Search Results for keywords:"faith-based organizations"

The Executive Order establishes the White House Faith Office within the Executive Office of the President to empower faith-based entities, community organizations, and houses of worship to serve families and communities. It amends existing Executive Orders to rename the office and initiatives involved in these efforts. The Faith Office will collaborate with various governmental and non-governmental bodies to enhance support for faith-based and community organizations. The Order also sets provisions for ensuring religious liberty protections and reducing barriers for these organizations in accessing government programs.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is proposing to remove five regulatory provisions that prevent certain faith-based organizations from accessing SBA business loan and disaster assistance programs due to their religious status. These provisions conflict with the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, as interpreted by recent Supreme Court decisions, which protect religious organizations from discriminatory exclusions. The SBA plans to amend these regulations to ensure faith-based organizations receive equal treatment under its programs, aligning with constitutional requirements and promoting religious liberty. Public comments on this proposal are open until February 18, 2021.

The Department of Labor has issued guidance to ensure that religious organizations have equal protection when participating in the Department's grant programs. This guidance aligns with Executive Order 13798, which promotes religious liberty, and reflects recent regulatory changes. It reaffirms that faith-based organizations can compete for grants on the same basis as secular ones, without discrimination due to their religious nature. Additionally, the guidance outlines processes for religious groups to seek exemptions from certain non-discrimination requirements related to employment practices.

The Executive Order establishes the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships to coordinate policies and efforts involving community-serving organizations, both faith-based and secular. This office, supported by the Domestic Policy Council and Office of Public Engagement, aims to improve the effectiveness of these organizations in delivering services alongside federal, state, and local governments, while respecting constitutional commitments related to religion. The order also updates and amends previous executive orders to reflect this new initiative and revokes Executive Order 13831, which dealt with a similar subject.