Court Rules on Key Issues on Funding Faith-Based Groups

A Jan. 11 ruling by a federal district court judge in Wisconsin in a complex case challenging the federal faith-based initiative has blocked funding to a program that incorporated religious content into government funded activities, but dismissed a claim that another program discriminated against secular nonprofits in awarding subgrants. Freedom From Religion Foundation v. Towey may be appealed by both sides.

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Congress Faces First Faith-Based Issues of 2005

A Quarter of HUDÕs Budget Slashed in BushÕs Budget The Bush administration, in a drastic reversal of election promises, plans to cut $8 billion in funding at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in programs often administered by faith-based organizations, resulting in a reduction of the agencyÕs $31 billion budget by almost a quarter.

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EPA Asked to Delay Survey Pending Larger Grant Streamlining Effort

OMB Watch has filed comments with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asking that they not move forward with a proposed pre-qualification process for grant applicants until they coordinate the effort with other agencies.

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Text of OMB Watch Comments to EPA on Proposed Grant Pre-Qualification Survey

Comments on General Administrative Requirements for Assistance Programs: EPA Administrative Capability Questionnaire EPA ICR Number 0938.10, OMB Control Number 2030-0020 Docket ID Number OARM-2004-0001 January 3, 2005 By Kay Guinane, Counsel, Nonprofit Advocacy Introduction

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Administration Will Step Up Faith-Based Efforts

Despite budget cuts for social service programs, Jim Towey, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives told a recent Pew Charitable Trusts conference on religion and social policy that the administration will push its faith-based agenda in the 109th Congress.

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AU Sues to Block Funding for California Missions

On Dec. 2, Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) filed a lawsuit in federal court to block taxpayer funding for restoration of mission churches in California. The suit charges that the recently passed “California Missions Preservation Act” is tantamount to taxpayer-supported religion. The bill, signed by President Bush on Nov. 30, requires the Secretary of the Interior, currently Gale Norton, to make grants of up to $10 million to the California Missions Foundation to repair the missions and their artifacts. Many of these artifacts are religious symbols and artwork.

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Court Narrows Faith-Based Suit

A law suit claiming sweeping constitutional problems with the Bush administration's faith-based initiative has been largely defanged by a court's decision that the plaintiff does not have standing to file the suit. The dismissal of all but a small portion of a lawsuit means the merits of the case remain undecided in the courts.

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New Rules, Empty Pockets: Funding Faith-Based Services in a Time of Fiscal Uncertainty

Three executive orders have created centers for the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in many federal agencies. Booklets have been published which provide guidance to faith-based groups on how to get federal funding, and the government has held a series of educational conferences and a catalog of grant opportunities. Recently, both USAID and HUD published final rules implementing a policy ensuring that faith-based organizations are able to compete on equal footing with other organizations for funding.

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Bush Expands Faith-Based Initiative to Vouchers, State Control

In an effort to further weaken the wall separating church and state, President Bush is seeking to expand his faith-based initiative to the state and local levels. He is pushing state and local governments to adopt rules and policies similar to federal regulations that favor faith-based groups in government-funded programs.

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Government Grant Streamlining

Background and Past Action Current Federal Action State Action Make Your Voice Heard Sign-up for Email Notices Useful Resources For additional information contact Kay Guinane, Nonprofit Advocacy.

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