Community Action for Improvement, Inc.

aka CAFI   |   LaGrange, GA   |  www.cafi-ga.org

Mission

To build sustainable communities with partners by providing services and resources utilizing the "whole family" approach with low-income households to help reduce the burdens of poverty.

Ruling year info

1973

Executive Director

Mrs. Jennifer Corcione

Main address

1380 Lafayette Parkway

LaGrange, GA 30241 USA

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EIN

58-0978781

NTEE code info

Community, Neighborhood Development, Improvement (S20)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Community Action for Improvement, Inc. (CAFI) is part of a nationwide network of Community Action Agencies. We are all part of the movement to eradicate poverty and address the burdens of low income families. We join together in the "war on poverty" and seek long term solutions.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LiHEAP)

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program provides financial assistance to help offset eligible Georgia household’s home energy, gas or propane bills.

Eligibility is based on income guidelines and important verification documents including Household income, Social security cards, valid photo identification and a recent copy of your household energy bill.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Families

The Housing Stability and Homeless Prevention Program at CAFI focuses on helping low income families remain in stable housing, or helping homeless families find safe, affordable housing, and often times emergency shelter.

Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Homeless people

Where we work

Affiliations & memberships

Certified USDA Loan Packagers 2019

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of families assisted with rent or mortgage to avoid eviction

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Economically disadvantaged people

Related Program

Housing Stability and Homeless Prevention

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Goal #1: Individuals and families with low incomes are stable and achieve economic security.

Goal #2: Communities where people live are healthy and offer economic opportunity.

Goal #3: People with low incomes are engaged and active in building opportunities in the community.

Goal #4: CAFI is compliant and has established an accountability framework to deliver quality services with a high level of efficiency and effectiveness.

In order to address poverty from the individual and community level, CAFI will:

- Create and operate programs that address employment, safe and affordable housing, and nutritional needs.
- Improve condition of homes in the community
- Work with law enforcement to address gang/gun violence in low income neighborhoods.
- Ensure maximum feasible participation by recruiting low income individuals to serve on the Board of Directors.
- Demonstrate active participation in the Results Oriented and Management Accountability (ROMA) framework.

In 2017 the CAFI Board participated in our strategic planning. Results from our SWOT analysis show that CAFI is well established throughout the region. We have long standing partnerships with other service providers and elected officials. In addition to that foundation, our staff are well trained, competent staff having "servants hearts." We participate in over 100 hours of training each year to keep our staff abreast of current trends, best practices, and acceptable methodologies. We complete a Community Needs Assessment every three years to make sure we are keeping our fingers "on the pulse" of what the community needs.

CAFI achieved a 96% success rate on the annual review of our Organizational Standards. In addition, we continue to make progress on our individual and community goals. Of the 27 objectives (that feed into our 4 goals) we intended to meet within three years, we are still working on 13. All others have been met or exceeded.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?

    Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys,

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve,

  • With whom is the organization sharing feedback?

    Our staff, Our board,

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive,

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback,

Financials

Community Action for Improvement, Inc.
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Community Action for Improvement, Inc.

Board of directors
as of 03/14/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Ms. Sandra Brownlee

Discovering Soldier Potential II (DSPII)

Term: 2022 - 2025


Board co-chair

Mr. Derrick Teagle

Empowered For Life

Term: 2017 - 2022

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 3/14/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 03/14/2022

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.