Congress must fund block grants that help Mainers advance and thrive

By Kara Hay and Laura Sanborn

Imagine scraping together your last paycheck to buy groceries, carefully planning every item so your family has enough to eat until next week. Now imagine your refrigerator breaks, and all that food is lost. For one Maine family, that wasn’t hypothetical; it was real. It meant figuring out how to feed their loved ones all over again. That kind of loss, when you’re already struggling to make ends meet, can feel overwhelming.

Using resources available through the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), Penquis was able to step in and replace the groceries this family was counting on to get through the week. This is the kind of essential services CSBG funding makes possible every day across our region and country.

CSBG is a federal program administered by a network of over 1,000 Community Action Agencies nationwide, including 10 here in Maine. While each agency responds to local needs, we’re united by a shared mission: To help people overcome barriers and move toward economic mobility and long-term stability.

CSBG is a vital source of support that helps people stabilize, rebuild, and advance. The program allows communities and organizations like Penquis to act quickly, in real-time, and in real-life situations. 

CSBG funding recently helped a couple living in their car secure stable housing. It has also provided essential household and employment items, including bedding and clothing for work. And it covered the cost of vital documents, such as birth certificates and state IDs, often required to get a job, secure housing, open a bank account, or enroll a child in Head Start. Without them, people can be shut out of opportunities that help them move forward.

CSBG funding also strengthens essential community services. At Penquis, it supplements youth programs and makes free tax preparation possible for hundreds of working families through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Without CSBG, these programs would be at risk of losing vital support.

Here in Maine, rural travel distances, harsh weather, and limited public transportation can turn a simple need into a serious obstacle. CSBG funding allows us to assist people facing these obstacles with dignity and without delay.

CSBG is also one of the smartest public investments we can make. For every dollar of CSBG, local Community Action Agencies leverage more than $20 in additional support. That includes partnerships with schools, health providers, businesses, and volunteers.

The program’s accountability framework, Results Oriented Management and Accountability (ROMA), is a system that tracks outcomes, makes sure spending is transparent, and guarantees that funds are used in ways that reflect the needs of the community.

Despite its proven impact, CSBG is currently at risk. The proposed federal budget for FY26 eliminates the program entirely, a move that would ripple through everything from food access to stable housing and workforce participation across Maine.

A bipartisan bill, HR 3131, supported by lawmakers across the political spectrum, would modernize CSBG for the first time in over 25 years, expanding its reach while maintaining strong accountability. CSBG works well. More people deserve to know how many successes it makes possible in our communities.

At Penquis, we see what’s possible when people get a hand to steady themselves, whether it’s repairing a heater ahead of cold weather, providing clothing needed for a new job, or helping someone secure stable housing; it is practical help in the moment.

As Congress continues its budget work this year, CSBG funding must remain a priority. This investment delivers measurable results and strengthens long-term stability.

We urge our elected leaders to protect and fully fund the Community Services Block Grant. We invite neighbors to speak up, share their stories, and help others see the difference this program makes. When we stand together for what works, we build a stronger Maine.

Hay is the president and CEO of Penquis, a Bangor-based nonprofit organization serving over 30,000 Maine residents each year. Sanborn is the Penquis board chair.