Faith-Based Initiatives Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is a faith-based organization?
Answer:
There is NO official federal definition of a faith-based organization. Whoever declares themselves to be faith-based is de facto faith-based. The intent is to encourage any organization that has a faith inspired interest in providing services to the needy, to apply for government funds and that faith-based charities should be able to compete on an equal footing for public dollars to provide public services.
A general definition is an organization, group, program or project that provides human services, and has a faith element integrated into their organization.
Question: What are the Agency Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives established to implement this initiative?
Answer:
Corporation for National and Community Service's Faith-Based and Community Initiatives helps connect faith-based and other community groups to the Corporation, ensuring that these groups have the capacity, tools, and volunteer power they need to help America’s communities flourish.
U.S. Department of Commerce Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives works to improve the ability of faith-based and community organizations to participate in Department funding programs, while upholding the Department’s mission of creating the conditions for economic growth and opportunity by promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, competitiveness, and stewardship in the social service sector.
Department of Homeland Security Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives coordinate Department’s efforts to eliminate regulatory, contracting and other programmatic obstacles to the participation of faith-based and community organizations in the Department’s social and community service programs.
Small Business Administration's Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives seeks to empower faith-based and other community organizations to apply for federal social service grants and supplies information and training, but does not make the actual funding decisions.
Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives helps faith-based and community groups compete for funding on a level playing field with other organizations, and provide information, resources and tools.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Center for Faith-Based & Community Initiatives
The Center’s mission is to welcome the participation of faith-based and community-based organizations as valued and essential partners assisting Americans in need. The focus is on improving human services for our country's neediest citizens.
This site provides funding opportunities, fact sheets, resources, upcoming events and news releases.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
The aim of the HUD Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is to engage faith-based and other community-based organizations in HUD's mission.
U.S. Department of Labor Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
The Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the U.S. Department of Labor seeks to empower faith-based and community organizations as these organizations help their neighbors enter, succeed and thrive in the workforce. Targeted are trusted institutions who provide valuable services, but who may not be collaborating or partnering with government programs. This site provides information on recent news, grants and funding, events, and publications pertaining to the center’s FBCI.
U.S. Department of Justice Task Force for Faith-Based & Community Initiatives
The purpose of the Task Force is to promote good works by neighbors, particularly in the areas of juvenile delinquency, prisoners and their families, victims of crime, domestic violence, and drug addiction/treatment/prevention.
U.S. Department of Education Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
The Center’s goal is to break down existing barriers and empower faith-based and community groups, enlisting them in support of the Department's mission to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence for all Americans. This site provides information on the background about the Faith-Based and Community Initiative, available grants, conference and workshop announcements, grant writing tips and partnership ideas.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
Established on December 12, 2002, as part of its Faith-Based and Community Initiatives focus, the USDA ensures that faith-based and community organizations have equal access to USDA programs and benefits, and works in conjunction with the Department's many mission areas to reach out and educate faith-based and community organizations about USDA programs and benefits.
U.S. Agency for International Development
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency that provides economic, development and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States. USAID Faith-Based was created by executive order on December 12, 2002 in order to work to level the playing field so that faith-based and community-based groups could compete for funding on a level playing field with other organizations.
Since its inception in 1961, USAID has done extensive work with relief organizations affiliated with religious institutions. 25 percent of USAID's partners are faith-based organizations. Their goal is to:
- Identify and remove legal and policy obstacles or barriers that faith-based and community-based organizations encounter when competing for federal funds.
- Create and implement legal and policy changes within the federal government and the U.S. Agency for International Development in order to ensure equal access to federal funding.
- Educate USAID Washington, pillar bureaus, regional bureaus on the Presidential Faith-Based and Community Initiative
- Reach out to faith-based and community-based organizations to encourage them to compete for federal funding, and provide technical assistance to them.
Question: What are the overall responsibilities of the centers?
Answer:
The responsibilities of each center include:
- identifying existing barriers to the participation of faith-based and community organizations in the delivery of social services by the department;
- coordinating a comprehensive departmental effort to incorporate faith-based and other community organizations in department programs and initiatives to the greatest extent possible;
- proposing initiatives to remove barriers for participation by these organizations;
- proposing the development of programs to increase the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in federal, state and local initiatives; developing and coordinating departmental outreach efforts to disseminate information more effectively to faith-based and other community organizations on initiatives and opportunities; and
- reviewing the extent to which relevant programs comply with "charitable choice" provisions and promoting and ensuring compliance with "charitable choice."
