An update from the Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy, an independent research
project of the Rockefeller Institute of Government. The public policy research arm of the State
University of New York.

New! Ohio Faith-Based Operation Subject of Investigation Under New Governor

A state effort to increase faith-based organizations’ social service work has come under fire in recent
months, with a new governor overhauling the office that coordinates that effort and ordering an audit of its
contracts under the previous administration. Since the beginning of the year, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has
replaced staff in the Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and ordered an
investigation into a contract awarded to a Virginia-based organization called We Care America that was
paid to administer a program providing grants to small faith-based and community nonprofits. Meanwhile,
it is unclear what has become of We Care America, an organization launched in 2001 that also won federal
grants to administer faith-based programs. The upheaval in Ohio comes as the federal Faith-Based and
Community Initiative has placed a new emphasis on decentralizing its efforts and encouraging state and
local governments to pick up the charge to forge partnerships with religious charities.

Click here to read more by Roundtable Correspondent Claire Hughes.

New! Religious Hiring Rights Take Center Stage in Head Start Debate

It has become a perennial congressional debate: Should religious organizations be allowed to spend tax
money to hire employees based on their faith? Last week, it was like déjà vu all over again in the House –
until a Democrat-controlled committee called for a vote. The U.S. House Committee on Education and
Labor, departing from previous years, rejected an amendment to Head Start legislation introduced by Luis
Fortuño (R-PR). The amendment would have repealed a 35-year-old prohibition against employment
discrimination in Head Start early education programs. Since 2001, proposals to modify the hiring
provision have passed in the House with heated debate, but have never been successful in the Senate.

Last week’s defeat of the amendment sent a bill to reauthorize Head Start to the full House, where it
stands a good chance of passage as early as this week. The religious hiring provision may be introduced
again when it reaches the floor, said both opponents and supporters of the measure.

Click here to read more by Roundtable Washington Correspondent Anne Farris.

Click here to access the Roundtable’s Resource Page on Hiring Rights of Religious Organizations.

New! Vouchers Among Proposals to Improve Education Law

With the landmark 2002 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) education law due to expire in September,
Congress last week began instigating changes that include federal school vouchers to private and
religious schools and increased funding for after-school tutoring, some of which is provided by religious
organizations. Last week, Congress began holding a series of hearings on NCLB that will continue over
the coming weeks. Members in both the Senate and House introduced legislation to improve NCLB,
which has fallen short of its original goal that all students meet minimum standards of
academic achievement.

Click here to read more by Roundtable Washington Correspondent Anne Farris.

Weekly Digest of Federal Grants with Faith-Based and Community
Organization Eligibility

The grant opportunities this week for community and faith-based organizations are through programs
administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Potential applicants should be aware that some grant programs require specific technical expertise, or
experience with particular foreign countries.

Click here for the grant digest, compiled by Roundtable Correspondent Allison Sarnoff
with Lisa Montiel.

Roundtable Digest of Current Faith-Based News Stories

Ministry aims to help women change lives
Albany Times Union (New York)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6201

Good News Clinics gets a new director: Dr. Butts takes over for Poole, who passed away in September
Gainesville Times (Georgia)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6202

Church vs. Substance Abuse: Fighting with faith: Faith-based organizations join anti-drug war
Russellville Courier (Arkansas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6203

Prepare For The Future Foundation Helps Students Realize Their College Goals
The Pantagraph (Illinois)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6204

Faith-based Head Start dies in committee
Jewish Telegraphic Agency (New York)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6199

Taming that teen spirit: Teens watch parents, clergy for guidance on sex
Associated Baptist Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6200

Bigs & littles
Kingston Daily Freeman (New York)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6191

Youth Aid Panels get grant money:
$29,000 to go to training programs that try to help turn around young offenders
Intelligencer Journal (Pennsylvania)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6192

Cupboards could go bare:
Changes to an emergency food program could gut the Yolo County Food Bank's inventory.
Daily Democrat (California)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6193

Program builds work force, helps addicts start over: Training will benefit manufacturers
Spokesman-Review (Washington)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6194

Program of faith helping addicts turn their lives around
Enid News & Eagle (Oklahoma)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6195

Governor outlines faith-based initiatives:
Strickland denounces management of the program under the previous administration.
The Western Star (Ohio)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6188

Child care agency dropping denominational label
Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Kentucky)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6189

Religion elective facing scrutiny
Spartanburg Herald-Journal (South Carolina)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6172

House panel rejects attempt to add faith-based hiring to Head Start
Associated Baptist Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6173

York County to unite for summit on homeless
The Herald (Rock Hill, S.C.)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6175

Faith-based benefit firm scrutinized
The Associated Press State & Local Wire

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6176

Donors step up to help Fox Cities food pantry: Salvation Army still short of their need
Appleton Post-Crescent (Wisconsin)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6180

For 30 days, church becomes home
St. Petersburg Times (Florida)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6181

East Palo Alto on the mend
Inside Bay Area (California)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6182

Faith-based grant company shuts down:
We Care America was being paid $2.1 million over 20 months by Ohio.
Dayton Daily News (Ohio)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6177

School Finally Grades Student’s Paper
CitizenLink

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6184

Gonzales's SBC speech irks church-state experts
Associated Baptist Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6185

The maturing Christian right voter
Tribune Media Services

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6178

Church Tries Its Hand at Sex Education
National Public Radio (NPR)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6183

Churches Opt for Credit Cards as IRS Demands Receipts
Religion News Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6190

Obama Church Controversy
Religion & Ethics Newsweekly

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6179

Weekly Opinion Roundup - 3/20/2007
Various Sources

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/news_opinion_3_20_07.cfm