The Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

The HHS Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (The Partnership Center), formerly the HHS Center for Faith-based and Community Initiatives, is a resource for secular and faith-based nonprofits and community organizations seeking to:

• Increase their impact in their communities.
• Make the most of what HHS has to offer.
• Understand federal grant opportunities and responsibilities. 

In this role, the Partnership Center acts as a liaison to the grassroots. We work to build partnerships between government and community and faith-based organizations, which help HHS serve individuals, families and communities in need.  The Partnership Center works in collaboration with HHS agencies, and our goal is to extend the reach and impact of HHS programs into communities.

President Obama has provided four key goals to focus the work of Agency Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnership Centers.  These goals are to:

• Strengthen the role of community organizations in the economic recovery and poverty reduction.
• Reduce unintended pregnancies and support maternal and child health.
• Promote responsible fatherhood and healthy families.
• Foster interfaith dialogue and collaboration with leaders and scholars around the world, and at home.

The HHS Partnership Center also helps build bridges between government and community groups, such as working closely with the Centers for Disease Control to help communities prepare for and respond to Novel H1N1 influenza. 

The priorities of the Partnership Center are carried out in a way that upholds and honors our Constitution - ensuring that both existing programs and new proposals are fully consistent with American laws and values.  Our nation’s Bill of Rights and important laws respecting both religious liberty and the non-establishment of religion protect not only our democracy, but also the plurality and vibrancy of America’s religious and civic life.

Secretary Sebelius has appointed social justice advocate Alexia Kelley to direct the HHS Partnership Center. Read Biography>>

Partnership Center News:

Community and Faith-based Organizations Response Efforts to the 2009 H1N1 Influenza -- To accommodate the outpouring of interest and support from community and faith-based organizations to the 2009 H1N1 Influenza response effort, the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (WHOFNP) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) held a listening session to share information and to provide a coordinated forum for WHOFNP and HHS Leadership to update on the 2009 H1N1 influenza response activities to-date. [Listen] [Read Transcript]