Sieda Community Action
Sieda Community Action, a private non-profit organization established July 7, 1965 as a Community Action Agency, is one of the 16 Community Action Agencies covering all 99 counties in Iowa. Sieda implements a range of programs designed to provide advocacy, access to supportive services, and service coordination. These programs strengthen families, promote child development, and help individuals and families with basic needs. With the strong foundation Sieda provides, individuals are more likely to become self-reliant and contribute positively to their families and communities.
Community Action Agencies are charged with the responsibility of identifying the unique needs of the poverty population within their communities and designing programs to meet those needs. Although Community Action Agencies across the nation administer several similar programs, each agency has the ability to tailor its services to the needs of local communities. Sieda provides services to our core area of Appanoose, Davis, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, Van Buren, and Wapello counties as well as limited services in Iowa, Lucas, Marion, Monroe, Poweshiek, Warren, and Wayne counties.
Sieda’s programs are funded by a combination of federal and state grants, local funds, donations, client fees and private resources. Because much of Sieda’s funding comes from government grants, it is a common misconception that it is a public agency, not the private agency it has always been. The agency is governed by a board of directors composed of elected officials, representatives elected by the low-income sector, and members of the private sector.