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Orientation to Faith-Based Social Services
Included in this topic area are articles that provide background information promoting understanding of the unique role of faith-based organizations in providing social service.
The Roundtable on Religion & Social Welfare Policy
Wrap-around services: Serving Holistically
Being “User Friendly:” The Benefits of a Multi-Faith Staff
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FBO - Government Collaboration
Help for FBOs and government entities in effectively connecting under the Charitable Choice rules.
Recursos del Web para la Estudios e Información Concerniente Iniciativas de Oraganizaciones Basadas
Toolkit for Government-FBO Collaboration
Fruitful Collaborations: Survey of Government-Funded Faith-Based Programs in 15 States (Exec Sum)
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General Collaboration
Assistance for FBOs, Public/Private Funders and Public Administrators in forging productive relationships that will transform lives and communities.
Meeting the Collaboration Challenge Workbook
Changing Communities through Faith in Action: Symposium Report One
Faith in Partnership: Lessons from the Winning Models of 2005 “Partners in Transformation” Awards
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Public/Private
Assistance for organizations with questions about the best resource and funding partners for a particular program or initiative.
Public/Private Ventures
Increasing Access to Health Care for the Medically Underserved through Faith
Public/Private Teaming
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Faith-Philanthropy Collaboration

United Way Mass Bay and the Faith & Action Initiative
Philanthropy & Faith: An Introduction
Toolkit for Private Funders
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Toolkit for Government-FBO Collaboration

Building Effective Cross-Sector Collaborations: A Learning Module

Toolkit for Private Funders

Mini-Profiles of Mayoral-FBO Partnerships in Prisoner Reentry

Due Diligence Tips

 
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Faith-Based Organization Research

EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS TOPIC
Orientation to Faith-Based Social Services

Articles, Excerpts, Tips & More
Wrap-around services: Serving Holistically: Many FBOs find that a “wrap-around” service approach is critical in meeting the multiple needs of program participants. This article describes the characteristics of organizations that successfully adopt this approach.
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Being “User Friendly:” The Benefits of a Multi-Faith Staff: Some FBOs find that a diverse staff attracts more program participants and can make service delivery more effective. This article highlights steps FBOs serving religiously diverse neighborhoods might take to ensure that their programs address community needs sensitively.
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Belief Systems in Faith-based Human Service Programs: What makes FBOs different? FASTEN researchers from Baylor University tackle the question, based on their exploration of 15 faith-based service programs.
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When the Service Delivery System is a Congregation: For social workers, public administrators, and others desiring to collaborate with churches in social service programs, it is important to know what makes congregations distinct from faith-based nonprofit organizations – and what the implications of those differences are.
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Creating Communities of Support: The Work of Coalition-Building: Based on research of effective collaboration, here are six quick tips on building coalitions that last.
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Research Brief Volunteer Roles in Faith-based Organizations: This helpful article identifies eight lessons learned about volunteer roles in faith-based organizations and offers insights about the implications of these lessons for program administrators.
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Faith-Based Organizations as Safe Spaces: Creating a safe environment for program participants is crucial. Here are creative suggestions about how to do it.
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Recommended Books
Saving America: Faith-Based Services and the Future of Civil Society: This book compiles and analyzes the most current studies on faith-based social service programs and addresses issues of voluntarism, care giving, and clients’ viewpoints.
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Recommended Links
The Roundtable on Religion & Social Welfare Policy: The Roundtable is run by the Rockefeller Institute and offers a nonpartisan assessment of the role of faith-based organizations in the social welfare system.
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The Finance Project: The Finance Project provides a variety of educational resources of interest to practitioners and public administrators working to improve the lives of low income families and children. It also incorporates all the resources of the (formerly independent) Welfare Information Network.
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Wrap-around services: Serving Holistically
The Roundtable on Religion & Social Welfare Policy
Faith-Based Organizations as Safe Spaces
Belief Systems in Faith-based Human Service Programs
Being “User Friendly:” The Benefits of a Multi-Faith Staff
 

 

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Government - FBO Collaboration

 EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS TOPIC
FBO - Government Collaboration

