Government agencies are increasingly interested in reaching out to and partnering with faith communities to address the needs of local communities. The push for partnerships between government and religion began with the Charitable Choice provision in President Clinton’s Welfare Reform legislation in 1996. The George W. Bush administration organized these efforts under the Office of Faith-based Initiatives, which then became the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships under the Obama administration.
Washington’s emphasis on empowering local faith community efforts has increased at the same time that government budgets for social services and the safety net have dwindled. This means that government initiatives can lack the resources to ensure that their work moves from outreach to partnership. CRCC researches and consults with both faith groups and government agencies in order to understand how to facilitate meaningful collaboration on some of the nation’s most pressing social problems.
Photo Credit: Harshil Shah
CommentaryRoundtable of Faith Leaders and Vice President Kamala Harris on Reproductive HealthVice President Kamala Harris recently hosted a roundtable with faith leaders on the state of reproductive health care in the United States. The event, held at the Los Angeles County Federation of …Topics: Black Church, CMCCE, Gender and Sexuality, Government and Religion, Political Attitudes and Values, Voting and Elections
ArticleAlissa Wahid: A Legacy of Transformation in IndonesiaThis article was originally published by the KAICIID Dialogue Centre, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. Inheriting a father’s legacy is never easy — especially when that father …Topics: Asia, Government and Religion, Interfaith/Multifaith Movements, Muslims and Islam, National and Cultural Identity, Religious Leadership, Religious Minorities, Religious Pluralism
CRCC in the NewsLA Times: Why Are Christian Groups Allowed To Discriminate? Power and PrivilegeThe Los Angeles Times published the below letter to the editor from CRCC’s Richard Flory: To the editor: Op-ed article writers Rachel S. Mikva, Corey D.B. Walker and Reza Aslan are rightly …Topics: Evangelicals and Evangelicalism, Government and Religion, Political Attitudes and Values, Religious Pluralism, Religious Regulation and Accommodation- VideoBlack Female Leadership within LAPD: Untold Stories!
CommentaryPredictions 2021: An Uphill StruggleAs we do around this time each new year, we at the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture (CRCC) are going to make some predictions for 2021. Even though the world …Topics: Government and Religion, Political Attitudes and Values, Protests and Uprisings, Race and Culture, Voting and Elections
ArticleAzza Karam: The Role Of Women In Faith And DiplomacyThis article was originally published in Religion Unplugged, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. LINDAU— Azza Karam was just about to step up to the podium at the Inselhalle in …Topics: Creativity and Innovation, Engaged Spirituality, Faith-Based Organizations, Government and Religion, International Affairs and Policy, Political Attitudes and Values, Spiritual Exemplars
EventCritical Conversations: Public Transportation in a PandemicThe USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement presents Phillip A. Washington, CEO of Metro, in conversation with the Murray Center’s Najuma Smith-Pollard and Frank Jackson, Jr. Find out how Washington has …Topics: CMCCE, COVID, Event, Government and Religion
ArticleCOVID-19 Proves To Be a Test of Faith for Believers, Churches and CommunitiesThis USC News article was built off of a source alert “Spirituality in a Pandemic: A Test of Faith for Believers and Organizations.” The source alert has additional perspective from Najuma Smith-Pollard …Topics: COVID, Creativity and Innovation, Government and Religion, Race and Culture, weforum
CRCC in the NewsThe Brookings Institution: Loskota on Recommendations for the Next AdministrationBrie Loskota was quoted in “A Time to Heal, A Time to Build,” a report from The Brookings Institution. The report offers recommendations how the executive branch should approach issues related to …Topics: Government and Religion,
ArticleSwami Agnivesh: One of His Final Interviews in Caravan MagazineThis interview was originally published in The Caravan, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. It has been edited and condensed. *** On 11 September, Agnivesh, a swami in the Arya …Topics: Asia, Engaged Spirituality, Government and Religion, Hindus and Hinduism, Religious Extremism, Religious Leadership, Spiritual Exemplars
ToolsSix Principles for Engaging Faith CommunitiesPartnerships with community groups strengthens governmental response to critical social issue, from homelessness to disaster response. Public agencies often turn to faith leaders to support their initiatives, and yet doing so often …Topics: Disaster Response, Government and Religion, Tools
ToolsTen Tips for Government Engagement with Religious CommunitiesReligious organizations can be essential partners in creating positive change in their communities. Governmental agencies often work with faith leaders because they are influential and well-connected to the people they serve. Their …Topics: Disaster Response, Government and Religion, Tools
“On the ground, we’ve seen that even when public officials are willing to work with these groups, the law often gets in the way of the aspirations and plans of these congregations and organizations to contribute more to the welfare of their communities.”
—Brie Loskota and Richard Flory
“Do Government Regulations Get in the Way of Doing Good After a Disaster?”
CRCC Experts
To schedule an interview with one of our experts, please contact CRCC:
crcc@usc.edu or 213-743-1611
Richard FloryExecutive DirectorRichard Flory is a sociologist whose work focuses on religion and urban life, religious and cultural change, and youth and young adults.
Brie LoskotaContributing FellowBrie Loskota researches how religions change and make change in the world, and works to build the capacity of religious communities around the globe.
John B. OrrCo-founder & Past FellowJohn B. Orr has worked extensively in the fields of religion, education and politics.
Nadia RoumaniContributing FellowNadia Roumani has worked with a wide range of organizations over the past decade to better understand the needs of Muslim communities across the United States.
Rebecca SagerContributing FellowRebecca Sager’s work focuses on political and religious movements and parties in American political life.