Question: Is there any money specifically set aside for faith-based organizations?
Answer:
No. The key to the initiative is to provide access for faith-based and community groups to apply for federal grants or grants from entitlement communities.
While there are small programs like the Compassion Capital Fund that are designed to help faith-based and community groups with the challenges they face, the Federal government does not set aside funds specifically for those groups. However, each year hundreds of millions of dollars go to religious charities and grassroots groups to provide vital Federal services for the poor. The government does not ask, “Does your organization believe in God?” It asks, “Does your program work? Does it meet the specific requirements of the grant? Is it turning people's lives around? Is it accountable for the money it receives?”
Question: What is the Compassion Capital Fund (CCF)?
Answer:
The primary purpose of the Compassion Capital Fund is to help faith-based and community organizations increase their effectiveness, enhance their ability to provide social services to serve those most in need, expand their organizations, diversify their funding sources, and create collaborations to better serve those in need. The fund administers three grant programs - Communities Empowering Youth Program, Demonstration Program, and Targeted Capacity Building Program.
Question: If there is no new source of funds, how is a faith based or community group supposed to get in the game?
Answer:
The focus of the program is to "level the playing field" so that all non-profit groups, including faith-based groups, are treated equitably and fairly. It is important to understand that faith-based and community groups are "competing" for federal or local grants, and must have the know-how and the capacity to deliver the services or product for which the funding is intended.
Question: Do faith-based and community groups get a preference when competing for grants?
Answer:
No. The idea is to make federal grants "faith-friendly," but not to give a preference to faith-based groups.
Question: Can grants be used to promote religious activities, and what about the First Amendment to the Constitution?
Answer: Grant funds may not be used for inherently religious activities such as worship, prayer, proselytizing, or devotional Bible study. Grants are awarded to programs that are results-oriented and based on the principles of pluralism, evenhandedness, and neutrality. The funds are to be used for things such as reducing crime, assisting victims of crime, keeping juveniles out of the life of crime, and mentoring youth and adults.
No grant or program may show favoritism for or against religion. Instead, each program will be neutral and adhere to the two religion clauses of the First Amendment: the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. The Department recognizes that government cannot discriminate against providers because they are religious, and religious groups may not discriminate against recipients of government aid on the basis of religion.
Question: Do we need a 501(C)(3) in order to apply for a grant?
Answer: A faith-based or community organization is not required to obtain 501(C)(3) status to apply for a grant program as a nonprofit. It is strongly recommended that each prospective applicant explore such avenues to determine what is in the best interest of their organization.
Question: What is Charitable Choice?
Answer:
The Charitable Choice provision (Section 104) of the federal welfare reform law was enacted in the summer of 1996. Charitable Choice is a legislative provision designed to remove unnecessary barriers to the receipt of certain federal funds by faith-based organizations. The provision prohibits states from discriminating against religious organizations when choosing providers under certain government grant programs. It encourages states to involve community and faith-based organizations in providing federally funded welfare services to the poor and needy.
While Charitable Choice is designed to improve access to government funding for faith-based organizations, it does not establish a new funding stream dedicated to these groups.
Charitable Choice rests on four principles
- A Level Playing Field. Faith-based providers are eligible to compete for funds on the same basis as any other social service providers, neither excluded nor included because they are religious, too religious or of the wrong religion.
- Respect for Allies. The religious character of faith-based providers is protected by allowing them to retain control over the definition, development, practice, and expression of their religious beliefs. Neither federal nor state government can require a religious social service provider to alter its form of internal governance or remove religious art, icons, scripture or other symbols in order to be eligible to receive government funds.
- Protecting Clients. In regard to rendering assistance, a religious organization receiving government money shall not discriminate against an individual on the basis of religion, a religious belief, or refusal to actively participate in a religious practice. If an individual seeking help objects to the religious character of the faith-based organization program, a secular alternative must be provided.
- Church-State Separation. All government funds must be used to fulfill the public social service goals, and no direct government funding can be diverted to inherently religious activities such as worship, sectarian instruction, and proselytization.
Question: What is parish nursing?
Answer: A parish nurse is a registered nurse who services the holistic health needs of a congregation.
