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Equal Treatment for Faith-Based and Community Organizations
BJA

Dear Colleagues:

On December 12, 2002, President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13279 calling for equal treatment of faith-based and community groups that apply for federal funding. This order was aimed at providing faith and community groups with opportunities to receive federal funds without compromising their beliefs or autonomy.

Faith-based and community organizations play a vital role in maintaining the safety of our neighborhoods, towns, and cities. These organizations are often critical components of an effective public safety strategy, providing valuable services to the community and helping state and local governments with their criminal justice needs where gaps exist.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is committed to facilitating the collaboration among government criminal justice agencies and faith-based and community organizations. At BJA we have reviewed our existing policies and programs to ensure that faith-based and community organizations have the maximum latitude, within statutory confines, to be an integral part of the criminal justice system, consistent with the fundamental principles and criteria outlined by President Bush. We also have included, on the back of this flier, a list of resources that may be useful when developing such partnerships in your jurisdiction.

Please let us know if you have any additional questions. We look forward to working with you on this important initiative.

Sincerely,

C. Camille Cain Acting Director, BJA

Equal Treatment for Faith-Based and Community Organizations

Many programs within BJA offer faith-based and community organizations opportunities for funding through grants, subgrants, service contracts, or technical assistance services. These programs include:

• Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Grant Program.
• Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program.
• Mental Health Courts Program.
• Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative.
• Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program.
• Drug Courts Discretionary Grant Program.

For more information about these and other BJA initiatives or programs, visit our web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA and click on Programs. If you have questions about this or any other BJA initiatives or programs, e-mail us at AskBJA@ojp.usdoj.gov.

Resources on the Faith-Based and Community Organizations Initiative

• President s Executive Order on Faith-Based and Community Organizations
  www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/12/2002 1212-6.html
• White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
  www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Faith-Based & Community Programs
  www.health.org/initiatives/faithbased
• U.S. Department of Labor Center for Faith-Based & Community Initiatives
  www.dol.gov/cfbci
• Faith-Based and Community Organizations Involved in Criminal Justice
  www.ojp.usdoj.gov/reentry/welcome.html
• Guidance to Faith-Based and Community Organizations on Partnering with the Federal Government
  www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/guidance/index.html
• Catalogue of Grant Opportunities for Faith-Based and Community Organizations
  www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/grants-catalog-index.html

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Assistance

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