Lower Columbia Community Action Council Incorporated

Lower Columbia Community Action Council Incorporated, a tax-exempt nonprofit based in Longview, Washington, operates as a federal grant recipient focused on rural housing development, energy assistance, food security, and homelessness prevention services in the Pacific Northwest. The organization functions primarily as a sub-recipient (62% of recent awards) under pass-through grants from state agencies and federal departments, with a smaller portfolio of direct federal prime grants (38%) administered through USDA and HUD.

The vendor's customer concentration reflects typical Community Action Agency positioning. The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, the Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, the Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, the Department of Energy, and the Corporation for National and Community Service together account for 72% of recent awards across ten distinct federal agencies. Dollar concentration is tighter — USDA Rural Housing Service and HUD's Continuum of Care Program dominate the prime award footprint, while pass-through grants from the Washington State Department of Commerce and Washington State Department of Agriculture drive the sub-recipient workload.

Recent prime grant work includes a $362,300 award from USDA Rural Housing Service under the Rural Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance program (CFDA 10.420) with completion in February 2028, where Lower Columbia delivers construction expertise, homebuyer education, financial counseling, and community outreach to enable very low- and low-income families to construct homes through self-help methods in rural Cowlitz County. An earlier $299,900 Rural Self-Help Housing award (April 2025 to May 2026) follows the same scope. HUD's Continuum of Care Program (CFDA not specified) funded three prime project grants in 2021, 2022, and 2023 for homelessness prevention and supportive housing services.

The sub-recipient portfolio splits between weatherization services, emergency food assistance, and affordable housing rehabilitation. Lower Columbia receives recurring pass-through awards from Washington State Department of Commerce for administration and delivery of weatherization services under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), with multiple amendments and funding increases through 2026. The Washington State Department of Agriculture routes TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) allocations and local food-system funding to Lower Columbia for distribution to emergency food providers. Sub-awards for housing rehabilitation include roof and window replacements on affordable housing units.

Activity has remained steady at five to seven awards annually over the past five years, with one prime award in 2027 and no significant recompete exposure in the next twenty-four months. Combined obligated dollars across all awards total $8.7 million. Lower Columbia's service territory and grant profile align with the Community Action Agency network's traditional focus on high-poverty rural and small-metro areas, with programmatic emphasis on self-help housing, energy efficiency for low-income households, and food security.