E-ALERT: Volume One, Number 2NEW DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FAITH-BASED REGULATION On Thursday, January 15, 2004, the Department of Justice (DOJ) posted its Final Rule concerning the ability of faith-based organizations to apply for federal grant funds on an equal basis with all other groups. The new Rule was adopted in accordance with President Bush’s Executive Order 13279 that directs all federal agencies with Faith-Based Centers to change their operating rules to ensure that all faith-based organizations will be on a level playing field when it comes to federal grant programs. While federal law requires that grant funds may not be used for “inherently religious activities”, i.e, worship, religious instruction, or proselytization, faith-based organizations are now guaranteed that they can retain their religious character in terms of internal governance, symbols and icons on buildings, literature, and other items. You can read the details of the new regulation at www.usdoj.gov/fbci/docs/dojfaith.pdf. WHITE HOUSE FAITH-BASED CONFERENCE On December 5, 2003, the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives held its ninth regional Inter-Agency Conference providing information and technical assistance at the Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. Approximately 1600 attendees had the opportunity to hear from Florida Governor Jeb Bush and from U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. The Conference included a number of workshops designed to inform participants about the President’s Faith-Based Initiative and about how local faith-based and community-based organizations can be part of the federal grant process. At the Tampa Conference, Attorney General Ashcroft emphasized the value of having faith-based partners involved in grant programs designed to help meet the needs of people all across America. You can read the Attorney General’s remarks at www.usdoj.gov/archive/ag/speeches/2003/agfull120503.htm. Also attending the Tampa Conference were a number of key personnel from the Department of Justice including Diane Stuart, Director of the Office of Violence Against Women and Robert Flores, Director of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Staff was also present from the Office of Communications within the Office of Justice Programs and from the Executive Office of Weed and Seed. Through the Department’s display table at the Networking Session, thousands of program-related information sheets were distributed and Department staff had the opportunity to personally answer questions from scores of Conference attendees. NEXT WHITE HOUSE FAITH-BASED CONFERENCE The next White House Inter-Agency Conference will be held on February 12, 2004, in Phoenix, Arizona. If you have not had a chance to attend one of these important and informative conferences, here is the latest opportunity to learn about the President’s Faith-Based Initiative and the federal grant process. To obtain more information, or to register online, go to www.dtiassociates.com/fbci. NEW DOJ FAITH-BASED WEBSITE FEATURES A new feature has been added to the website of the Department of Justice’s Task Force for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. We have created archive files for our E-Alert messages so that you will be able to go back and review previously disseminated information. In addition, we have created an archive file for key statements and speeches given by President Bush and Attorney General Ashcroft relating to the Faith-Based and Community Initiative. To access these new features, just click on the “E-Alert” or “Archived Speeches” icons on the Task Force’s webpage at www.usdoj.gov/fbci. IMPORTANT REMINDER!! A few weeks ago, we published on DOJ’s Task Force for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives webpage the new requirement that all applicants for federal grant programs must obtain a "DUNS" number from Dun and Bradstreet. In case you missed that highly important announcement, please make sure that you go to the webpage and review the process of obtaining this official recognition to be able to apply for federal grants. This process must be completed before applications are filed. You can review the new DUNS process on our main webpage at www.usdoj.gov/fbci. Look under the section entitled "Important New Requirement for All Grant Applicants". |