Indiana Community Action Association (IN-CAA)

It advocates for left-of-center public policies and supports increased federal funding for social services, both directly and through its Indiana Institute for Working Families public policy subsidiary. ³

Background

Indiana Community Action Association’s primary role is to serve as the central coordinator for community block grants, other federal grants, and other funding programs for programs administered by Indiana’s 22 community action agencies. ¹

It is responsible for working with its member community action agencies to perform a Community Needs Assessment every three years. ⁴ These assessments form the basis for those agencies’ strategic plans and play a significant role in determining federal funding. ⁴

As of 2025, IN-CAA’s executive director was Edward Gerardot, and its board was comprised of representatives of its member organizations. ⁵

Funding

Indiana Community Action Association received $2,695,372 in grants and donations and $5,689,727 in program service revenues in 2023. ⁶ Its revenues included $1,973,004 in government grants. ⁶

Federal Solar Program

On Earth Day in April 2024, an Indiana Community Action Association-led coalition received $117.5 million in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Solar for All Program funding for solar power installations in low-income neighborhoods in Indianapolis, Columbus, Fort Wayne, and Gary. ⁷

The EPA announcement said the program would “advance environmental justice” in addition to lowering energy costs, creating jobs, and addressing climate change. ⁸ The grant was also promoted as being consistent with the Biden administration’s close relationship with and support for labor unions, with more than a third of Solar for All grant recipients having made a relationship with local trade unions part of their grant application. ⁸

The grant was part of the Biden administration’s “Justice40” initiative to institutionalize critical race theory in federal grantmaking by funneling 40 percent of environmental funding related to climate change to low-income and racial minority communities. ⁸

Data Center Settlement Agreement

In 2024, electrical utility Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) reached an agreement with Microsoft, Google, and Amazon Web Services regarding the expected impact those companies’ data centers’ electrical usage would have on electrical rates for consumers. ⁹

In the agreement, the three data center operators agreed to pay Indiana Community Action Association a combined $1.5 million a year for at least five years, with the funds being earmarked to support low-income utility customers. ⁹ Once approved by regulators, the agreement would serve as the basis for all other future large industrial electricity customers in Indiana. ¹⁰

Activities

Indiana Institute for Working Families

Indiana Community Action Association operates the Indiana Institute for Working Families (IIWF), a left-of-center public policy organization focusing on state-level policy in Indiana. ³

IIWF advocates additional funding for federal food assistance programs, housing and transportation assistance, health care, education, child care, job training, and other social services. ¹¹ It has supported the forgiveness of student debt, advocates for increased taxes on high-income taxpayers, and supports increased tax collections by municipal, state, and federal governments. ¹¹

In 2018 and 2019, IIWF was active in debates over proposed legislation that would have expanded the scope of payday lending in the state. ¹²

The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a left-of-center tax and budget policy advocacy organization, has promoted the IIWF’s studies and reports. ^{13 14}

Utility Assistance Programs

One of IN-CAA’s highest profile roles is to serve as the recipient and administrator of utility assistance program funding from Indiana’s electrical and gas utilities, which it uses to assist residential consumers in paying past-due utility bills. ¹⁵

In 2023, IN-CAA reported $588,808 in payments to Duke Energy on behalf of the utility’s low-income customers. ⁶

Connection to Citizens Action Coalition

The Indiana Community Action Association is closely connected to the Citizens Action Coalition (CAC), a 501(c)(4)  political advocacy organization that lobbies for left-of-center causes, especially environmentalist policies, in Indiana. ¹⁶ CAC is headquartered next door to IN-CAA’s Indianapolis offices, and Ed Gerardot, IN-CAA’s executive director as of 2025, was a member of CAC’s board of directors. ¹⁷