Faith Based Organizations and the Faith-Based Initiative
The faith-based initiative did not start government support for religious organizations that serve the needy! Despite various horror stories (not all of them true), federal, state, and local governments usually have included religiously affiliated organizations when seeking private groups to provide social services.
Still, there have often been mistaken restrictions—officials excluding from funding those faith-based organizations they regarded as “too religious” or “pervasively sectarian” and, more often, allowing religious providers to compete for funds but at the price of setting aside or minimizing important aspects of their religious character.
Experienced Religious Social-Service Providers
For religiously affiliated organizations that already, before the faith-based initiative, had worked out a way to collaborate with government agencies, the initiative should be helpful because it clarifies and codifies the standards that apply to the relationship. For details, see Basics, Church-State Standards, Policy Developments, Religious Staffing, and Constitutional/Legal. (Sometimes, though, officials have become more restrictive rather than less, subjecting religious groups they previously welcomed to onerous new rules—apparently as the officials’ response to their own mistaken belief that they are being pressured to involve religious groups without any regard to their competence. If you encounter such problems, talk with the state’s faith-based liaison, if there is one, or to the appropriate federal faith-based office.
If Collaborating with Government Is New to You
For faith-based organizations that in the past were barred from government support or assumed they were not welcome, the faith-based and community initiative is an opportunity to think again about the value of collaborating with public programs. Consider it a challenge: when officials are seeking more effective help and have opened the door wide, this is the time to move ahead, not to linger with old stories and limitations.
What are the new standards? Have the changes gone far enough? What freedoms do faith-based organizations have? What are the restrictions on religious activities and expression? How can your ministry decide whether or not to seriously consider seeking government funding? Can you protect your ministry from being taken off course by the pressures and restrictions that come with public funding? Click on the links below for answers to questions like these.
Freedoms, restrictions, and responsibilities
Restrictions on religious activities and expression
Guidelines on religious activities and expression
Freedom to take account of religion in making staffing decisions
Indirect government funding: freedom for faith-based social services
Protecting the organization’s religious mission
