Department of Education - Faith Based Website

The President's words encapsulate the goal of the Center for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships which is to "...simply...work on behalf of those organizations that want to work on behalf of our communities..." and empower those groups to initiate change and increase community expectation, clear barriers to participation and support ED's mission to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

This web site provides (www.ed.gov):

• background about the Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnership executive order,
• information about grants from the U.S. Department of Education,
• announcements about upcoming conferences and workshops,
• grant writing tips and partnership ideas, and
• communication with our staff through new media.

From after-school programs to weekend computer labs, from early reading to family literacy, there are many opportunities for faith-based and community organizations to help promote a culture of success for our students. Each community can be a resource for driving achievement and supporting teachers, parents and students towards academic success.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at:  faithandcommunity@ed.gov.

Controversy surrounds Obama's faith office

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama's newly revamped Office of Faith Based Initiatives is reigniting a contentious debate across the ideological spectrum over whether religious organizations that accept funds from the government should be allowed to discriminate when hiring.

On the campaign trail, President Obama's views on federal money and discrimination seemed clear.

In one corner is a string of religion-backed organizations that have accepted federal funds from the 8-year-old program to advance their secular charity work. President Bush issued an executive order in 2002 that allowed these groups to continue their practice of discrimination with respect to hiring. Specifically, many of the organizations carry policies against hiring outside their religion or hiring homosexuals whose lifestyles conflict with church doctrines.

In the other corner are separation-of-church-and-state advocates and human-rights organizations that say the government must constitutionally compel these organizations to follow nondiscrimination laws if they accept federal funding. Anything less, they say, would at best be a violation of church-state separation and at worst an implicit endorsement of discrimination.

"[President Obama] is under heavy pressure from those who support faith-based hiring in these enterprises to not just eliminate it," said Ira C. Lupu, a professor at The George Washington University Law School. "Others say that hiring on the basis of religion is discriminatory and that the government should never subsidize that. As a political matter, there is a lot of pressure from both sides."

Obama himself waded into the debate during the presidential campaign, delivering a widely viewed speech in Zanesville, Ohio, during which he endorsed faith-based programs, but said the beneficiaries of such government aid should be forced to cease discriminatory practices.

"If you get a federal grant, you can't use that grant money to proselytize to the people you help and you can't discriminate against them -- or against the people you hire -- on the basis of their religion," Obama said in the July 1 speech at the East Side Community Ministry.

Don't Miss

• Ticker: Obama speaks about his religious transformation

But since Election Day, the president and his aides have been far less clear on whether the

new faith-based initiatives office will significantly depart from the Bush administration's policy.
In an executive order to be announced on Thursday, Obama does not rescind Bush's provision to allow faith-based groups to discriminate in their hiring practices, but does provide a legal process for organizations to go through in order to that ensure hiring is legal and non-discriminatory.

Administration sources say the new legal safeguard is a "key step forward" in addressing the thorny issue of faith-based hiring.

But Dr. Joel Hunter, a senior pastor at Northland Church in Longwood, Florida, who will be part of a 25-member council of religious leaders in the faith-based office, said the issue is a particularly tricky one for religious leaders.

"We're going to have to work that out, because on the one hand, you don't want to use federal funds to discriminate. But on the other hand, we can't have religious organizations taking money on the condition that they will hire people who live a lifestyle contrary to what they teach," he said.

If the Obama administration moves slowly on resolving the issue, the new president risks alienating a large bloc of his supporters, many of whom are already wary of faith-based funding from the federal government.

"In an ideal world, there would be no faith-based office," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "But if we must have this office, certain steps must be taken to bring it into line with the commands of the Constitution."

For the faith-based groups, the issue is not so clear-cut. Under the Civil Rights act of 1964, faith-based organizations have a right to discriminate in hiring with respect to religion. Many of these organizations argue they risk losing their fundamental identity if the government forces them to hire individuals outside their faith.

"To us, it's not a matter of discrimination, it's a matter of our faith ethos," said Samuel Rodriguez, the president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. "What they are telling us is to negate who we are in order to acquire federal grants. ... That's just unacceptable."

