Event Calendar

Community Assessment Skill Builder: From Requirement to Real Insight

A strong community assessment does more than meet a requirement. It provides the insight Community Action Agencies need to plan effectively, learn continuously, and respond to changing community conditions. This two-part virtual Skill Builder is designed for staff who lead or manage the community assessment process and want to deepen both the quality and usefulness of their work.

This training goes beyond compliance to focus on how to design and conduct community assessments that combine meaningful data with lived experience, including the perspectives of people with low incomes. Participants will explore how to move from a one-time assessment to an ongoing learning approach and how to use findings to inform planning, priorities, and decision-making across the agency.

Participants will be introduced to NCAP’s free data hub as one optional resource and will discuss how to integrate data from multiple sources, including national, state, local, internal, and customer-driven data. The Skill Builder emphasizes practical approaches that reflect the realities of CAA capacity and timelines.

What we’ll cover:

Clarifying the purpose and scope of a community assessment
Building an effective assessment team and engaging key stakeholders
Selecting and combining data sources, including quantitative data and lived experience
Approaches for engaging community members and capturing community voice
Making sense of findings and translating results into action
Using community assessments as part of an ongoing learning process rather than a one-time report
The Skill Builder blends presentation, facilitated discussion, case examples, and applied exercises. Participants will leave with a clear framework for strengthening their community assessment approach and practical next steps they can realistically apply within their agency.

Virtual Skill Builder Details:

This is a two-part virtual event with 4-hour sessions one week apart. For the best learning experience, participants should plan to attend both sessions.

Day 1: Wednesday, April 8, 2026, from 1 PM – 5 PM ET (12 PM – 4 PM CT | 11 AM – 3 PM MT | 10 AM – 2 PM PT)

Day 2: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, from 1 PM – 5 PM ET (12 PM – 4 PM CT | 11 AM – 3 PM MT | 10 AM – 2 PM PT)