A parish nurse assists and supports individuals, families, and communities in becoming more active partners in the stewardship of personal and communal health resources. The parish nurse, in collaboration with the pastoral staff and congregants, participates in the ongoing transformation of the faith community into a source of health and healing. Through partnership with other community health resources, parish nursing fosters new and creative responses to health and wellness concerns.
Professional nursing is rooted in the concept of health and healing. Parish nursing integrates current medical and behavioral knowledge with beliefs and practices within a faith community. Parish nurse ministers provide the link between traditional health care and spiritual health.
Parish nurses’ activities can include the following: yoga practice, monthly blood pressure checks after services, health fairs, blood drives and providing educational speakers. Topics range from nutrition, stress reduction, to signs of diabetes, cancer or hypertension. A health inventory or survey helps the nurses to decide the needs of the people. The parish nurse may also do home or nursing home visits, prayer chains, or start a health library for the church. Sometimes the parish nurse is an extra resource for the pastor to contact if health issues require attention. Parish nurses are also available friendly professionals to talk with about health care issues. A parish nurse may also seek a grant to help support other projects within the church.
In 1998, the American Nurses Association recognized Parish Nursing as a specialty and published "Scope of Practice" and "Standards of Practice" for Parish Nursing. These standards may be purchased from American Nurses Association. The American Nurses Association defines a Parish Nurse as “a professional, registered nurse who serves as a member of the ministry staff of a faith community to promote health as wholeness of the faith community, its family and individual members, and the community it serves through the independent practice of nursing as defined by the Nurse Practice Act in the jurisdiction in which her or she practices and the standards of practice set forth in the ‘‘Scope and Standards of Parish Nursing Practice’’ document.
In addition, a standardized curriculum was developed and recommended by the International Parish Nurse Resource Center.
Question: How can we start a parish nurse program in our congregation?
Answer: The University of Maryland hosts a comprehensive website for gaining information about parish nursing.
Other suggestions include, putting together a small health committee (3-5 members) of interested parishioners, including health professionals you may have, in order to exchange ideas, express interests, note specialties, and pledge commitment.
Try to identify some of the health issues you are facing in your church, and some of the reasons your congregation might find a parish nurse helpful.
1. Assess your resources. Identify the financial and human resources available to be certain that the program will be able to function effectively.
2. Educate the parish. Parishioners should be aware that the Parish Nurse’s message is one of wellness and specifically holistic health, not hands-on care like giving insulin injections or changing dressings.
3. Establish a health cabinet/committee. Gather a core group to establish the purpose and goals of the program. Include professionals within the health care industry, if possible.
4. Choose a proven model. Evaluate and select from the following models, based on the needs and resources of the parish:
- Congregation based volunteer
- Congregation based employee
- Institution based volunteer
- Institution based employee
5. Develop an adequate funding source. Address all costs, even if the program is
volunteer. Consider the cost of office supplies, mileage reimbursement, speaker’s fees, and informational materials.
Question: What is weed and seed?
Answer: Weed and Seed, a federal grant strategy, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice. Its strategy is to "weed" out drug trafficking, violent crimes and related offenses through coordinated law enforcement and community policing; and then "seed" the designated areas with prevention, intervention and treatment programs designed to meet the communities' needs for educational scholarships, training, mentoring programs and employment opportunities. Weed and Seed links federal, state, and local social services, private sector plus community efforts, to maximize the impact of existing community programs and resources.
The Weed and Seed programs offer funding opportunities, publications, technical assistance, and workshops. For further information, see Weed and Seed Implementation Manual, which is intended to be an easy-to-read guide for communities attempting to implement a weed and seed strategy.
Question: Where can I find a listing of national and state liaisons for faith-based initiatives?
Answer: The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services provides information on national and state liaisons. Also, The Roundtable on Religion & Social Welfare Policy has information on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives by State.
Question: Are there specific do's and don'ts for faith-based organizations?
Answer: Yes. There are special considerations that come into play when faith-based groups work with the Federal Government.
Question: Is there funding for meals for faith-based day care and after school programs?
Answer: Yes. Faith-based and community organizations that sponsor day care and after school programs and faith-based private schools are eligible to receive funding from the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide healthy, nutritious meals for children from low income families who are enrolled in their program.
Credits
Kimberly Konkel, HHS
Michele Pray-Gibson, ORHP
Lynette Dickson, UND Center for Rural Health
Last revised 03/03/2008
