Grants for Your Church, Community Outreach
Posted: Thursday, November 10, 2005
by TheElderLarry
The Elder Larry International Ministries
Finding Common Goals of Faith Based and Community Outreach
Many Churches or religious organizations often seek to start faith based community organizations to qualify for grants or other contributions from private and corporate sponsors. These grant funds are not just free money, most often it comes with a desired outcome for the grantor. Grants are given by foundations, both public and private, corporations both large and small, individuals as well as local, state and national governments to effect community.
· They all have "strings" attached (effect/ create desired outcome for persons in need and reporting on how and when you have done so); meaning the grant comes to you with certain conditions and guidelines set by the grantor.
In the grant search process, these elements are fully spelled out in the request for proposal (RFP) materials you receive when you receive the grant guidelines. Often, Church or Faith Based Organizations have a inheart Rightly so Churches do not want government or outside agencies telling them what or how to minister, or serve people therefore they traditionally refused to enter the RFP Process.
I whole heartily agree, no other organization can tell or influence the faith based process by telling faith based organization what to do or how to best do it. Properly set-up, a faith based corporation can be established to shield the religious organizations teachings from outside interference. The government or other agencies are not really interested in telling you how to run your ministry, but to making sure (religion) is not required for community to participate or community is compromised by religious teachings that state this is the only means of receiving serve, which are funded by government or private funders.
The Gospel is by itself a powerfully tool when properly used to display the power of The Word "in us" to move us beyond the average. In and of it self, the call from government or other private organizations requesting the local church, to help or do what we do best "effect peoples lives" is an act of faith in God's people. The opportunity to touch a souls for the good, and to leave an undeniable the notion in the hearts of your local community that this people who's foundation is faith is the second opportunity to effect the local church can do for it's community for good. The the third power at work here is government telling the faith based community how to organizes, to establish a corporate structure so conflict does not arise, and that the Church process is not hindered. Your Church, the religious institution continues to function as a institution of local worship and by day effecting the daily lives of every day people without the influence of outside groups. That is the power of God working in our behalf.
The Faith Based (newly organized) 501(c) (3), with its own board and operation guidelines established to reach into the local community by faith and faith leaders to effect the changes for good in the local community is an effective way of establishing perminate change. This is the most basic example of how the gospel, good news that without faith it is impossible to please God, in ways only faith based leadership knows how. Most importantly we effect change as a community the people, the church and government.
Often the real need is for the people in your community to be touched by compassionate, caring, outreach- only the Church and it's membership can contribute, because they themselves have been touched by this Love that comes only from God. Government and private organizations got it right, "let the mercyful show mercy". The real question is what are the others that are ministering but lack the resources to do so doing in the name of god?
The Goals of the Faith Based and Community Initiative
(excerpt form White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives)
"The goal of the President's Faith-Based and Community Initiative is clear – to enable faith-based and community organizations to provide compassionate care for the poor by receiving Federal grants on the same basis as other groups. President Bush believes that it is wrong for these groups to be discriminated against when it comes to partnering with the Federal government. This section provides information helpful to faith-based groups on how an organization can maintain its faith identity while delivering Federal services. If these rules sound complicated, remember that thousands of faith-based organizations, from small daycare centers to homeless shelters, have taken Federal money and delivered services without a hitch. They have been able to comply with these principles – without sacrificing their faith identity".
FOR MORE ON THIS: White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives- www.fbci.gov
Taking Another Look, At Faith Based Community Outreach
Our goal is to develop leaders through the use of Audit tools, Processes, and Procedures with which faith based and community organization may utilize, analyze and develop the capacity to impact the local community process. Empowering faith based organizations to effect social change, in the lives of the people they employ (members) and serve (community). We are of the opinion that the faith community should take another look, at the faith based community process impacting the lives of others through their faith.
For more information on how your church or community organization can be involved or how you can volunteer for faith based work, visit us on the web at: www.SocialChangeNow.Org or write: Elder Larry David Bowe, The Center for Reconciliation and Social Change, 5470 Galestown Road, Seaford, Delaware, 19973.
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