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Very few examples of donor intention and donor segmentation based on individual attitudes are evident in the literature. Given the common use of the domestic-versus-international charity binary by donors when selecting types of charity to support, and the suggestion that political attitudes and charitable giving are potentially difficult to separate, the current study investigates if charitable choice is linked to attitudes towards immigration and military action. Data from 398 online survey respondents using regression analysis identifies the most significant combination of donation predictors based on political and charitable attitudes. Political attitudes play only a limited role in explaining donation intention. Further k-means cluster analysis leads to the development of four segments who vary in their donation intentions, political attitudes and preferred types of charities. This work extends existing knowledge on donor segmentation, charitable marketing and the interplay between politics and charitable giving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Kingdom is generous toward charitable donations, and this commitment appears robust against a background of economic uncertainty. While prior work has identified a clear preference for domestic over international causes, research has yet to identify the range of variables that significantly correlate with this important element of charitable choice. A survey of 1,004 U.K. residents was designed to assess willingness to donate to local, national, and international causes. For each destination, stepwise multiple regression analysis identified the key variables that correlate to an individual's willingness to donate. Findings suggest that donor willingness correlates with levels of trust, preferred types of charitable cause, and donation channels. In contrast, the role of donor demographics is relatively limited. The findings suggest some commonality in the variables that associate most significantly with willingness to donate locally and nationally, but those relating to international donation intention are relatively distinct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the adoption of the Charitable Choice Provision of theWelfare Reform Bill and the creation of White House Offices on faith based initiatives this article examines the history of government contracting with faith-based organizations to deliver human and social services with a particular focus on how the U. S. Supreme Court has viewed the legal status of such contracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The welfare reforms initiated in the 1990s prompted increased discussion of the use of faith-based organizations for the provision of social services. This is the second of two articles examining the progress of this debate. The first article provides the scope of inquiry, defines specific characteristics of faith-based organizations, and outlines methods used to study them. This article discusses specific services provided by faith-based organizations and how these organizations are related to the government. Faith-based organizations compared favorably to secular organizations in the services they provided while providing a somewhat narrower range of services. The implementation of Charitable Choice and other faith-based initiatives as policy required consideration of constitutional and practical issues with the implementation of collaborations and partnerships between government and faith-based organizations along with increased government funding and contracting for these organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Welfare reform discussions in the 1990s included proposals for government to support religious organizations that provide social services. This fostered a debate about the proper relationship between government and faith-based organizations. This spurred an increase in academic publications by scholars from disciplines such as social work, religious studies, public policy, and nonprofit studies. Publications focused on a number of topics, including the unique characteristics of faith-based organizations, the services and outcomes they provided, their involvement with the government, and methodologies available for studying them. We found a rapid increase in publications starting in 1996. These peaked in 2003 and have declined since 2008. Our scan of the literature on U.S. noncongregation faith-based service providers identified over 600 works. In this article, we review the literature on the definition of faith-based organizations, typologies used to place them on a spectrum of religious expression, and methodological considerations for research on them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Religious addiction treatment has experienced a rise both in its reach and exposure to attention from medical professionals. Largely autonomous conversion-based programs have received unprecedented support and legitimacy. We investigate "Victory Ministries,"' a large Midwestern evangelical rehab facility, exploring the similarities and differences between formulations of addiction-as-disease found in "secu-lar" rehab and the moral binaries that guide Victory's program. Methodology/approach - Qualitative case study: Interviews and ethnography. Findings - Working from in-depth interviews, we explore the inner workings of Victory's curriculum and program design, as it transmutes dominant therapeutic concepts and methods into its own Manichaean frame. Aided by superior financial resources and support of a tight-knit network of churches, it delivers its most successful clients into a new life "redeemed by Christ." Social implications - Proponents of conversion-based service provision position religious institutions as the primary agents of willing compassion and generosity beyond the family compass, stripping the rest of civil society of any claims to promote the greater good. In Victory's metaphor of "invisible war," a Manichaean vision is quite explicit. Every definition of recovery and reintegration in terms of conversion and submission to religious authority inherently suggests that substance use stems largely from immorality and that the unsaved in general are sinful and dangerous. By funding a conversion-based shadow welfare apparatus, we argue, the US government is intensifying the criminalization of poverty, the steady downgrading of more inclusive institutions, and ultimately the materialization of Victory's Manichaean vision in a polarized nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

