September 1, 2005 | Read Time: 2 minutes
The Bush administration has long complained of an “unlevel playing field” for sectarian groups that apply for federal, state, or local social-service grants. Yet a new study of federal money awarded by state and local government officials found few barriers to religious organizations’ seeking such funds.
The Urban Institute, a research organization in Washington, which conducted the study, found that religious groups in the three cities it examined — Boston, Denver, and Birmingham, Ala. — said state and local governments treated them fairly when they sought funds.
The study looked at three U.S. Department of Health and Human Services programs — the Community Services Block Grant, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. These federal programs are set up as block grants, meaning state and local governments make decisions about how the funds are spent. The study also looked at the Compassion Capital Fund, which President Bush established to provide federal funds to small religious and secular groups.
“The findings suggest that public officials across sites are willing and eager to work with FBOs [faith-based organizations] to deliver needed services,” the report says.
The Urban Institute also found that state and local governments did not monitor closely the policies that govern grants to religious groups. For example, federal grant programs require that aid recipients be allowed to choose between a secular or sectarian nonprofit group, but it was unclear in these cities whether this requirement was being met.
A copy of the report, “Federal Policy on the Ground: Faith-Based Organizations Delivering Local Services,” is available online at the Urban Institute’s Web site (http://www.urban.org). A free hard copy of the report can be ordered from the Urban Institute by calling (877) 847-7377 or through the publications section of the Urban Institute’s site (http://www.uipress.org).