Articles, Excerpts, Tips & More
Toolkit for Government-FBO Collaboration: This toolkit will orient practitioners to the issue of financial collaboration between government and FBOs. It provides summaries of legal research on the state of the law as well as practical guidance on making collaboration with government fruitful.
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Fruitful Collaborations: Survey of Government-Funded Faith-Based Programs in 15 States (Exec Sum): This short report highlights findings from a survey of nearly 400 FBO contractors regarding their assessment of their relationship to the government agency financing their social service programs.
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Collaborations Catalogue: A Report on Charitable Choice Implementation in 15 States (Exec Summary): This 2002 report details the extent of government contracting with FBOs under the charitable choice rules in 15 states, providing information on the amounts of contracts and the types of services funded.
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Mini-Profiles of Mayoral-FBO Partnerships in Prisoner Reentry: The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Center on Faith-Based Initiatives produced these brief profiles of creative partnerships in Philadelphia, Charleston, Washington, Minneapolis and other cities.
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Q&A on Legal Issues Involved in FBO-Government Partnerships: Q&A on Legal Issues Involved in FBO-Government Partnerships: This document lists general rules and frequently asked questions regarding government-faith collaboration. It tackles issues raised when FBOs receive direct grant or contract funding from government and those that come into play when FBOs receive indirect public funding (e.g., through vouchers).
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Pros and Cons of Receiving Government Funding: This short article will help faith leaders evaluate the potential promises and pitfalls of financial collaboration with government.
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Self-Assessment: Ten Questions to Determine Whether Your Congregation is Ready to Compete for Public: If your faith-based organization considering whether to seek public funding for your social service program? Use these questions to help you assess whether your organization is ready, and the service is appropriate, for potential government funding.
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Due Diligence Tips: Once your FBO has secured a government contract, what practices and procedures can you put in place to help ensure that your partnership is successful? This short article offers several tips based on research at dozens of program sites as well as findings from the Hudson Institute/Bliss Institute’s 2002 survey of nearly 400 faith-based government contractors.
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Web Resources for Research and Information Concerning Faith-Based Initiatives and Legal Issues: Use this directory of website links to connect you to governmental and nongovernmental organizations that offer up-to-date information on faith-based initiatives.
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Faith in the City: Patrick McCrory and the Mayors Mentoring Alliance: In Charlotte, NC, Mayor McCrory has successfully mobilized corporate and faith-based volunteers to mentor at-risk youth. This case study from FASTEN partner Harvard University highlights successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
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Building Effective Cross-Sector Collaborations: A Learning Module : This learning module includes a set of resources to enhance faith community-city hall collaborations. The resources are grounded in real-life leadership situations, presented here in a set of “living cases” which capture the innovative leadership of mayors and religious leaders in the process of its unfolding. These resources are organized around two key areas: (a) strategies for leadership; and (b) substantive policy areas.
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Charitable Choice: Top 10 Tips for Public Officials: This list notes 10 recommendations for public officials who want to ensure that their programs are in compliance with Charitable Choice.
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Recommended Books
Religion-Based Employment Discrimination in Charitable Choice: A Guide for the Perplexed: A Guide for the Perplexed. This article is good background information on applying the Charitable Choice rules to your organization.
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Charitable Choice for Welfare & Community Services:: An Implementation Guide for State, Local, and Federal Officials. This is a focused introduction to the finer points of compliance with the Charitable Choice guidelines of the 1996 federal welfare reforms.
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Recommended Links
Faithworks Indiana: This is a resource-rich website for both FBO leaders and public administrators regarding public funding of faith-based service organizations.
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SHARE Network: Located in North Dakota, this is a model of networking various agencies involved in workforce development. The site’s goal is to help North Dakota job-seekers to find resources that will help them secure training and find gainful employment.
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Toolkit for Government-FBO Collaboration

Building Effective Cross-Sector Collaborations: A Learning Module

Mini-Profiles of Mayoral-FBO Partnerships in Prisoner Reentry

Due Diligence Tips

Q&A on Legal Issues Involved in FBO-Government Partnerships

 

 

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FASTEN Audience Page

 

 Whom Does FASTEN Serve?

Congregations 

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Top Resources for Congregations:

Faith-Based Practitioners

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Top Resources for FBOs:

Public Administrators

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Top Resources for Public Administrators:

Private Philanthropies

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Top Resources for Private Philanthropies:

 
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What's Working: Program Snapshots to Educate and Inspire

 

WHAT'S WORKING

PROGRAM SNAPSHOTS TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE

You’ve heard the saying, “A picture paints a thousand words.” Since our beginning in late 2003, FASTEN has collected dozens of “snapshots” (of sorts) of effective, multi-sector collaborations solving social problems in diverse communities throughout the nation.

In this new “What’s Working: Program Snapshots” feature on FASTEN, faith leaders considering launching new initiatives can “see” plausible models of ministry, gaining inspiration and creative ideas. As FASTEN learns of additional effective models, we will add them to our “photo album” for your perusal, so check back regularly to see what’s new.

Brief program profiles are listed alphabetically below by the type of social service offered. Please remember that this is in no way a comprehensive list of strong FBO programs! Rather, what you’ll find in the “What’s Working” department are brief sketches of programs that have come to FASTEN’s attention through our research, networking, and the Partners in Transformation competition. We welcome your submissions—if you know of a program achieving strong, demonstrable outcomes that other FBOs can learn from, please let us know by emailing us at support@FASTENnetwork.org.

