Purpose

CAA Best Practice and Award Programs and CAA Success Stories help gain recognition of the positive results of Community Action, assist CAA’s in identifying initiatives that could be replicated, and serve as motivation for additional support and involvement with CAA efforts. 

Description

Please LET US KNOW if you are aware of other CAA BEST PRACTICES AND AWARD PROGRAMS that might be added.

See below for CAA Best Practice Awards - Other CAA Award Programs - CAA Success Stories.

Best Practice Awards 

Indiana Community Action Association – Spotlight Awards - 2007 Winners - 2006 Winners - 2005 Winners - 2004 Winners

Iowa Community Action Association – CAA Best Practices

Minnesota Community Action Association – CAA Best Practice Awards are presented at an Annual Best Practices Awards Dinner involving State legislators and others held at the start of the State Legislative Session.  The event was created through a partnership involving the University of Minnesota, Office of Economic Opportunity and MCAA. Judges from the U of M ultimately determine the honorees based on applications submitted by MCAA member agencies - MCAA Best Practice Winners 2003-2005.

Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies – The OACAA Best Practice Awards honors innovative and effective Community Action Agency programs that measurably meet the needs of their clients, their families and their communities by helping low-income people become more self-sufficient.  Using the ROMA outcomes-based evaluation system, the Best Practices Awards serve as a showcase for innovative Community Action Agency efforts that make a measurable and life-changing difference:

• 2010 OACAA Best Practice Winners
• 2004 – 2007 OACAA Best Practice Winners
• 2001 OACAA Best Practice Winners

The OACAA Awards program is a partnership between the John Glenn School of Public Affairs of the Ohio State University, the Ohio Department of Development and the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies. The OACAA Award Nomination Form provides a Definition of Best Practice to include:

• Measurably improves the efficiency or effectiveness of customer service or support systems;
• Is replicable with modification in other community action agencies; and,
• Is an innovative or creative solution to the problem addressed by the solution.

Other CAA Award Programs 

Arizona Community Action Association – Community Action Leadership Awards – Champions Against Poverty Award, Legislative Leadership Award, Media Leadership Award, Heart in Hand Award 

Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies – Awards are presented the IACAA Annual Meeting

• Friend of Community Action Award to a person outside of the IACAA Network who has made a significant contribution to Community Action
• Outstanding Service Award to a Community Action Board member
• Legislator of the Year Award to an elected official supportive of CAA’s
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Award to an individual either within or outside of the IACAA Network who emulates the convictions of Dr. King
• Family of Distinction Award presented at an honors banquet where each CAA can bring a family that has made great strides toward self-sufficiency

Community Action Kentucky

• Excellence in Community Action Award
• Volunteer Award

Michigan Community Action Agency Association – Winter 2008 Newsletter – Legislator of the Year Awards

Missouri Association for Community Action - September – October 2005 Newsletter (pp. 6-7)

• Leadership Award
• Outstanding Service to Community Action Award

New York State Community Action Association – Annual Awards in five categories: Community Action Vision and Values Award, Leadership Award, Rosemary Fleming Service Award, Personal Achievement Award, and Technology Leadership Award - NYSCAA Awards Nomination Form - 2008 Award Winners.

North Carolina Community Action Association – Virtual Hall of Fame with four categories: Champion, Board of Directors, Executive Directors, Staff – 2007 Inductees – 2005 Inductees.

Community Action Association of Pennsylvania – Self-Sufficiency Awards – Annual Awards to outstanding individuals who, with the aid of their local Community Action Agency, have overcome poverty and achieved self-sufficiency.  Profiles are developed to depict the Success Story of each award recipient.

West Virginia Community Action Partnership – July 2008 Newsletter (pp. 1 and 3) – Awards Breakfast at the annual WVCAP Education Conference

• Ervin Queen Award – Presented to an individual who, through long-term leadership and service, embodied the spirit of hope, improved their community and made West Virginia a better place to live.
• Legislator of the Year Award – Presented to an elected official who supports Community Action
• Excellence in Community Action Awards – Each CAA has the opportunity to recognize an individual from their agency 

CAA Success Stories 

National Association for State Community Services Programs – CSBG Network Success Stories 

Michigan Community Action Association/Michigan Head Start Association – Success Stories – 34-page publication highlighting personal achievements made possible by CAA and Head Start programs and intervention – Winter 2006 Newsletter (p. 6)

Minnesota Community Action Association

• Faces Beyond the Numbers: Stories of Agency Impacts
• CSBG Success Stories for Minnesota Congressional Leaders

New York State Community Action Association – August 2005 Newsletter (p. 4)
 
Washington State Community Action Partnership

• CAA Success Stories – see Most Recent Electronic Newsletter and example from October 3, 2005 Newsletter
• Return on Investment: The Stories of Community Action Agencies in Washington (2.2 MB)

Wisconsin Community Action Partnership - Helping People....Changing Lives (CAA Success Stories)

Outcomes

CAA Best Practice and Award Programs and CAA Success Stories help gain recognition of the positive results of Community Action, assist CAA’s in identifying initiatives that could be replicated, and serve as motivation for additional support and involvement with CAA efforts.