The community development program at CAP St. Joe utilizes federal grant dollars from the Community Services Block Grant Program (CSBG), which provides assistance to Community Action Agencies for the reduction of poverty, the revitalization of low-income communities and the empowerment of low-income families and individuals in rural and urban areas to become fully self-sufficient.

Community development provides various programs: Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Missouri Work Assistance Program, various utility programs funded by private dollars, poverty simulation, and a variety of workshops and classes throughout our four-county area. A few workshop examples are : living a healthier lifestyle, home weatherization, budgeting, and job keeping and seeking skills.