Rodriguez, whose organization represents more than 19,000 churches, said he and other religious leaders have directly communicated their concerns to the Obama administration and are confident the president will not seek to rescind the policy.

"President Obama understands he's at risk of alienating the vast majority of the evangelical community," Rodriguez said.

But opponents argue organizations use the right to hire within their religion as an excuse to implicitly discriminate against gays and lesbians -- many of whom may share the same faith as the organization but are deemed not good practitioners of it.

"The Bush administration's policies and initiatives that have allowed religious institutions to discriminate against [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual] Americans with public money are not consistent with the values espoused by President Obama and his Administration," Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign said. "We are hopeful that the new administration will take the necessary steps to address this critical issue of fairness expeditiously."

At Pastor Rick Warren's presidential forum in August, then-presidential candidate Obama said a distinction should be made between how federally funded groups hire within their own mission and how they hire when it comes to secular charitable work.

"The devil's in the details," he said then. "What we do want to make sure of is that as a general principle we're not using federal funding to discriminate, but that is only when it comes to the narrow program that is being funded by the federal government. That does not affect any of the other ministries that are being taken, that are taking place."

Transformation from Secular to Religious Government

Under the Bush administration, our country is experiencing a major transformation from a secular to a religious government. The President's faith-based initiative is central to this transformation and raises serious questions about church-state separation. "Slouching toward theocracy. President Bush's faith-based initiative is doing better than you think," by Bill Berkowitz, 2/6/04 provides an overview of this transformation.

In his State of the Union address, Bush renewed a call for Congress to make permanent his faith-based proposals that would allow religious organizations to compete for more government contracts and grants without a strict separation between their religious activities and social service programs.

On February 4, 2004, the U.S. House of Representatives voted for provisions in a social services bill that allow religiously based job discrimination in publicly funded programs run by churches.

How Much Money?

How much are taxpayers paying for what Barry Lynn, Executive Director of American's United calls "federally subsidized employment discrimination?" According to Daniel Zwerdling who produced two programs on faith-based initiative for Bill Moyers TV show NOW in September, 2003, "administration spokesmen say they can't break down how much money has gone so far to religious groups .. they claim they don't keep that information."

The March, 2004, issue of Church and State reports that the "Faith Czar" Jim Towey announced to reporters that $40 billion dollars was now available to religious charities.

By studying White House press releases and the White House web site, Daniel Zwerdling found that religious groups could apply to more than a hundred federal programs that gave out more than $65 billion. In addition, religious groups ccould apply for more money through state-administered programs.

From the Washington Post, January 4, 2005:

.. in 2003, groups dubbed "faith-based" received $1.17 billion in grants from federal agencies, according to documents provided by the White House to the Associated Press.

That's not enough, said H. James Towey, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. An additional $40 billion in federal money is given out by state governments, he said..

This is the text of an executive order signed by Bush on June 1.

On September 22, 2003, the White House announced new rules making $28 billion available to religious charities that proselytize and discriminate in hiring. Susan Jacoby, director of the Center for Inquiry in Metro New York claims "The White House has taken what may be its boldest step yet to blur the constitutional separation of church and state." While the White House announced these controversial new rules, the media hardly paid attention.

While religious charities receive billions of dollars, federal programs are experiencing funding cuts. The largest federally funded after-school program, the $1 billion-a-year 21st Century Community Learning Centers program is threatened with a budget reduction of $400 million for the Fiscal Year 2004. The resulting cuts in Washington D.C. alone could eliminate after-school services for 2,902 District children.

As reported in the Washington Post, Congress has ordered more than $3 million in grants since 2001 earmarked for respected former Redskins cornerback Darrell Green's Youth Life Foundation, with the goal in part of opening more Green learning centers here and in other cities. But his center is directly serving only 38 kids, in a city where 35,000 live in poverty.

From Church and State editorial, March 9, 2004:

The Corporation for National and Community Service has allocated $324,000 in Americorps funding for staffing at four daycare centers run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.

