To read the full research behind this op-ed, visit our 2025 Hatfield Prize page here. Advocates for religious freedom celebrated a July 2025 decision by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a case regarding an Oregon policy disqualifying otherwise eligible parents from fostering or adopting because of their religious beliefs. The case was argued before the federal circuit court in July 2024. At issue was Oregon’s requirement that foster and adoptive parents “respect, accept, and support” a child’s gender identity and sexual orientation. This includes using preferred pronouns, attending pride events, providing clothing that matches the child’s preferred identity, and […]

This article is part of Better Together — a storytelling series from the Center for Public Justice highlighting how faith-based organizations have partnered with government to see their communities flourish. In 2008, residents of Hill East in Washington D.C., were growing increasingly frustrated. Crimes committed by youth were rising, and neither the District police nor other officials were responding effectively. Some believed that the young people causing the troubles either lived in or were finding sanctuary inside the Potomac Gardens Housing Project in Ward 6. Angry residents began calling for action, some even called for a protest they hoped would […]

As a child, Danny suffered through abuse and trauma. His family faced poverty that was severe enough to enter them into Virginia’s welfare system. In the instability and danger of his childhood, he struggled to feel safe, and he didn’t think he belonged anywhere. Today, Danny doesn’t like to talk much about his past, but the traumas of his childhood lurk in the shadows of his adult life. He is currently serving time at an adult facility, but he and his family have become strong advocates for those in similar situations. They know intimately how valuable these children’s lives are […]

President Trump’s recent grants system reform directive—Executive Order 14332, “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking” (August 7, 2025)—has alarmed many involved in partnerships with federal programs. They call it a further grab for presidential power, a further politicization of the process by which federal funding is awarded to private organizations, including faith-based organizations, to carry out services and research for the public good. Many of the proposed changes, though, are positive, including reforms to enable smaller organizations new to federal funding to participate. However, new uncertainty will accompany grant awards, requiring organizations interested in federal partnerships to be very careful in […]

For faith-based nonprofits engaged in education and human services, federal grants have long served as both a resource and a point of tension—expanding the reach of their ministries while often raising questions about missional compromise, compliance, and clarity. In 2025, nonprofit leaders are telling a consistent story: the terrain of federal partnership has grown shakier. Budget instability, shifting priorities, and agency changes have introduced new layers of uncertainty for mission-driven organizations. This theme was at the heart of a July webinar hosted by Maryland Nonprofits, titled “Navigating the Uncertainty of Federal Funding,” led by grant strategist Rachel Werner of RBW […]

On July 14, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the launch of its new Center for Faith. Housed in the SBA’s Office of Economic Development, the Center for Faith aims to facilitate access to capital, counselling and government contracting for faith-based businesses, community organizations and houses of worship, according to the SBA news release. It seeks to ensure that eligible Americans benefit from agency resources regardless of their religious affiliation. SBA administrator Kelly Loeffler shared with the Washington Examiner that the agency is “proud to uphold the principles of religious freedom that our nation was founded on.” Through these […]