Changing Lives - Signature Presidential Initiatives

The Issue

Faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) possess unique strengths that the Federal government cannot duplicate.
These organizations are well positioned to assist individuals and families with the most pressing social service needs.
A key element of the President Bush’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative (FBCI) is to enhance and expand the participation of FBCOs serving those in need.

The Response: Compassion Capital Fund

The funds appropriated for the Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) were the first federal funds specifically targeted to assist FBCOs, the focus of the FBCI.
CCF offers competitive grants along with intensive training to build the capacity of FBCOs by increasing effectiveness, enhancing the ability to provide social services in a secular manner, expanding the organization, and creating collaborations to better serve those most in need.
Three distinct CCF programs have been implemented:

Under the Targeted Capacity Building Program, competitive grants of up to $50,000 are provided directly to FBCOs engaged in service to distressed communities.
The Demonstration Program provides grants to intermediary organizations that, in turn, make competitive subawards to FBCOs.
Inspired by President Bush’s Helping America’s Youth Initiative, the Communities Empowering Youth (CEY) Program was created to strengthen existing coalitions that are working to combat gang activity, youth violence, and child abuse and neglect in their communities. CEY grants are made to lead organizations that provide capacity-building training and technical assistance to their FBCO coalition partners.

The Results

Since the CCF program began in 2002, over $310 million has been awarded to over 5,000 organizations in all 50 States and the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico through three different grant programs:

From FY 2003 to FY 2007, nearly 1,000 competitive grants were awarded through the Targeted Capacity Building program for a total of over $48 million.
Through the Demonstration program, funded intermediary organizations haveprovided training and/or technical assistance to more than 11,500 organizations and have made more than 5,200 competitive subawards to FBCOs in 47 States and the District of Columbia.
To date, the Communities Empowering Youth program has competitively awarded approximately $90 million in grants to 131 projects serving more than 1,000 organizations in 39 States and Puerto Rico.

The findings from a June 2008 retrospective study showed that FBCOs receiving funding through the Targeted Capacity Building program reported the following percentage increases in applying for and receiving funding from government agencies, foundations, or private organizations:

47% increase in applications to Federal agencies, resulting in a 30% increase in obtaining funding;
18% increase in applications to State and local government agencies, resulting in a 30% increase in obtaining funding; and
9% increase in applications to foundations, resulting in a 16% increase in obtaining funding.

88% of FBCOs receiving subawards and training reported improved outcomes for the people they serve, and
90% reported an increased level in or improved quality in the services they deliver to individuals in need.

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