FAITHS Program

What is the FAITHS Program?

The FAITHS Program aims to enhance the work of faith-based organizations that deliver services or advocate for their communities. FAITHS achieves this by connecting faith-based organizations with support from nonprofits and foundations. FAITHS also provides technical and financial assistance to faith-based organizations and holds educational briefings and trainings for faith community leadership. FAITHS serves as a bridge between the philanthropic community and the faith-based community.

FAITHS was founded in 1993 on the premise that congregations and other faith-based organizations are among philanthropy’s strongest partners in the effort to build strong, healthy, and equitable communities. Since its inception, FAITHS has built an interfaith network of more than 600 congregations, faith-based agencies and community organizations that address critical community issues in the five Bay Area counties that The San Francisco Foundation serves (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo). FAITHS provides organizational capacity building workshops throughout the year for congregations and faith-based organizations engaged in community-serving activities such as: affordable housing, disaster preparedness, inter-group relations, job training, senior services, and youth development. Working with other foundation partners, FAITHS administers small grant pools to complement its technical assistance and civic engagement work.

Getting Involved

A FAITHS Program Leadership Group of clergy and lay leaders, reflecting the diversity of the Bay Area faith community, determines the general direction of the FAITHS Program projects, grantmaking, and capacity building activities. Other community leaders also provide significant guidance to the FAITHS Program through issue-specific working groups focused on issues such as disaster preparedness and immigration reform.

Congregations or faith-based organizations interested in learning more about these programs should contact the FAITHS Program Team:

Tessa Rouverol Callejo
FAITHS Program Coordinator
415.733.8541
trc@sff.org

Michelle Myles Chambers
FAITHS/Social Justice Program Assistant
415.733.8539
mmc@sff.org

Current Programs

Since 1998 The San Francisco Foundation's FAITHS Program has hosted a small grant and technical assistance program to assist congregations and faith-based organizations to promote dialogue and action that strengthen the economic, racial, and civic fabric of local neighborhoods. An advisory group of clergy and lay congregational leaders annually participate in the process by advising the FAITHS team on issues that are important to the faith-based community. Through the program, Community Partners, the FAITHS Program supports efforts that increase the participation of all residents in the civic life of our communities. If our democracy is to remain strong and truly representative, FAITHS believes that it is in our best interest to strengthen projects that inform and engage our communities.

Congregations and faith-based organizations in the five Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo) are eligible to apply for mini-grants of up to $5,000 to support the work of congregations and faith-based organizations increasing the civic participation of traditionally underrepresented constituencies.  Approximately $90,000 in funds is available. To apply for a grant please download the FAITHS Community Partners Application. All applications must be delivered or postmarked by Friday, March 7, 2008. For more information please contact Tessa Rouverol  Callejo at 415.733.8541 or trc@sff.org.

FAITHS Arts and Culture Mini-Grants
Faith-based organizations and congregations often serve as a community hub for immigrant, refugee, and grassroots communities, while acting as a focus for cultural and artistic activity. To enhance this exchange of art and ideas, the Foundation's FAITHS Program and Arts and Culture Program have initiated the FAITHS Arts and Culture Mini-Grants. These grants support free, community-based artistic and cultural activities, with a priority focus on immigrant, refugee, and grassroots communities. The next deadline for applications for this grant pool will be in November 2007.

Affordable Housing and Homelessness
Faith-based organizations are key providers of affordable housing for families and individuals in the Bay Area. Over many years FAITHS has trained and assisted congregation leaders to take action for the creation and preservation of affordable housing and ending homelessness. FAITHS has provided concentrated technical and financial assistance to congregations engaged in specific housing advocacy and/or development activities. FAITHS promotes long-term partnerships with nonprofit organizations and other public and private institutions that address the need for affordable, safe, and decent housing.

Disaster Preparedness
In the wake of the disaster caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, FAITHS staff and partners responded with great urgency to the needs of hurricane evacuees and launched a project to equip faith-based organizations in the Bay Area to be prepared for future local emergencies and disasters. In conjunction with SF CARD, the San Francisco Interfaith Council, Walter and Elise Haas Fund, the Bay Area chapter of the American Red Cross, and the San Francisco Office of Emergency Services, FAITHS co-sponsored a San Francisco-wide congregation preparedness workshop that drew leaders from more than 100 local congregations in May 2006. In addition, in September 2006 mini-grants were awarded to faith-based organizations and congregations from diverse Bay Area neighborhoods to provide disaster preparedness training to vulnerable populations and prepare their institutions to be effective first responders. In conjunction with the Koshland Program, FAITHS plans to support trainings for key community leaders to assist them in preparing their organizations and communities for local or regional disasters.

