The research aimed to Evaluate the effectiveness of community development associations in rural development in Damietta governorate through both the heads of the associations and the beneficiaries of their services. Identify the obstacles to modernizing these associations.
In order to achieve the objectives of the study, the comprehensive social survey method was used for the 42 active community development associations in Damietta governorate and the social sampling approach, The sample size was 380 subjects. In collecting field data, the study used questionnaires form through personal interview of the heads of the CDAs and the beneficiaries of their services. Frequencies, percentages, weighted mean, and One—Way ANOVA were used to analyze field study data. Among the most important results of the field study: Decreased effectiveness of community development associations, where The field study found: A medium in the availability of the activities and services of these associations by 48.2%, A decrease in the degree of utilization of the services and activities of these associations by 42.9%. An increase in the degree of satisfaction with their services by 41.3%, as well as a decrease in the degree of fairness in the way their services are distributed by 48.7% of the total sample size. The most important problems with these associations were money with a weighted average of 12.3, followed by buildings and equipment with a weighted average of 7.93.