But The Children's Crusade, a mentoring program that has won national honors, lost all its budget of half a million dollars. The group had hoped to partner 35 young adults with poor minority children. That won't be happening now.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has been following Bush's Faith-Based Initiative since he assumed the office of President. They have filed lawsuits, and their magazine, Church and State, has many important, in-depth articles.

From Americans United, August 17, 2004:

A new study of the "faith-based" initiative raises troubling questions about the Bush administration's disregard for constitutional and civil rights protections, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The report issued today by the Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy lists the many executive actions President George W. Bush has taken to fund a wide range of religion-based social services. The sweeping changes in federal policy, the report indicates, have come without congressional authorization.

Philadelphia Church That Endorsed Bush Gets $1 Million 'Faith-Based' Grant 
Wednesday June 23, 2004

"The Rev. Lusk endorsed candidate Bush, and wound up getting a $1-million faith-based grant from the Bush administration," [Barry] Lynn said. "Now there's a heavenly payoff."

"Faith-Based Fiat," January, 2003, Church and State:

"On Dec. 12, speaking to over 1,000 religious and charitable leaders gathered at the Downtown Marriott Hotel in Philadelphia, George W. Bush launched another major offensive in his drive to implement his controversial "faith-based" initiative. Circumventing a reluctant Congress, which has refused to enact the administration's scheme, Bush announced a sweeping package of executive actions to encourage churches and other religious groups to apply for billions in government contracts to help the disadvantaged."

"Faith-Based Foray," From Church and State, October, 2002,

"Not willing to let a skeptical Congress delay its plan for government-funded religion, the Bush administration is moving ahead with the faith-based initiative anyway."

"Faith-Based Victory," Church and State, May, 2003, brings good news! A powerful coalition formed in the U.S. Senate to derail President Bush and U.S. Senator Rick Santorum's efforts to pass legislation making it legal to discriminate in employment. As a result, the final legislation is nothing like the Bush/Santorum plan. This 'good news' article affirms the power of coalition building in the Senate.

"Faith-Based Failure," Church and State, November, 2002, highlights a report documenting major problems with the Faith Based program that has been implemented in Texas for the past five year

"The Bush 'Faith-Based' Orders: Dangerous Decrees, Church and State. On Dec. 12, 2002, President George W. Bush issued two executive orders putting into place his controversial "faith-based" initiative, February, 2003. (So far, I haven't been able to find this article on AU's newly reformatted web site -jb) more

Faith-Based Sex-Education

Sierra magazine, January-February, 2004, has a feature article on abstinence-only education in the public schools. Federally funded programs are based on fear and end up proselytizing. A Louisianna state judge has ruled that the proselytizing must stop or the programs risk defunding.

"For Louisianna seventh graders, abstinence-only education appears first and foremost to be about terrifying diseases: suppurating boils, endless rashes, sterility, cancers, and the physical and psychic morbidity with which they are to be punished for having sex before marriage."

"Hundreds of federally funded abstinence-only programs are run by faith-based groups. The Louisianna American Civil Liberties Union found that ... thousands of dollars went to programs that included prayers as well as continuous referrences to God, Jesus Christ, and the spiritual repercussions of sex before marriage."

Faith Base Lock Up

In Lawtey, Florida, Gov. Jeb Bush dedicated what is being called the nation's first religion-based prison.

A North Florida prison will be converted into the nation's first faith-based lockup. Critics say public money shouldn't be spent on religious programs.

"This is a clearly unconstitutional scheme," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. "A state can no more create a faith-based prison than it could set up faith-based public schools or faith-based police departments."

Americans United filed a lawsuit to block a similar state-sponsored fundamentalist Christian project operating with public funds at a prison in Iowa. That case, which challenges state support of Charles Colson's InnerChange program, is pending in federal court.

How the the InnerChange Prison Fellowship program cooked the books so that the program's failure looks like a success. To read about Americans United current litigation, click here.

Faith-Based Parks

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a non-profit group that represents park workers and public employees, charged in a release last week that the National Park Service is hell-bent on removing images of anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, pro-choice marches and gay rights marches from an eight-minute video tape located at the Lincoln Memorial covering historic gatherings that have taken place there and on the Washington Mall.