Civic Engagement
Since 1998 the FAITHS Program has hosted a small grant and technical assistance program to assist congregations and faith-based organizations to promote dialogue and action that strengthen the economic, racial, and civic fabric of local neighborhoods.  An advisory group of clergy and lay congregational leaders annually participate in the process by advising the FAITHS team on issues that are important to the faith-based community. Through the program, Community Partners, FAITHS promotes civic participation, particularly nonpartisan voter registration, voter education, and voter mobilization, directed toward constituencies that do not regularly vote, including new citizens, residents with low-incomes, youth, and ethnic minorities. The next application for this mini-grants program will be available in December 2007 and potential applicants are encouraged to contact the FAITHS Program team for more information. Additionally, FAITHS provides trainings and policy issue briefings for its grantees and broader network. Through these trainings faith and community-based organizations learn how to successfully engage in nonpartisan, voter registration, education, and mobilizations efforts.

Immigration Reform
Since its inception, the FAITHS Program and its network have engaged in community dialogue and action on race and economic issues that often polarize and divide communities. In 2006 and 2007, FAITHS sponsored regional convenings for hundreds of faith and immigrant leaders as the national debate unfolded on pending legalization and border enforcement legislation. Most recently FAITHS partnered with KQED in its year-long initiative: Immigration in Focus. This initiative includes special programming, reports, and numerous community engagement events. These materials are available through the KQED’s Initiative website. FAITHS continues to offer trainings and tools for educating faith and community organizations concerned about the humane treatment of immigrants, and community building between recent immigrants and long-term residents. To this end, FAITHS facilitates an immigration issues working group to enhance coordination among faith and community based partners working on immigrant issues.

Technical Assistance
Starting in fall 2007, FAITHS will launch a free series of technical assistance workshops for Bay Area faith-based organizations providing community services and development programs.  These sessions will focus on key organizational issues critical to effective program delivery and organizational sustainability.

Youth Leadership Development and Support
The development of youth leadership is a long-standing priority of the FAITHS Program. For ten years, FAITHS hosted a youth leadership development program that included a summer youth leadership training. Each year the FAITHS Youth Leadership Program engaged approximately 15 high school students in an intensive exposure to the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, and provided them with invaluable community leadership opportunities. The youth were exposed to the wide range of topics and issues and contributed extensive volunteer time in a community serving organization. They also learned the role philanthropic organizations play in building strong equitable communities and were responsible for making grant recommendations in support of nonprofit youth serving organizations. These youth leaders continue to have access to FAITHS staff to assist them as they continue their education or other career plans. Staff and consultants serve as references for youth, providing letters of recommendation for undergraduate admissions, job opportunities, graduate admissions, trade school admissions, awards and scholarships. Currently, the program is being restructured to strength its impact and sustainability. The FAITHS Program continues to support the development of youth leadership through its mini-grant, convening, and technical assistance programs.

The Post 9/11 Civic Engagement Fund
Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian communities are among the fastest growing ethnic groups in California, and the Bay Area. These communities continue to face significant challenges following the events of September 11, 2001. In 2004 Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR), The California Endowment, and The San Francisco Foundation conducted a Bay Area community scan (download a PDF copy from our Other Publications page) to educate the larger philanthropic community about the critical issues facing these communities. The Post 9/11 Civic Engagement Fund emerged from this initial project as a vehicle to support nonprofit organizations from the Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian communities to build their service and organizational capacity. The Fund is administered by AAPIP with support from The San Francisco Foundation’s Social Justice and FAITHS Programs. For more information on The Post 9/11 Civic Engagement Fund, please contact Archana Sahgal at AAPIP at 415.273.2760.

Building Effective Partnerships

Whether it is through the development of senior housing, job creation, youth programming, or assisting new immigrants, FAITHS continues to build effective partnerships with community leaders and institutions. For more information on how your organization or congregation can be engaged in this exciting partnership and network, please contact the FAITHS team.