This year's budget makes $30 million available to fund activities that assist faith and community based organizations, through the new Compassionate Capital Fund. HHS is seeking comments on guidelines for the program. Congress appropriated $30 million in the FY 2002 budget for a compassion capital fund “to provide grants to charitable organizations to emulate model social service programs and to encourage research on the best practices of social service organizations” (Labor-HHS-Education Conference Report). Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is in charge of implementing the program, and has published a request for public comments on guidelines for awarding funds. The HHS announcement is in Vol. 67, Number 38 of the Federal Register. The announcement said ACF seeks public input “to help make informed deliberations about the parameters for this new program, as well as ways to support and promote rigorous evaluations on the “best Practices among charitable organizations.” Areas under consideration include:

• Providing technical assistance for faith and community based organizations, including grant writing, legal assistance and referrals to nonprofits that provide help with legal issues, accounting, program development and other issues;
• Information and assistance on capacity building;
• Identifying and implementing best practices for social service programs;
• Utilizing intermediary organizations to strengthen capabilities;
• Information on replicating effective social service programs, and
• Research on best practices of organizations that offer social service programs.

The record of the debate on the Compassionate Capital Fund in the Senate makes it clear this program “is not changing any of the rules or standards for government funding of religious organizations…” (Senate-November 7, 2001 Page S11546) The record also indicates that the program will fund organizations that provide assistance to faith- and community-based organizations, and HHS was encouraged to require matching funds. Comments are due by March 29, 2002, and should be sent to Mr. Bobby Polita, ACF, 6th floor, West, 370 L’Enfant Promenade SW, Washington, DC 20447 or e mail to ccf@acf.dhhs.govor via fax to Bobby Polita at 202-401-5770.