 
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Charitable Choice: Top 10 Tips for Public Officials

 

      FBO - GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION RESOURCE

Charitable Choice: Top 10 Tips for Public Officials

(Written by Stanley W. Carlson-Thies (The Center for Public Justice, 1999). Used with permission. Obtain copies of the complete guide)

    • Inform Recipients. When a provider is faith-based, make sure recipients know about its religious character, their freedom not to engage in religious activities, and their right to receive services from an alternative provider.

    • Alternatives. Be prepared to offer an accessible, high quality alternative service to any recipient who objects to a faith-based provider. Make advance arrangements with a different provider in the same location, plan access and transportation to a nearby provider, or maintain a residual government capacity to provide services.

    • Religion is Not Toxic. Ensure the religious liberty of recipients without presuming that faith is toxic. A recipient troubled by a faith-based provider may want another religious provider, not a secular service. Many of the needy are people of faith and desire assistance that acknowledges their convictions.

    • Allies. Collaboration means working together to achieve the common aim of assisting the needy while also respecting the differences between government and faith-based organizations. Allied providers are more than vendors; they retain their freedom, their right to advocate on behalf of clients, and their responsibility to speak to policy.

    • Employment Rights. The biggest barrier to greater cooperation between the faith community and public welfare is not allowing faith-based providers to hire and fire on the basis of religion. Some religious organizations choose to hire without regard to faith, but many insist on religious criteria in order to retain their distinctive missions. Contract language forbidding them to use religion in hiring is illegal under Charitable Choice and must be eliminated.
    • Vouchers. Voucher arrangements are better than contracting for preserving the independence of faith-based organizations and giving recipients choice. Where possible, redesign services and procurement policies so that a range of organizations can provide services and each recipient has the chance to select the most effective and compatible provider.

7.  Structures for Cooperation. Many congregations and faith-based nonprofits are too small to handle the service volume of a typical contract. To utilize their strengths and allow them to participate, alternatives are needed: voucherized services, contracting with a nonprofit intermediary that links congregations, a lead agency that subcontracts with smaller groups.

8.  Training and Assistance. Government can help prepare faith-based organizations to provide authorized services by offering training in contracting, record-keeping, and regulations, and by assisting them in planning and presenting service proposals. Such assistance should be offered to all small-scale nonprofits and community organizations.

9.  Affirmative Outreach. Many faith-based organizations have not been part of the human services system. They don’t know the system and their names are unlikely to appear on vendor lists, mailing lists of activist organizations, or in multi-denominational or multi-faith directories. Work through every accessible network to begin to build bridges to them.

10. Bill of Rights. Past practices and assumptions about appropriate church-state relations have left a legacy of distrust between government and faith communities. Government should acknowledge its mistakes and make amends with a statement of the rights of faith-based providers. This would confirm the government’s intention to treat them as allies and it would be a valuable guide to both sides if there is dispute about what actions are permissible.

Copies of the "Charitable Choice Implementation Guide" are available for purchase through "The Center for Public Justice." Note: You will be leaving the FASTEN Web site.

Related Articles
Collaborations Catalogue: A Report on Charitable Choice Implementation in 15 States (Exec Summary)
Q&A on Legal Issues Involved in FBO-Government Partnerships
Related Books
Charitable Choice for Welfare & Community Services:

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Being There: Faith on the Frontlines

 

      GENERAL COLLABORATION RESOURCE

Being There:  Faith on the Frontlines

Successful Models of Faith-Based, Cross-Sector Collaboration from the 2006 Partners in Transformation Awards Program

 

by Amy L. Sherman, FASTEN Editorial Director, 2006

 

 

Summary:

 

Hurricane Katrina brought America’s attention not only to the immense destruction of such a disaster but also to the astounding men, women, and organizations that moved in to care for the victims and rebuild families, homes, and whole cities.  In 2006, FASTEN  investigated the programs in which the faith community and organizations outside the faith community joined together to help communities through either natural or man-made disasters.   

 

Therefore, the 2006 Partners in Transformation Awards Program was open to ten states that have recently faced such a disaster:  Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia. 

Winners were chosen for their innovative and effective multi-sector collaborations in one of three disaster-related categories:  Short-Term Emergency Disaster Response, Long-Term Community Recovery and Rebuilding Efforts, and Services Addressing Deep Pockets of Poverty.  This report offers descriptions of the award winners and semifinalists as well as best practices learned from the contest applicants. 



 

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Effective Relationship Main Page

Effective Relationships

 
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Orientation to Faith-Based Social Services
Included in this topic area are articles that provide background information promoting understanding of the unique role of faith-based organizations in providing social service.