Fact Sheet
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan 13, 2006 |
Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343
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Faith Based and Community Initiatives
Overview
The mission of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (CFBCI) is to ensure faith-based and community
organizations have equal access to Federal funds awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services.
BACKGROUND
President Bush established the Faith-Based and Community Initiative to ensure a level playing field for faith-based
and community organizations seeking to partner with the Federal government in its efforts to provide human services.
To achieve this goal, the President issued two Executive Orders in January 2001 that created the White House Office
of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in five cabinet
departments, including the Department of Health and Human Services.
The work of the HHS Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives rests primarily on two fronts. Internally,
CFBCI is working to remove barriers � either perceived or existing � to the participation of faith-based and
community organizations in the Federal grant making process. This includes ensuring that HHS programs abide by
applicable Equal Treatment and Charitable Choice regulations prohibiting discrimination against faith-based
organizations in the awarding of Federal funds. Externally, CFBCI�s focus is upon developing and coordinating
department outreach efforts to disseminate information more effectively to faith-based and other community
organizations with respect to programming changes, contracting opportunities, and other department initiatives,
including, but not limited to, Web and Internet resources.
ACTIVITIES:
Outreach
CFBCI works to provide outreach to faith-based and community organizations to help effective organizations successfully
partner with the Department of Health and Human Services.
To accomplish this goal, CFBCI:
Participates in regional White House conferences to inform faith-based and community organizations about resources
within the Department for which they are eligible.
Worked with the White House to compile a grants catalog listing 170 grant programs across several Federal agencies
that represent opportunities for faith-based and community organizations.
Administers a weekly listserv to notify subscribers of open funding opportunities within HHS for which
faith-based and community organizations are eligible.
Maintains a database of faith-based and community organizations interested in Federal, State and local
funding opportunities.
Implementation of Equal Treatment Regulations
President Bush signed Executive Order 13279 on December 12, 2002, stating that �no organization should be discriminated
against on the basis of religion or religious belief� in the awarding of Federal grants. HHS took steps to implement
this Executive Order by issuing the regulations commonly known as the Equal Treatment Regulations, published in the
Federal Register on July 16, 2004. CFBCI is working to ensure awareness of and compliance with these regulations
among administrators of HHS funding at the Federal and local levels. CFBCI is also educating faith-based and
community organizations about these regulations, which prohibit religious discrimination against grant
applicants and dictate that direct Federal funding cannot be used for inherently religious activities.
To accomplish these goals, CFBCI:
Posted notification of the Equal Treatment Regulations on its website at: http://www.hhs.gov/fbci/regs.html.
Participates in statewide training workshops to educate State and local administrators of Federal funds about
the Equal Treatment Regulations.
Works with HHS operating divisions and their respective program offices to ensure awareness of and compliance
with the Equal Treatment Regulations among all administrators of HHS funds.
Includes notice of the Equal Treatment Regulations in correspondence with faith-based and community organizations.
Data Collection
Each year, CFBCI reports data to the White House on the participation of faith-based and community organizations in
selected Federal grant programs. A full report on the results of the 2004 data collection can be found on the website
of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at: www.fbci.gov.
Programs
While it does not administer Federal funding, CFBCI is involved in developing and monitoring pilot programs at HHS to
increase the participation of faith-based and community organizations in Federal, State and local initiatives. Three
of these programs include the Compassion Capital Fund (CCF), Access to Recovery (ATR) and Mentoring Children of
Prisoners (MCP).
Compassion Capital Fund (CCF): CCF is designed to help grassroots organizations improve their capacity to
provide sustainable and effective social services in distressed areas. More information about CCF can be
found on the website of the HHS Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccf.
Access to Recovery (ATR): ATR grants are awarded to States to provide vouchers to individuals for the purchase
of substance abuse clinical treatment and/or recovery support services. More information about ATR can be found
on the website of the HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at atr.samhsa.gov
Mentoring Children of Prisoners (MCP): MCP grantees link the children of incarcerated parents with mentors who
can serve as positive role models. More information about MCP can be found on the ACF website at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/mcp.htm.
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.
Last Revised: February 2, 2006
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