The Office of Economic Opportunity has commissioned a number of research organizations to undertake detailed studies of specific Community Action Agencies (CAAs) in conjunction with evaluation studies of the effectiveness of the programs run by these CAAs. A major difficulty in this type of research is that the variables selected for study and the techniques used to study them by the various research units may differ so widely as to rule out comparative statements about the relationships between the structure of CAAs and program effectiveness. For this reason, the Office of Economic Opportunity commissioned the Bureau of Applied Social Research to develop an inventory of key variables which would describe and differentiate CAAs and which would, presumably, be relevant to the effectiveness of CAA programs. In carrying out this assignment, the Bureau undertook a careful review of the organizational literature, concentrating not only on organizational theory, but also on the literature analyzing the structure of action agencies and the particular problems encountered by newly created organizations. As the project developed it became increasingly clear that standard instruments ought to be developed for collecting information on these variables. As a result the Bureau interpreted as part of its assignment the development of a series of basic interview schedules to be administered to members of the CAA board and staff. Interview guides were also developed for local informants and heads of various local organizations having potential relevance to the operation of the CAA. (JM)