"The park service leadership now caters exclusively to conservative Christian fundamentalist groups," stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch in his group's release. "The Bush Administration appears to be sponsoring a program of Faith-Based Parks."

"... morality conservative groups have a special entree with decision makers at the Park Service and the White House."

The federal government lost a lawsuit when a federal court ruled that a program crossed the line between church and state. From the Washington Post July 6, 2004: "America Corps Loses Suit on Religion:"

The federal agency that oversees AmeriCorps must stop financing programs that place volunteers in Catholic schools, a judge has ruled, saying it unconstitutionally crosses the line between church and state.

Faith-Based Coercion

Increasingly--and more often than not, with the explicit cheerleading and support of dominionist groups--there is an emphasis for reliance on "faith based" initiatives, such as "faith based" rehab programs, "faith based" disaster aid charities, etc. Unfortunately, this is often turning into a chance for faith-based coercion--often on what is, quite literally, a captive audience. more

Compassionate Conservatism

Marvin Olasky, a Reconstructionist influenced professor of Journalism, has served as a close advisor to Bush. Olasky's book, Compassionate Conservatism, creates a justification for Bush's policies on faith based giving. Bush wrote the forward to the book published in 2000. Olasky is a compelling writer who shares his philosophical ideas through heart-wrenching and inspiring human interest stories. He makes a strong case for faith based giving. Evangelical Christian charities succeed, according to Olasky, where government fails. Olasky sees no problem with government funds going to missions that proselytize. The fact that someone who is hungry and vulnerable might have to undergo a religious conversion to get food and shelter doesn't bother him.

The Problem with Proselytizing

Bill Moyers program, NOW, (the first of a two-part series) aired on PBS September 26, 2003, makes clear the problem with proselytizing. The TV show focuses on one program that trains church volunteers to help lift people out of poverty. At first, the whole concept looked truly wonderful. A volunteer family infuses a young, struggling mother of three with love and a sense of caring -- which is very moving.

Then the pressure begins to join their church. This "loving" family is all the support this young mother has in the world, and she feels deeply conflicted about joining their church. When she was asked by the interviewer about joining the church, her face froze in what looked like silent terror. She hadn't wanted to join, but appeared to be terrified of losing the love and support of her sponsoring family. The sponsoring family told the interviewer that they're taught not to invite the family to their church for the first month, and that they never told the woman that she had to join. But it's clear that the invitations to go to church would not let up.

That look of frozen terror on the young woman's face illustrated dramatically the dangers of government funding for church sponsored charities. Millions of young, vulnerable mothers and struggling families will feel coerced to join the "correct" evangelical churches.

The Civil Rights Act, 1964

The Civil Rights Act, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, poses a problem to faith base charities receiving tax-payer dollars, for it bans discrimination in employment on the basis of race, gender, or religion. But religious charities receiving faith based dollars don't want to be forced to hire people of other religions, and especially don't want to hire gays or lesbians. The President doesn't let the Civil Rights Act deter him from giving money to charities that discriminate in hiring.

The Washington Post reported back in July, 2001, that the Bush administration made a deal with the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army would spend upwards of $110,000 per month to lobby for Bush's faith Based Initiative, and the White House would give the Salvation Army a "firm commitment" allowing greater freedom in discrimination against gays in employment. The New York Times reports, 2/5/04, that the New York City Salvation Army is requiring employees to fill out forms stating their religion, among other things.

Senator Rick Santorum vowed to actually rewrite the anti-discrimination laws. There's a difference between executivte orders and changing the law. Executive orders can be changed by the next president, but laws are lasting.

Senator Santorum and President Bush have been trying to change anti-discrimination laws through Congress for religious charities, but they failed, and this is an important and little known success story. After haggling with the Senate for two years, the CARE Act was finally passed. It allows taxpayers who do not itemize tax deductions to write off a portion of their charitable donations for two years. It is vastly different from the Bush/Santorum plan.

