Contrary to popular belief, faith-based organizations can receive government funding. Check out this resource from the Center for Public Justice on common misconceptions surrounding faith-based organizations and government partnerships.
Federal guidelines permit organizations to deliver services in a religious context, but cannot mandate that youth participate in directly religious programming. For example, if a faith-based organization has both a job skills training program along with a bible study, the organization, assuming it is receiving federal funding, cannot require youth to participate in the bible studies. However, while there are specific parameters surrounding the provision of funding for faith-based organizations, this individual’s comments suggest that a lack of knowledge on guidelines may prevent faith-based organizations from receiving the same funding opportunities as non-faith-based groups.
As described in the section above, clearly articulating what elements of programming are inherently religious versus what things are not and emphasizing that they do not discriminate in terms of who may receive their services was a tangible step to address this barrier. Thus, a readiness to educate potential funders–be they private or public–is a key pathway for capacity building.
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