ADVISORY TO FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
The Andrus Family Fund is a signatory to the Statement of Common Principles and Standards developed by: the Working Group on Human Needs and Faith-based and Community Initiatives; and Search for Common Ground, a non-profit, non-governmental organization devoted to conflict resolution, conflict prevention and transformation that coordinated the Working Group. The Consensus Council, a non-profit organization that custom-designs processes to bring diverse viewpoints together to seek common ground, facilitated it. The Working Groups members included religious and civic leaders and advocates for civil liberties. They sought common ground on appropriate ways to increase the opportunities for people in need to get help from community-based organizations, including those inspired by religious faith. The Working Group's full report was issued in 2003.
In order for faith-based organizations (FBOs) to be considered for AFF support they must agree to conform to the Working Group's "Statement of Common Principles and Standards" (below). They must also fill out the relevant section on AFF's application to explain the religious characteristics of their program with reference to the Working Group's Typology. AFF affirms that if the FBO conforms to AFF guidelines as reflected in the Working Group Typology, it will be evaluated on the same basis and under the same conditions as all other applicants.
Statement of Common Principles and Standards
Working Group on Human Needs and Faith-based and Community Initiatives
Americans daily experience many urgent and unmet needs. In America we have a long history of forming and supporting voluntary organizations that work to improve their communities and help people in need. The provision of community health, education, and social welfare services by community-based organizations, including faith-based organizations, is a tangible manifestation of the American ethic of civic engagement, and is fundamental to the American way of building and sustaining community. The goals of the following guidelines are to assist private funders to communicate clearly the standards to be met by all providers, both secular and faith-based, which wish to be considered as potential recipients of funds, and assist them in ascertaining which organizations fit within those guidelines.
We recognize the positive role of faith in providing services, as well as the right of providers to freely express and practice their faith. We also respect the rights of private funders to set their own priorities and follow their conscience in determining how and to whom they grant funds. Because we believe there should be consistency in the respective standards for faith-based service providers in their funding applications, and by persons in need seeking services, we agree to the following:
Standards for Private Funders:
1. We are transparent to potential applicants about the relationship of faith traditions, if any, to our preferences or exclusions. (1)
2. Faith-based organizations within the scope of our guidelines that adopt the following standards will be evaluated on the same basis and under the same conditions as other applicants.
Standards for Service Providers:
1. We are transparent to funders and participants about our religious affiliation and about the religious characteristics of our programs, particularly the role of personal transformation in desired outcomes. (2)
2. All who seek our aid will be treated equally, without regard to religious beliefs.
3. Applicants or participants who seek alternatives for reasons of conscience will be assisted.
(1) We, the signatories, will use the Working Group Typology to communicate preferences or exclusions based on the religious characteristics of service providers. (2) We will explain the religious characteristics of our programs with reference to the Working Group Typology, where indicated by funder guidelines.
AFF encourages each FBO(3) to read the Statement and the Working Group's Typology (Pages 30 - 34 in the full report) to determine whether their organization fits within AFF's guidelines. The characteristics of religious organizations (and their programs) are enumerated in the Typology.
FBOs that affirm they conform to the following, as reflected in the Working Group Typology, will be
evaluated on the same basis and under the same
conditions as other applicants. Other FBOs will not
be considered.
Typology Table 1. (pages 30-31): The applicant organization conforms to the characteristics of any of the following categories: faith-background, faith-secular partnership, and secular.
Typology Table 2. (pages 31-32): The specific program or project conforms to the characteristics of any of the following categories: faith-background, faith-secular partnership, and secular.
Typology Addendum (page 34): The organization conforms to the characteristics for integration of religious content into program of any of the following categories: passive or invitational.
We believe the above "Statement of Common Principles and Standards," read along with the AFF's Statement of Inclusion (4), will facilitate better communication between AFF and FBOs.
(3) Faith-based organization, as used in the Working Group's report, is any entity that is self-identified as motivated by, or founded on, religious conviction. We are using the term in its broadest sense to include corporations, unincorporated associations, churches, trusts, foundations, and educational institutions. (4) AFF Statement of Inclusion: All applicants are required to join AFF in agreeing not to discriminate in any way including but not limited to, access to program participation or employment against any person or group on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation. If a program is designed for a specific population defined by any of these criteria, this policy shall be subject to appropriate adjustment in consultation with AFF.