The Bush/Santorum plan was stopped by effective organizing. Americans United for Separation of Church and State helped form the Coalition Against Religious Discrimination or (CARD). This coalition brought together fifty two religious, public policy and educational organizations. Members include the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Interfaith Alliance, the NAACP, American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, the National Education Association, The National Association of Social Workers, The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Baptist Churches and the Rabbinical Assembly. For a full list of the 52 organizations, go to stopreligiousdiscrimination.org. The CARD coalition is a good example of effective grassroots organizing.

An article by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman (12/17/02), discusses a move by the Bush administration to enable agencies that receive government funding to discriminate.

Political Manipulation

Another problem with Bush's program is the potential for political manipulation. The Republican Party campaigned to bring traditionally Democratic constituencies into its fold in the 2002 elections. U.S. Rep. Anne M. Northup (R-Ky.) created a non-profit organization to steer federal money to religious groups in order to boost her political strength in the African-American community.

From Church and State, "Preaching The GOP Gospel, Using His 'Faith-Based' Initiative To Try To Win Converts In The African-American Community, Bush Seeks To Make His Calling And Election Sure," Sept., 2003:

Rep. Northup was never popular in the black community before. Now her non-profit, Louisville Neighborhood Initiative Inc., (LNI) doles out federal money to poor, mostly minority neighborhoods. "I can't paint a clearer picture," said the Rev. C. Mackey Daniels, pastor of West Chestnut Baptist Church. "The support was given in order to get votes." U.S. Rep. Robert Ehrlich in his bid for governor of Maryland promised to use money from Bush's faith-based initiative to build support in African-American churches.

Justice Sunday III' Pastor Has Received $1 Million In 'Faith-Based' Funds, Americans United, January 4, 2005:

Pastor Herb Lusk, the Philadelphia preacher hosting the Religious Right-led "Justice Sunday III" rally this weekend, has a long history of partisan activity on behalf of Republicans and has been awarded more than $1 million in "faith-based" grants by the Bush administration ...

More Links

As reported in the New York Times , January 23, 2003, another Bush assault on the 'wall' of separation of church and State is a shift in policy that, for the first time allows the federal government to give money to houses of worship to build buildings. Church and State, January 29, 2003: "Teen Challenge, Louisiana Church Program Proselytize Clients On Behalf Of Evangelical Christianity:" (So far, I haven't been able to find this AU Press Release on their newly reformatted web site -jb) more

"There are plenty of reasons for religious groups in America to run, screaming, from the notion of faith-based initiatives. A university theologian explains why." James Dunnmore

From The Associated Press, January 14, 2006:

A group can sue the federal government over claims that President Bush's faith-based initiative is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion, a federal appeals court ruled.

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

* Drug Courts/Reclaiming Futures Program
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention <http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/> (OJJDP) seeks applicants for its Drug Courts/Reclaiming Futures <http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/funding/FundingDetail.asp?fi=84> solicitation. Through this initiative, OJJDP is partnering with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to enhance the capacity of states, state and local courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to serve substance-abusing juvenile offenders by developing and establishing juvenile drug courts applying the Reclaiming Futures <http://www.reclaimingfutures.org/> program model.



* Eligibility: Faith- and community-based, nonprofit and for-profit agencies are ineligible as applicants, but they are encouraged to partner as a community provider of services, if applicable and appropriate. Deadline: June 20, 2007. Applicants should register with Grants.Gov <http://www.grants.gov/> as early as possible to prevent delays in submitting their applications by the deadline. View: solicitation <http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2007/JuvDrugCourt.pdf> . Contact information: Gwen Williams, Grants Program Specialist - gwendolyn.williams@usdoj.gov or 202-616-1611.

Community Oriented Policing Services

* Community Policing Development (CPD) Program
The goal of this program is to facilitate the implementation or advancement of nationwide community policing efforts, as well as to address existing gaps in community policing knowledge and tools. COPS Community Policing Development (CPD) funds are used to advance the practice of community policing in law enforcement agencies through training and technical assistance, the development of innovative community policing strategies, applied research, guidebooks, and best practices. In the past, CPD topics have included (but have not been limited to) campus safety and school safety, ethics and integrity, gangs, identity theft, leadership, offender reentry, partnerships, problem-solving, private security, recruitment and hiring, technology, and youth-related safety and victimization. A complete list of deliverables resulting from projects that the COPS Office has funded over the years can be found at the Resource Information Center <http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/ric/resourcemain.aspx> on the COPS web site.

