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President George W. Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative represents a fresh start and
bold new approach to government's role in helping those in need. Too often the government has
ignored or impeded the efforts of faith-based and community organizations. Their compassionate
efforts to improve their communities have been needlessly and improperly inhibited by
bureaucratic red tape and restrictions placed on funding.
The White House Office and the Centers for the Faith-Based and Community Initiative --
located in seven Federal agencies -- are working to support the essential work of these important
organizations. Their goal is to make sure that grassroots leaders can compete on an equal footing
for federal dollars, receive greater private support, and face fewer bureaucratic barriers.
The Office focuses its efforts on the
following populations:
At-risk youth
Ex-offenders
Homeless
Hungry
Substance abusers
Those with HIV/AIDS
Welfare-to-work families
Browse through Federal programs serving these and other populations in our
grants catalog.
Download an overview of President Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative
here. |
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State Liaisons
21 States have Liaisons or Offices for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. For more information, click here.
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The Administration has eliminated regulatory and policy barriers that have kept faith-based
organizations from partnering with the Federal government to help Americans in need. It has also
worked to put into place regulations to ensure that faith-based organizations are able to compete on
an equal footing for Federal funding within constitutional guidelines, without impairing the religious
character of such organizations and without diminishing the religious freedom of beneficiaries.
OFBCI collected data on competitive non-formula grant awards to faith-based organizations in a select group of programs at the Departments of Housing
and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Education, Justice and Labor. To review the results, click
here.
Read about recent Presidential action to further the Faith-Based and Community Initiative.
Guidance to Faith-Based and Community Organizations on Partnering with the Federal Government
This document contains valuable information on frequently asked questions about the
federal grant system, do's and don'ts for faith-based organizations, and more.
English Section-by-Section format
English entire document (PDF)
Spanish version
Religious Hiring Rights Booklet
The White House released a guidebook fully describing the Administration's belief
that faith-based groups have a Constitutionally-protected right to maintain their religious identity through hiring -- even
when Federal funds are involved.
Grants Catalog
Find Federal grant opportunities suitable for faith-based and community organizations in our grants catalog called "Federal
Funds for Organizations That Help Those in Need".
Developing Quality Grant Proposals
Develop a quality grant proposal with the help of this guide.
DUNS Number
All Federal grant applicants are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.
Available Funding
FBCOs can apply now for several Federal grants. For more information,
click here.
Learn about training and technical assistance opportunities that help faith-based and community organizations improve
their grant-writing, expand their capacity, become effective partners, and more.
St. Louis Regional Conference
FBCI is hosting a series of regional conferences on President Bush's Initiative in cities across the country. More than 15,000 faith-based and
community leaders have already attended. The conferences are free but pre-registration is required. The next White House conference will take place on
Tuesday, September 14, 2004, in St. Louis, MO. Interested faith-based and community groups that want to learn more about the President's Initiative
should attend. Details
Regional
Conference
FBCI is hosting a series of regional conferences on President Bush's Initiative in cities across the country. Nearly 14,500 faith-based and community
leaders have already attended. The conferences are free but pre-registration is required. For more information,
click here .
Conference Videos
Watch videos of recent FBCI regional conference speakers.
Learn about the Centers for Faith-Based and
Community Initiatives in the U.S. Departments of Justice,
Labor,
Health and Human Services,
Housing and Urban Development,
Education,
Agriculture;
and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Compassion Capital Fund
The President's Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) helps faith-based and community organizations increase their effectiveness and enhance their ability to
provide social services to serve those most in need. Since 2002, CCF has awarded 81 grants totaling more than $55 million that have helped strengthen
the capacity of over 600 small faith-based and community organizations. CCF administers two grant programs: the Demonstration Program and the Targeted
Capacity Building Program. click here.
Access to Recovery
The President's Access to Recovery program will give individuals seeking drug treatment expanded access to effective providers through a new voucher
program. As a part of this program, the Department of Health and Human Services is making $100 million available in FY 2004 to up to 15 States to
extend drug treatment to 50,000 more Americans, allowing them a choice of providers including faith-based organizations. The President has proposed to
double this funding level in FY 2005. click here.
Mentoring Children of Prisoners
Last year, President Bush proposed an initiative to mentor children of prisoners. Faith-based and community organizations that work with these children
in a variety of settings are eligible to apply for these funds. Congress appropriated the President's full request of $50 million for this mentoring
program in FY 2004. The President has requested $50 million in FY 2005. click
here.
Prisoner Re-Entry
Initiative
In January 2004, President Bush proposed a four-year, $300 million initiative to reduce recidivism and help returning inmates contribute to their
communities. This year, more than 600,000 inmates will be released from prison, and studies show that approximately two-thirds will likely be
rearrested within three years of release. The initiative will harness the resources and experience of faith-based and community organizations in
providing newly released prisoners with job training and placement services, transitional housing, and voluntary mentoring support. click here.
The U.S. House and Senate both passed the Charity Aid, Recovery, and
Empowerment (CARE) Act with overwhelming bipartisan margins. The President
continues to urge Congressional action on the CARE Act, which would create
tax incentives for individual and corporate charitable giving.
Use the links below to learn about the President's commitment to America's armies of compassion and how you can get involved.
OFBCI offers several free publications as resources for FBCOs.
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