Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives

President Donald Trump’s May 3, 2018 executive order entitled “Establishment of a White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative” created an office in the White House, the primary purpose of which was to ensure that faith-based and community organizations are included in policymaking at the federal level. The President recognized the essential contributions of faith-based and community organizations and encouraged them to be active partners in policy creation and implementation. The President also required any Federal agency that did not already have a Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives (CFOI) to designate a Liaison for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives.

The Department houses its own CFOI, which collaborates with faith and community leaders to maximize participation of religious organizations in Department programs while eliminating barriers in the grantmaking or regulatory process to safeguard religious liberty. We also ensure faith and community leaders are made aware of new Department policies and initiatives in a timely manner.

Please contact us at any time with questions or concerns at edpartners@ed.gov. To stay connected, sign up for updates and our monthly newsletter at https://www.ed.gov/subscriptions/ and mark “Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives.”

Please note: The Center does not make funding decisions, which are made through procedures established by each departmental grant program – typically involving a competitive process. All applicants compete on an equal basis for department funds.