Eligibility: all public governmental entities, profit and nonprofit institutions, educational institutions, community groups, and faith based organizations. Deadline: July 2, 2007. Applicants should register with Grants.Gov <http://www.grants.gov/> by June 19, 2007, to prevent delays in submitting their applications by the deadline. View: solicitation <http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=1987> . Contact Information: Grant Program Specialist - 800-421-6770.

_____________________

To see a list of open grant and contract solicitations, please visit www.grants.gov (grants), www.fedbizopps.gov (contracts), or click here <http://www.usdoj.gov/fbci/fundopp_current.html> for a list of funding opportunities through the U.S. Department of Justice.

Resources to Provide Tutoring to Children in the District of Columbia

Attached please find the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2nd round of applications to become a Supplemental Service Provider in the District of Columbia. Please note that you must participate in one of two mandatory pre-application teleconferences in order for your application to be reviewed.

Additional information regarding this competition can be found on the new DC State Web Portal, http://sea.k12.dc.us beginning June 1, 2007.

(1) Click on SEA Offices.
(2) Click on Office of Federal Grants Programs.
(3) Click on Programs.
(4) Click on State Programs.


Should you have any questions regarding this competition, please email stateprograms@k12.dc.us. Please note that it may take up to two business days to receive a response to your email.

http://www.edpubs.org/lyris/RFAJune2007.doc

http://www.edpubs.org/lyris/NOFAmay2007.doc

ETA Announces Grant Competition for YouthBuild

Background: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has announced the availability of approximately $47 million in grant funds for YouthBuild programs. YouthBuild programs assist at-risk youth to obtain education and skill training and advance towards post-secondary education and career pathways in construction and other high growth, high demand occupations while building affordable housing in their communities.

Description: Grant funds awarded under this Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) should be used to provide disadvantaged youth with: the education and employment skills necessary to achieve economic self-sufficiency in occupations in high demand and postsecondary education and training opportunities; opportunities for meaningful work and service to their communities; and opportunities to develop employment and leadership skills and a commitment to community development among youth in low-income communities.

Eligibility: Applicants may be a public or private nonprofit agency or organization, including faith-based and community organizations. It is anticipated that awards will be made for three year grants (two years of operation with a twelve-month follow-up period) and with average individual grants ranging from approximately $700,000 - $1.1 million.

Deadline: The closing date for receipt of applications is July 3, 2007.

Please Note: A prospective applicant conference will be held on May 30, 2007 in Arlington, Virginia at the Doubletree Hotel (300 Army Navy Drive). Registration and additional information is available at www.dtiassociates.com/youthbuild <http://www.dtiassociates.com/youthbuild/> .

YouthBuild Frequently Asked Questions can be found at www.doleta.gov/youth_services <http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/> .

The April 26 Federal Register <http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-7974.pdf> provides full background, application preparation and submission instructions, Federal review criteria, and additional resources.

Additional Resources:

* Employment and Training Administration's Youth Vision <http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=1589>
* Creating a Collaborative Approach to Prepare Youth for Success in a Global, Demand-Driven Economy <http://www.doleta.gov/ryf/>
* Career Voyages: Construction Industry <http://www.careervoyages.gov/construction-main.cfm>
* InDemand Magazine: Construction <http://www.careervoyages.gov/indemandmagazine-construction.cfm>

Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) Demonstration Program

WHAT: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS), announces that applications will be accepted for new grants pursuant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) authorized under Title XI Section 1110 of the Social Security Act governing Social Services Research and Demonstration activities and the Department of Labor, HHS, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, Public Law (P.L.) 109-149.

Pursuant to this announcement, ACF will award funds to experienced organizations to deliver capacity building services to faith-based and community organizations through the provision of training, technical assistance, and sub-awards.

