CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
September 22, 2003, Vol. 03-86

HHS AWARDS GRANTS TO IMPROVE THE CAPACITY OF FAITH AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO SERVE PEOPLE IN NEED

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced 60 new grants totaling $8.1 million to help faith-based and community organizations expand and strengthen their ability to provide social services to those in need.

In addition, HHS will provide about $24 million to support 21 continuing grants under HHS' Compassion Capital Fund, which is designed to help build the capacity of faith-based and community organizations to enable them to provide increased services to low-income and other vulnerable populations. The Compassion Capital Fund also is designed to help faith-based and community organizations compete more effectively for private and public resources, including federal sources of funding such as HHS.

"The people who commit themselves to bettering the lives of our nation's most vulnerable citizens represent our compassionate soul, and we must do more to help them succeed," Secretary Thompson said. "Today's grants will help many faith-based and community organizations to expand services to better help homeless families, at-risk children, people fighting addiction and others in need."

Today's awards support President Bush's faith-based initiative and strong commitment to supporting community groups as they strive to deliver needed health and social services to neighbors in need.

The grants include 50 one-time, $50,000 grants to help faith-based and community organizations expand their ability to serve the needs of at-risk youth and homeless people. The awards will enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of programs, help the grantees to access funds from other sources and promote the implementation of model programs and best practices.

Organizations in 35 states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands received grants, and each grantee has at least one year of experience serving at-risk youth or homeless people.

In addition, larger grants are being awarded to "intermediary" organizations with established relationships with local grassroots agencies. These grantees will provide training and technical assistance to strengthen faith-based and community groups. They also will award at least 25 percent of their grant money to grassroots organizations to build their capacity to assist individuals with particularly serious problems, such as homelessness, addiction or incarceration of a parent.

"These capacity building funds will reap benefits far beyond our initial investment," said Wade F. Horn, Ph.D., assistant secretary for children and families. "By building organizational capacity, we are creating the right conditions for faith and community-based agencies to grow and get better at what they already do, with or without additional government funding."

President Bush first announced his faith- and community-based initiative in January 2001. HHS' Compassion Capital Fund was created two years ago and has a $35 million budget for the current fiscal year. In addition to today's grants, HHS is providing $24 million in continuing grants to earlier Compassion Capital Fund grantees.

President Bush's budget proposal would increase support for the program to $100 million in fiscal year 2004. Through this initiative, the administration is working to remove unnecessary barriers that may prevent these organizations from competing fully for federal funding, and to create a "level playing field" between faith-based and community organizations and other groups that receive federal funds to provide social services.

The list of new grantees and the amount of their awards is available at http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20030922b.html