CSBG Reporting Is Burdensome and Does Not Accurately Describe How Funds Are Actually Used

The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) provides flexible funds to states, territories, and tribes to support services that alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty and promote self-sufficiency, particularly by planning, coordination, and organization of local services, innovation, and community participation.

This Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation brief, co-written by Administration for Children and Families’ Assistant Secretary Alex Adams, describes the reporting practices used by CSBG. The brief delves into the burden associated with the reporting process and how the use of CSBG funds could be better documented. For TANF programs, it highlights the need to balance streamlined reporting with accurate, meaningful data that reflects how funds are used.