President Clinton's charitable choice initiatives in 1996 and President Bush's faith-based initiatives in 2001 allowed faith-based organizations (FBOs) to apply for federal funds while maintaining their religious characteristics such as displaying their religious symbols or practicing their religious principles. After the launch of these initiatives, the level of attention on FBOs and their management practices has increased. Through a best practice analysis of systemic review of 52 studies during the past 10 years, this article reveals that utilization of faith, appropriate staffing, humanized leadership, and diversity of funding were the four critical factors that led to the best macropractices in FBOs. It is also imperative that small FBOs urgently increase collaboration with traditional faith-based providers to offer professional and quality services following the policy changes. Future empirical research recommendations are made and best practices are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article argues that thoughtfully approaching contemporary social policy requires critical reflection on the past and specifically examines the historical evolution of theory. It is contended that theory plays a vital role in social welfare by providing helpful representational images, fostering explanations of the evolution of social welfare, and supplying a basis for the formulation of policies and programs. This article discusses a normative theory known as religious traditionalism and considers its relevance to social welfare. A version of religious traditionalism derived from Christian social thought has been important in recent times in shaping social welfare policies in the United States. The article chronicles the historical development of religious traditionalism and its social welfare implications. It examines how secular and religious writers have used Biblical concepts at different times to formulate commentaries on social welfare issues. In particular, it discusses the work of scholars and religious thinkers such as Edmund Burke, the Popes, and the leaders of the Social Gospel movement. It then assesses the contributions of two contemporary American writers, Marvin Olasky and John DiIulio. Attention is drawn to the disjointedness between the contemporary iteration of religious traditionalism and its historical precedents. Interventions grounded in comprehensive Christian social thought, it is argued, would be a departure from recent faith-based policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reviews policies promoting faith-based organizations' (FBO) participation in publicly-funded programs since the Charitable Choice statute was enacted during the Clinton administration and then additional faith-based initiatives were implemented by the Bush administration. The paper focuses on research findings on FBO participation in publicly-funded human service programs under these policies. It then proposes a framework for evaluation to assess the appropriateness of public funding for behavioral health services delivered by FBOs, in order to address: (1) the programmatic and systemic effects resulting from the infusion of new players from the faith community, and the consequences to the profile of services and who gets served; and (2) the content and effectiveness of faith-infused services as a basis for identifying interventions appropriate for public funding. The analysis considers classification issues, theoretical bases of measured effects of faith-infused services, and the transferability of faith-based interventions across religious and secular applications in order to satisfy constitutional issues and client choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the development of religion and social services in North America, highlighting the similarities and differences between Canada and the United States. In Canada, the historical link between universities, governments, churches, and faith-based organizations is characterized by the increasing level of social service provision by the state in relation to the decreasing public role of faith-based social institutions throughout the twentieth century. However, faith-based organizations continue to rely substantially upon the Canadian government for funding social services. In the United States, different, less robust traditions of social welfare prevailed, with a less comprehensive welfare state over the twentieth century. More recently, Charitable Choice legislation in the United States has brought to our attention the problems of state funding for faith-based organizations. This tension has led to an increase in research to understand the role of faith-based organizations in the United States, while in Canada research on the role of faith-based organizations remains largely underdeveloped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on data from a study conducted in Wyoming about the community response to domestic violence, this article focuses on an unanticipated finding: how religion is paradoxically both a source of assistance and a barrier to women surviving domestic violence. The results indicate that although religious institutions are a resource for emotional comfort and provide practical assistance, they may also perpetuate silence. The article concludes that many religious communities are not adequately equipped to respond to the problem of domestic violence in a way that is safe for women. Implications for social work, particularly for recent faith-based initiatives, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

President Bush's Executive Orders to establish Centers of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives have encouraged the use of faith-based organizations (FBOs) as service providers in a range of federally funded programs. New federal rules and regulations are removing barriers so that FBOs can participate in these programs. Yet, there is no centralized information system that accumulates data related to performance standards or outcome measures. This article analyzes the scope and scale of services provided by FBOs and the diverse approaches to studying the outcomes from these services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a thorough and concise look at policy-making through the use of executive orders for the Faith-based and community initiatives. It is said that U.S. President George W. Bush had used executive orders and regulations to give religious groups equal footing with nonsectarian groups in competing for federal contracts. There has been an increased controversy regarding the public funding of faith-based organizations in the country.

