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FAITH BASED INITIATIVES CONFERENCE

On June 26th-27th, ISNA National Director Dr. Sayyid M Syeed will be attending the White House Faith Based and Community Initiative Conference at the Omni Hotel in Washington D.C.  This two day event titled, "Innovations in Effective Compassion," will highlight top models, innovative strategies and the latest evaluations of the work of faith-based and community organizations in partnership with government across America and around the world to address the great human needs of our day.  It also will offer practical knowledge, strategies and tools that can be used by nonprofit leaders and government officials and administrators to replicate and extend collaboration in their own communities.

On June 26th, top models and policy tools engaged by government agencies and their faith- and community-based nonprofit partners to solve society’s most stubborn social challenges will be highlighted. Topics will span a wide range of pressing human needs, from prisoner reentry, economic development, at-risk youth, and homelessness to the international HIV/AIDS crisis. Presentations will include overviews and results of major domestic and international programs.

The day will also provide a compelling window into the often behind-the-scenes transformation led by the President’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative. The Initiative has indelibly altered the way America addresses human need—leading a shift from large, bureaucratic programs toward a consistent emphasis on solutions designed and rooted in local communities.

Both speakers and audience will include many of America’s top social entrepreneurs, government officials, thought leaders and research professionals at the forefront of bringing together the best of American ingenuity with the best of American compassion.

June 27th will delve deeper into the themes presented on day one. Practitioners and others engaged in the field will come away with a stronger understanding of the ongoing transformation in the way the public and private sectors collaborate to address human, particularly as scholars report their independent and cutting edge research. These reports will include presentation of a range of new academic papers on issues related to innovation in social service provision spurred by the Faith-Based and Community Initiative.

President Bush created the White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives and Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in eleven Federal agencies to lead a determined attack on need by strengthening and expanding the role of Faith Based Community Organizations (FBCO's) in providing social services. The Federal government has worked to accomplish this mission through an array of regulatory and policy reforms, legislative efforts, and public outreach to FBCOs. Additionally, by making information about Federal grants more accessible and the application process less burdensome, the Initiative has empowered FBCOs to compete more effectively for funds. The ultimate beneficiaries are America’s poor, who are best served when the Federal government’s partners are the providers most capable of meeting their needs.

The White House is hosting a series of regional conferences and targeted workshops to continue its support for the work of effective faith-based and community social service programs. The events will provide participants with information about the government grants process and available funding opportunities, an overview of the legal responsibilities that come with the receipt of Federal funds and various grant writing tutorials.

More information about the program can be found here.