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Federal Partners – Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
State Liaisons or Offices for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
Several States have either an office or a liaison for faith-based
and community organizations in the Governor's office, a State agency,
or a Governor-appointed foundation. To view the list of State Liaisons
or Offices for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, click here.
New for Weed and Seed Sites, Partners, and Potential Partners
Are you a Weed and Seed site that is interested in learning how to better partner with faith-based and other community organizations to make your program more successful? Are you an organization that currently partners, or would like to partner, with a Weed and Seed site in your community and would like to know more about the program and the rules that apply to it? Then take a look at this new helpful presentation crafted for the Weed and Seed Program.
New for State and Local Officials
The Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the Department of Health and Human Services has put out a new guidebook entitled "Partnering with Faith-Based and Community Organizations: A Guide for State and Local Officials Administering Federal Block and Formula Grant Funds." The guidebook is written specifically for state and local officials as a way to provide practical information on developing and enhancing partnerships with effective faith-based and community organizations.
While the guidebook discusses the ability of faith-based organizations to consider religion when hiring staff for a Federally-funded program, for a fuller discussion of the issue, please visit http://www.usdoj.govdo-dont.html.
Guidance for Government on the Design and Operation of a Constitutionally-Valid "Voucher"-Based Delivery System of Reentry Services for Ex-Offenders
In a voucher system beneficiaries choose their provider of a government-funded service. Many believe that a voucher-based program will increase the supply, variety and quality of reentry services available to clients: more job placement specialists, drug counselors, transitional housing beds, and mentors than before. Faith-based organizations (FBOs) may be attracted by the fact that under a voucher system (unlike a direct grant) they may integrate their religious perspective with the federally-funded social service, to provide a holistic approach. Religious providers of transitional housing, for example, need not separate by time or location a group prayer or scripture study from the meal time. As a result, faith-based providers can be authentic to their mission and message in all their programming and at all times. Some believe this will ensure that FBOs can more efficiently do what they do best.
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State Administering Agencies
The Office of Justice Programs
(OJP) provides federal leadership in developing the nation's
capacity to prevent and control crime, improve the criminal and
juvenile justice systems, increase knowledge about crime and related
issues, and assist crime victims. Many OJP formula grants are awarded
directly to state governments, which then set priorities and allocate
funds. A list of the formula grant points of contact within the
State Administering Agencies is available for each state by clicking
on the map below.
Local Administering Agencies
Removing Barriers to Local Governments Entering Into Partnerships with
Faith-Based Organizations
In the not too distant past, confusion surrounding the laws regarding federal funding of religious organizations sometimes dissuaded local governments from entering into productive partnerships with faith-based organizations (FBOs). To clarify how state and local governments may collaborate with FBOs, in 2004 the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued its Equal Treatment for Faith-Based Organizations regulations, 28 C.F.R. pt. 38.
The purpose of these DOJ regulations is to implement President George W. Bush’s Executive Order No. 13279, which states that religiously affiliated organizations should be able to compete for federal funding on an equal footing with other organizations. These regulations apply equally to DOJ and state and local governments that receive funds from DOJ.
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