Charitable Choice, a cornerstone of President Bush's domestic policy agenda, provides that faith-based organizations (FBOs) will have an opportunity to compete for government contracts. However, few empirical studies examine the impact of public funding to FBOs on individual charitable giving to FBOs. Using public opinion survey data and multivariate analysis to examine this relationship, we find that most financial supporters of FBOs report that they would not change their giving behavior in the wake of increased government funding to FBOs, contrary to the much- established crowding-out hypothesis. The policy and management implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of assessing the effectiveness of newly legislated social policies. In an era of growing public reliance on faith-based social services, it is imperative to be accountable and assess the efficacy and effectiveness of this set of providers. It discusses the paucity of such attempts and the complications involved in measuring effectiveness of social programs, especially when religion is involved. It then reviews the contributions provided in this volume and draws conclusions for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the methodological challenges associated with conducting research on faith-based organizations. The arguments advanced are based on a group of comparative case studies conducted by the authors on secular and faith-based providers in three different social service domains: (1) transitional housing, (2) parent education, and (3) residential substance abuse treatment programs. All case studies utilized the same research protocol. The study identifies the lessons learned from comparative case study research on faith-based organizations when a similar protocol is implemented to examine a variety of social service domains and provider types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-based and faith-based programs are on-going partners in the social welfare mix which characterizes U.S. welfare provision. In the face of calls for more rigorous research on the capacity and impact of faith-based and community-based programs which use public funds, the research community must gain sophistication in addressing methodological issues inherent in participatory designs for the study of such programs. This article describes concerns which arose while implementing participatory research during a federally-funded, intensive 10-month long case study of a faith-based alternative education program for at risk youth. The project was funded through the Department of Health and Humans Services, Administration for Children and Family. The challenges to data collection are presented and suggestions for doing participatory research in similar settings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a project to investigate the implementation of charitable choice in TANF-funded job services in Indiana, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. A number of issues needed to be addressed in the course of the research project. State-level government responses to charitable choice were found to vary widely, making comparisons across states difficult. In Indiana, job training providers and clients were also interviewed. For providers, a major research issue was the assessment of the degree to which they were faith-based and the impact of this. To measure the impact of provider faith orientation on clients, a pre- and post-service study was designed. Providers were to administer the tests, but in many cases failed to do so correctly, thereby limiting the utility of the results. Finally, during the last year of the study, the state changed its funding priorities, thereby altering the provider system. A number of the providers changed their programs or stopped providing services, thereby dropping out of the delivery system. The paper considers the impact of these difficulties on the ability of research to make contributions to the discussion of charitable choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through interviews with coordinators of faith-based mentoring programs, a statewide study examined publicly funded efforts to widen the involvement of religious groups in welfare service provision. Analysis focused on front-line implementers ability to function as boundary spanners in a complex, unsettled environment. The study identified three salient factors affecting implementation in this new faith-friendly arena: the employment background of the program coordinators, the rural or urban setting of the program, and the limitations ofa constrained state welfare apparatus. The experiences of these so-called early adopters of charitable choice indicate the scope, strength, and surmountability of institutional barriers confronting implementers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on a case study of the development of a faith-based human service organization, the Community Ministries of Rockville, Maryland (CMR). Sectarian social welfare agencies have been actively involved in serving the needy in the U.S. The 2000 election of President George W. Bush and the establishment of a White House Office for Religious-based and Community Groups gave prominence to the provision of Charitable Choice. These organizations are perceived as more effective in changing the human behavior of individuals than traditional nonprofit agencies. CMR's budget in 1979 was $3,200, which only covered a very part time secretary and office supplies. Its office was in a Victorian home, adjacent to and owned by Rockville United Methodist Church. CMR was committed to advocating for a wide variety of human needs. The study features the unusual characteristics of a truly collaborative arrangement among local congregations. It is distinctly different from the traditional program approach of congregations as well as from those traditional sectarian organizations that have been serving American communities for decades.

