President Obama has a long association with ACORN and provided the group with easier access to Federal money under the CDBG (Community Development Block Grants) program wrapped up like a pig in a blanket in the $825 Billion boondogle known as the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009". Under set-asides like CDBG money is available to "community action" groups like ACORN. Another Obama Administration gift to groups like ACORN are Federal funding allocations like the Neighborhood Stabilization Program which enables the group to compete for Federal money alonside state and local governments. Under programs like this, nefarious groups like ACORN can feed from the public trough thanks to the generosity of their Democrat benefactors.
The American Spectator quotes then-candidate Obama telling a group of community organizers in December 2007, Before I even get inaugurated, during the transition, we're going to be calling all of you in to help us shape the agenda. We're going to be having meetings all across the country with community organizations so that you have input into the agenda for the next presidency of the United States of America.
And so he has.