The Round Table Newsletter on Social Welfare

E-Newsletter for December 9, 2008
In this issue:
President Bush Makes Final Push to Boost Faith-Based Legacy
Legal Changes During Bush Administration Set New Stage for Faith-Based Ventures
Notice to Readers: Continuing Research and Analysis of Faith-Based Social Services
Digest of Federal Grants with Faith-Based and Community Organization Eligibility
Digest of Current Faith-Based News Stories
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! President Bush Makes Final Push to Boost Faith-Based Legacy

With just over a month left to his presidency, George W. Bush in the last week continued to use
his bully pulpit to promote his Faith-Based and Community Initiative as a means to harness the
work of religious organizations. In a series of public appearances and a host of meetings with faith-
based groups, the President and his administration last week highlighted the advances of the
Initiative since it was created by executive order nine days after he took office in 2001.

Observers of the Initiative also released reports last week summarizing how the federal effort has
become embedded in the workings of the federal government and in legal rulings. The Brookings
Institution, for one, last week issued a report with 16 recommendations for how the new President
should retain and alter partnerships between government and faith-based groups.

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


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New! Legal Changes During Bush Administration Set New Stage
for Faith-Based Ventures

Following eight years of efforts by the Bush Administration to ease the way for partnerships between
government and religious charities, the incoming Obama Administration is inheriting a dramatically
changed environment in which to build its proposed Council of Faith-Based and Neighborhood
Partnerships - one that could facilitate expanded collaborations, according to legal experts for the
Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy. That the Obama Administration will further efforts
to encourage faith-based groups to provide services seems likely, said Ira C. Lupu and Robert W. Tuttle,
law professors at George Washington University Law School who co-direct legal research for the
Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy. But in some areas - notably, whether tax-funded
religious organizations should be allowed to hire people of their own faith - the incoming President is
apt to slowly and cautiously reverse the direction taken by Bush.

Lupu and Tuttle made their remarks at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on December 2, at
an event marking the release of their seventh "State of the Law" report, an annual Roundtable publication
on legal developments affecting government relations with faith-based organizations. The 2008 version was
also a cumulative report of such changes that have occurred throughout President George W. Bush's tenure.

Click here to read more by Roundtable Correspondent Claire Hughes.

Click here for the 2008 State of the Law report.

Click here to read a transcript of the December 2 event.


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Notice to Readers: Continuing Research and Analysis of
Faith-Based Social Services

The Roundtable has covered government partnerships with religious charities since 2002, a year
after President George W. Bush launched the Faith-Based and Community Initiative. Beginning
in January 2009, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life will continue the Roundtable's work,
focusing on research and analysis of faith-based social services. Archives of much of the work
currently found through the Roundtable's website will also be available through the Pew Forum's
website. Those archives will include analyses of legal developments, original research, and news
articles produced by the Roundtable's staff.

If you are a subscriber to the Roundtable's e-newsletter, you will automatically be added to the list
to receive the Pew Forum's weekly update of news happening at the intersection of religion and
public affairs.

If you prefer not to share your e-mail information with the Pew Forum, please click here and let us
know by December 24.


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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. Departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, State, and by the U.S.
Agency for International Development.

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

Click here for the grants digest.



Roundtable Digest of Current Faith-Based News Stories
Bush: All Options 'On the Table' For Auto Companies;
In Interview with Cynthia McFadden, President Bush Discusses Bailout, Reflects On Faith
ABC News

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9213


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Hawaii's Biggest Senior Center in Desperate Need
honoluluadvertiser.com

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9214


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State Embraces Faith-Based Programs for Ex-Cons, Homeless
The Hartford Courant

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9215


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Maine Nonprofits Take a Hit As Recession Deepens
Portland Press Herald (Maine)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9216


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Need Is Up, Contributions Are Down; Economy Stems the Flow of Donations to Local Churches
Naperville Sun (Illinois)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9217


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Bush Aims To Shape Legacy in Farewells; Despite Admitting Errors, President Confident In Path
The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9218


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Flagstaff Homeless Shelters Filling To Capacity
The Associated Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9219


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Suddenly On the Skids;
How to Cope When Misfortune Puts Even the Basic Necessities of Life Out of Reach
Los Angeles Times

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9220


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Fruitbelt Farmworker Christian Ministry Reaches Franklin County's Migrants
Public Opinion (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9221


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Faith Partners a Model for Welfare-To-Work
gazette.com (Colorado)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9222


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Groups Collect Food, Clothes for Homeless
Alamogordo Daily News (New Mexico)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9223


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New Orange Group to Launch Plan; Faith-Based Agenda to Cover Broad Range of Social Issues
Chapel Hill Herald (Durham, NC)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9224


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Faith Group Launches Anti-Foreclosure Effort
The Washington Post

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9225


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Faith Groups Unite To Help
Florida Today

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9226


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Kenner Food Bank Is Hungry for Donations; More Residents Seeking Help
Times-Picayune (New Orleans)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9227


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Residents Voice Concerns At Forum; Fixes Complicated By Shrinking Funds
Modesto Bee

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9228


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Faith-Based Disaster Response
Ozarksfirst.com (Missouri)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9229


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Increased Demands in Social Services Strain Local Churches
TCU Daily Skiff (Fort Worth, Texas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9230


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Interfaith Leaders Lobby For Auto Aid
The Detroit News

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9231


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Saddleback Church Takes Pride in Global Work
The Orange County Register (California)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9232


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211 Efforts Moving Forward Despite Economic Woes
Zanesville Times-Recorder (Ohio)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9233


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Want To Feed Your Family Dinner For $30 A Week? Here's How
The Bakersfield Californian

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9234


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ABBA Open House Set For Saturday
Gainesville Daily Register (Texas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9235


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Grads Embrace New Hope
San Marcos Daily Record (Texas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9236


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'Retain But Reform' Faith-Based Initiatives, Brookings Recommends
The National Journal

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9237


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Faith-Based Serve City Pantry Is Looking For Angels
Lebanon Western Star (Ohio)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9238


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Queens Homeless Shelters Shut Down
Queens Chronicle (New York, NY)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9239


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Survey--Half of Clergy Say Their Churches Need to Address Poverty More
Religion News Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9240


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Church Leaders Ask Obama for Action on Economy
Religion News Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9241


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Ga. Shelters Serve Expanding Female Homeless Pop.
The Associated Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9242


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Rhode Island Foundation Makes Emergency Grant to Help State's Needy
The Providence Journal (Rhode Island)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9243


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C.R. Non-Profits 'Will Be the Experts'
The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9244


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Youth 'Aged Out' of Foster Care Get a Helping Hand at Sunnyvale Transitional Home
San Jose Mercury News (California)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9245


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Bush Administration Leaves Major Mark on Faith-Based Funding, Experts Say
Associated Baptist Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9246


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Bush Touts Program for Mentoring Kids of Prisoners
Associated Press Online

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9247


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Parishes Prepare To Participate In Annual Hunger-Fighting Initiative
Catholic Courier

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9248


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Center Needs a Miracle of Its Own Soon
Tucson Citizen (Arizona)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9249


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Weekly Opinion Roundup - 12/9/2008
The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/news_opinion_12_9_08.cfm




The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy promotes informed debate on the issue of publicly funded faith-based social service. Supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Roundtable provides independent, non-partisan research on the scope and scale of faith-based social services, their effectiveness, how public resources are being used in providing such services, and the legal and regulatory issues involved. The Roundtable's comprehensive web site makes this research and related information easily available. It can be accessed by clicking here:

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