The Centers for Faith and Opportunity Initiative at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has compiled these resources to keep faith-based and community organizations informed of key updates.
Grant Resources
The U.S. Department of Labor provides grants on topics ranging from assisting to human trafficking victims, helping drug addicts break the cycle of addiction, providing education to the underserved, assisting prisoners to reenter the workforce, helping homeless veterans secure jobs and housing, and more. The links below will help faith-based and community organizations understand the grants process at DOL and find Funding Opportunity Announcements.
- DOL Grants Information - Find general information on which Department of Labor agencies issue grants, and the process for finding and applying to Funding Opportunity Announcements.
- Employment and Training Administration's Office of Grants Management - The Employment and Training Administration is the largest issuer of grants at the Department of Labor.
- Grants.gov - The U.S. Department of Labor publishes Funding Opportunity Announcements on Grants.gov.
Religious Liberty Resources
White House
- Executive Order 13798, "Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty," signed by President Donald J. Trump on May 4, 2017
The order reaffirms religious liberty as the nation's first freedom and government's obligation to respect man's natural right to practice his faith as he sees fit. The order also directed the Attorney General to deliver guidance to all federal agencies on how best to enforce religious liberty protections in federal law. - January 15, 2019, Presidential Proclamation on Religious Freedom Day, 2019
President Trump declared January 16 of each year Religious Freedom Day.
U.S. Department of Labor
- May 15, 2020, U.S. Department of Labor Advances Protection for Religious Liberty
Today, Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued both a directive and guidance to advance religious liberty protections. These actions bolster the Department’s on-going efforts to advance the principles set forth in President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 13798, “Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty.” - January 16, 2020, Proposed Rule Regarding Equal Treatment of Faith-Based Organizations in U.S. Department of Labor-Supported Social Service Programs
The U.S. Department of Labor proposed a rule that would implement President Trump’s Executive Order No. 13831 (May 3, 2018), remove regulatory burdens on religious organizations and ensure that religious and non-religious organizations are treated equally in Department-supported programs. - August 10, 2018, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Directive
The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs directed its employees to take into account recent court decisions and executive orders that aggressively defend the Constitution's religious freedom protections when enforcing anti-discrimination law. - December 21, 2018, Wage and Hour Division Opinion Letter
The Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division concluded that workers who voluntarily forgo pay based on their religious beliefs are exempt from federal law that requires that employees receive pay.
U.S. Department of Justice
- October 6, 2017, U.S. Department of Justice Memorandum on Federal Law Protections for Religious Liberty
The Attorney General issued twenty principles on religious liberty protections already present in federal law to ensure agencies not burden a person or organization on the basis of their religious convictions.