In the contemporary policy-implementation process where policies in practice often reflect a compromise, public managers increasingly must consult with the relevant public to learn what that public wants. The purpose of this article is to argue that public managers might sometimes find public-opinion polls valuable as a source of information on public preferences. After explaining when and why this might be the case, the authors illustrate their argument using public-opinion data on the attitudes of Georgia residents toward the issue of Charitable Choice and provide examples of how these data might assist public managers in implementing the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of faith-based prison ministries in the American criminal justice system is examined in the context of the Bush Administration's efforts to subsidize the social service activities of religious organizations. Studies on the efficacy of prison ministries in rehabilitation are inconclusive; however, some evidence suggests that these programs may be effective in reducing rates of recidivism and improving prison behavior and inmates' adjustment to life after incarceration. Preliminary. reports have prompted politicians, social scientists, and religious leaders to recommend subsidization of prison ministries. Yet government funding in advance of more detailed analysis of effectiveness jeopardizes the voluntary spirit that invigorates such efforts and that may be a key to their success. Public funding also risks the entanglement of state and religious institutions, incentivizes faith groups to jettison doctrines or practices that impede the procurement of funds, and breaks down barriers established by the First Amendment to keep government out of American religious life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Faith-Based and Community Initiative (FBCI) constitutes a critical substitution of social policy as new urban policy. The faith-based initiative envisions a formalized role for local religious congregations in social services provision and the corresponding role of policy implementation. Both of these rather novel policy ideas raise a host of questions. This article seeks to provide an understanding of this policy initiative, its ideational origins, its real potential, and some of its limitations as an instrument of urban policy and community development. This article encompasses four objectives. First, it provides an overview discussion of the evolution of the U.S. urban policy context and the emergence of "stealth urban policies." Second, it focuses on the philosophical and scholarly formulations that conceived of local congregations as alternative mechanisms for the provision of social welfare state services. Third, the discussion turns to some of the findings to date regarding the FBCI that point up its limitation as effective public policy for supporting community development in black neighborhoods. Finally, the discussion explores how the FBCI might be expanded to support a more effective role for religious organizations in urban community development. While this initiative includes temples, mosques, churches, and other religious organizations, this article focuses on churches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charitable Choice legislation has traveled a rocky road since 2001, both when presented as legislation in the U. S. Congress, as well as in the court of public opinion. From the perspective of the large faith-based agencies, the original 1996 Charitable Choice legislation was an adequate foundation for their work. Since the announcement of the president's faith-based initiative, diverting issues having to do with hiring practices, church-state issues, tax cuts, and sufficient funds to do the job have taken prominence. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In an effort to fully understand the role of the office of Faith-Based Community Initiatives, in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Drs. Netting and Ellor went to Washington, DC and interviewed the Director, Elizabeth Seale-Scott. This important dialogue is recorded here to further understand particularly the role of this office as it impacts the Administration on Aging and Aging programs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The historical development of the faith-related organization is examined in light of the terminology used to describe these nonprofit groups, beginning with sectarian, moving to religious affiliate, and more recently using the term faith-related as a subcategory of being faith-based. Historical and contemporary research on faith-related organizations is reviewed, including a distinction between these studies and the increasing amount of research on religious congregations. Research findings are examined in the context of a complex political environment beginning with the Reagan/Bush Administrations, continuing into the Charitable Choice provisions introduced under the Clinton Administration, and moving to the Bush Administration's faith-based and community initiative. Implications of this initiative for the delivery of elder services are explored, particularly in light of the long-standing relationship the aging network has had with local faith groups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Religious organizations have provided services for older adults for thousands of years. For the sons and daughters of Abraham, this is Biblically mandated. Charitable Choice and the President's Office of Faith-Based Initiatives is only the most recent effort to bring this informal caregiving system into dialogue with the remainder of the formal social service system in the United States. At this time, religious congregations play a gap-filling role in the community service system. Their services range from informal volunteer-driven approaches to a local need, to large formal service systems. From the first draft of the Older American's Act, nutrition sites have specifically named religious congregations in partners with the service system. Today this systemcontinues to be ready to support at least the seniors in their own congregations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Legal advocates, clergy and politicians have all been challenged by the concept of the separation of church and state since the first European set foot on the American continent. Two schools of thought have been developed for this unique problem in the United States. Roger Williams took the position that there needs to be a separation of church and state in order to keep the church pure from the politics and every day work of the state. Thomas Jefferson, who is often attributed with developing this concept, took the position that the need for this separation was to protect the state from the church. Both positions often get articulated as if they are one concept in the United States. However, they are very different. This debate has carried itself in the current millennium into the work of the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives as well as the legislation known as Charitable Choice [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The social work profession has a remarkable opportunity and challenge to reconnect with its religious roots and develop services in partnership with religious congregations. The professional literature, however, has provided social work educators with limited guidance in terms of resources and curriculum strategies for preparing students and practitioners for competent practice in religious settings. This paper posits the efficacy of a decision case module for covering content on Charitable Choice and working with religious congregations. The Grace House Ministry, a decision case written specifically for the curriculum module is included at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to analyze the implications of the expansion of "charitable choice" legislation and the introduction of "faith-based initiatives" on human resource management issues in nonprofit organizations, particularly those organizations that are affiliated with religious congregations. Experience with state-level equivalent programs and some limited experience with federal programs have generated a number of court cases that demonstrate both the nature of the concerns opponents of such programs have and the limits still faced by those taking advantage of public contracting opportunities under various faith-based initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 contains a little known section referred to as "Charitable Choice." This section encourages states to involve community and faith-based organizations in providing federally funded welfare services. Most social workers are unfamiliar with this part of the legislation and its far-reaching implications for society as a whole and for the social work profession as it opens the door for mixing religion and publicly supported social services provision. This article reviews how Charitable Choice has shifted the way government engages faith-based organizations in social services delivery. A review of the public discourse and research findings regarding the relevance and implementation of Charitable Choice is also presented. Implications for social work are discussed, and a call for social work involvement is made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]