WASHINGTON- Faith-based and community organizations in Maryland were awarded almost $40.7 million in federal funding to operate social service programs in fiscal 2004, the White House reported this month.
The Maryland money — part of the $2 billion in federal funds the administration said went to faith-based organizations nationally in 2004 — came in the form of 68 grants to fund everything from homeless services to Head Start programs.
The lion’s share of the grants in the state went to Catholic charity organizations, which got more than $10 million. That amount does not count grants to individual parish programs.
While the grants are to be used only for social services, some critics of government funding of faith-based programs said they are still concerned.
“Who is actually going to be policing this?” asked the Rev. Steven Baines, senior organizer for religious affairs for People for the American Way, a progressive advocacy organization.
Baines said faith-based initiatives are “bad for politics and bad for religion,” adding that he has heard of many instances where faith creeps into the delivery of social services.
But grant recipients said there is no such problem in Maryland. They said they won the grants because they could provide the services, not because of any religious affiliation.
Victory Housing Inc., a Forestville-based service that provides affordable housing for seniors, got $2.7 million in fiscal 2004 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Victory Housing CEO John D. Spencer said his organization’s affiliation with the Archdiocese of Washington “may have added a couple of points in the grant process,” but that it would not have won over other bidders if it was not qualified.
“We have received grants four of the last seven years,” said Spencer, adding that the grants process is very competitive.
HUD officials echoed Spencer, saying there is no bonus for being a faith-based organization. The difference, they say, is that those organizations that may have been denied funding in the past based on their affiliation are now allowed to compete, leveling the playing field for potential providers.
The administration says faith-based organizations can use federal funds for social services, housing the elderly, tutor students and caring for the homeless. It cannot be used to fund inherently religious activities like religious instruction, worship or proselytizing.
Nancy Graham, executive director of the Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services Inc., said that while her organization was started by local churches, religion is not a part of the homeless services it provides. Her service got $229,004 from HUD in 2004.
“I would say . . . most people wouldn’t even realize that we are a faith-based organization,” Graham said. She said her executive board starts off every meeting with a prayer, but not in the presence of those receiving aid from the program.
But Baines notes that “President Bush has said he supports the religious organizations keeping religious core or character” after they receive government funds. That could lead to a situation where those groups getting federal funds are allowed to turn potential employees away based on religion or sexual orientation.
And, he said, lowering the wall between church and state is not particularly healthy for the faith-based organizations, either. Baines said agencies that give federal money to churches may be out to buy political favor and that the churches, in turn, may feel compelled to agree with the government.
“You wouldn’t criticize the hand that is feeding you,” he said.
But Graham said that while there may be instances where faith and social service mix, it does not happen in her shop.
“As a professional, I don’t bring my religion to work,” she said.
-30- CNS 04-07-05