The Central States Regional Association of Physical Plant Administrators of Universities and Colleges
(CSRA) was founded at Kansas State University (Manhattan, Kansas) in December 1953. The name was changed to Central Association of Physical Plant Administrators of Universities and Colleges (CAPPA) at the Annual Meeting of the General Membership at the University of Houston (Houston, Texas) on October 5, 1987 and was incorporated as CAPPA, INC., in the State of North Dakota on November 4, 1993. The organization has been known as CAPPA since then.

CAPPA is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within meaning of Sections 501 (c) (3), and 170 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provisions of any future Unived States Internal Revenue Law).