Faith-Based Initiative confusing to many church groups
A recent study by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies found that African-American churches from the Northeast have benefited from the Bush administration’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative (FBCI) more than more conservative black churches in the South.
The national survey of 750 African-American churches found that only 2.4 percent received FBCI grants. Of that nominal amount, 47 percent were located in the Northeast and only 26 percent were in Southern states. The findings offer no support for widespread concerns that the Bush administration used the FBCI to gain political favor with black churches.
“Our survey found that a majority of the churches responding favored the FBCI,” said David Bositis, the Joint Center senior research associate, who conducted the study.
“The surprising finding was that churches in the blue states where Al Gore and John Kerry won in 2000 and 2004, respectively, were more likely to have received FBCI grants than those in red states that George W. Bush won in 2000 and 2004.”
The study also revealed insufficient outreach to black churches about the FBCI. Three-fourths of the churches surveyed were only vaguely familiar with the FBCI program, and 66 percent did not know about the initiative’s rules for participating. Only 16 percent of black churches had been contacted about applying for FBCI funds. Twenty percent of churches surveyed gave an unfavorable view of the program, with many expressing uneasiness about the relationship between church and state.
Even though conservative churches had a more favorable view of the FBCI, churches with progressive theologies and socially liberal congregations were more interested in participating in the initiative.
Survey results were based on telephone interviews with head pastors or other ordained personnel and results have a 3.6 percent margin of error.
“Clearly there is a lot to be done with regard to information dissemination and technical assistance,” said Dr. Margaret C. Simms, interim president of the Joint Center.
“Black churches need more details about the program and assistance in completing funding applications in order for the program to have a significant presence in minority communities.”
The White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (FBCI) is one of the key domestic policies of President George W. Bush’s promise of “compassionate conservatism.” The FBCI ensures that faith-based organizations have an equal right to compete for funding under any federal social welfare program when there are analogous secular service providers that are eligible to compete.
For more information, visit www.jointcenter.org.