Intermediary organizations will assist faith-based and community organizations with capacity building activities in five critical areas: 1) leadership development, 2) organizational development, 3) program development, 4) revenue development strategies, and 5) community engagement. Capacity building activities are designed to increase an organization's sustainability and effectiveness, enhance its ability to provide social services, and create collaborations to better serve those most in need.

WHO: Faith-based and community organizations are eligible to apply.
WHEN: Applications are due by May 16, 2007
AWARD AMOUNT: 33 awards totaling $16,500,000
CONTACT: Thom Campbell at (800) 281-9519 or ocs@lcgnet.com
FULL ANNOUNCMENT: <http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2007-ACF-OCS-EJ-0035.html> www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2007-ACF-OCS-EJ-0035.html

Safe and Drug-Free Schools-Mentoring Programs

(CFDA Number 84.184B)

Regional Technical Assistance Workshops:

April 18 – Chicago, IL
1:00pm – 4:00pm (registration begins at 12:30pm)
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
2233 South Martin Luther King Drive
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 567-1234

April 19 – Atlanta, GA
1:00pm – 4:00pm (registration begins at 12:30pm)
Marriott Atlanta Downtown
160 Spring St., NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 688-8600

April 24 – Los Angeles, CA
1:00pm – 4:00pm (registration begins at 12:30pm)
Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 228-1234

April 26 – Boston, MA
1:00pm – 4:00pm (registration begins at 12:30pm)
Hyatt Harborside at Boston's Logan Airport
101 Harborside Drive
Boston, MA 02128
(617) 568-1234

May 1 – Dallas, TX
1:00pm – 4:00pm (registration begins at 12:30pm)
Grand Hyatt DFW
2337 South International Parkway
DFW Airport, TX 75291
(972) 973-1234

The Safe and Drug-Free Schools-Mentoring Programs <http://www.ed.gov/programs/dvpmentoring/index.html> grant provides assistance to promote mentoring programs for children with greatest need that: (1) assist these children in receiving support and guidance from a mentor; (2) improve the academic performance of the children; (3) improve interpersonal relationships between the children and their peers, teachers, other adults, and family members; (4) reduce the dropout rate of the children; and (5) reduce juvenile delinquency and involvement in gangs by the children.

To be eligible for funding, a project must address the academic and social needs of children with the greatest need through school-based mentoring programs and activities and provide these students with mentors. A school-based mentoring means mentoring activities that are closely coordinated with schools, including the involvement of teachers, counselors, and other school staff in the identification and referral of students, and that are focused on improved academic achievement, reduced student referrals for disciplinary reasons, increased bonding to school, and positive youth development. These programs and activities must serve children with the greatest need in one or more grades 4th through 8th living in rural areas, high-crime areas, or troubled home environments, or who attend schools with violence problems.

Under a competitive preference priority, five additional points will be added to a consortium of eligible applicants that includes either: a) at least one local education agency (LEA) and at least one faith-based or community organization (FBCO) that is not a school and that provides services to youth and families in the community; or b) at least one private school that qualifies as a nonprofit FBCO and at least one other FBCO that is not a school and that provides services to youth and families in the community.

Please note: The Secretary is limiting eligibility under the Mentoring Programs <http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2007-2/041107b.html> grant competition to applicants that do not currently have an active grant under this program. For the purpose of this eligibility requirement, a grant is considered active until the end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extended the grantee's authority to obligate funds.


Application Deadline: May 23, 2007
Estimated Available Funds: $29,347,000
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $100,000 - $200,000
Estimated Number of Awards: 198
For more information, please contact: Bryan Williams
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3E259
Washington, DC 20202-6123
Email: bryan.williams@ed.gov

Earl Myers
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3E254
Washington, DC 20202-6450
E-mail: earl.myers@ed.gov

Click here <http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/list/fbci/regform.html> to register on online for any of these workshops. If you are unable to register online <http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/list/fbci/regform.html> or have questions, please call (202) 219-1741.

These technical assistance workshops are free of charge. Pre-registration is requested; however, onsite registrations will be accepted at all workshops.

Conference Call – May 10, 1:00 pm (Eastern Time)

Details will be available after May 1.