and indirect impacts.
North Carolina’s annual Community Services Block Grant directly supports the employment of 251 people. Another 55 jobs are indirectly supported in downstream industries, with another 109 additional jobs induced by increased household spending resulting from the direct and indirect jobs. In sum, 415 jobs are linked to North Carolina’s community action programs, resulting in an employment multiplier of 1.65. Put differently, for each job created directly by community action agencies, 65 percent of an additional job is supported elsewhere in the state.
When leveraged funds are included, North Carolina’s community action network supports 3,391 jobs. Another 467 jobs are indirectly supported in downstream industries, with 1,264 induced by the increased household spending resulting from the direct and indirect impacts.

Community Action Works to Boost the Size of North Carolina’s Economy

Investments in North Carolina’s community action programs expand the size of the state’s economy. When viewed narrowly, the spending of the state’s federal Community Services Block Grant, combined with the outcomes of selected economic self-sufficiency programs, alone generate more than $43 million in additional statewide economic output annually; in other words, North Carolina’s economy would be $43 million smaller if not for the existence of the state’s community action network
Another way to measure the impact of community action programs on the overall size of the state’s economy is through use of a regional multiplier. In both scenarios, every $1 invested in community action programs generates more than $2 in additional economic output. In the broader scenario, for example, every $1 spent generated $2.10 in additional output.