White House Office of FBNP

The White House Office for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships is a resource for nonprofits and community organizations, both secular and faith-based, looking for ways to make a bigger impact in their communities, learn their obligations under the law, cut through red tape, and make the most of what the federal government has to offer so as to more effectively serve Americans in need.

On February 5, 2009, President Obama signed Amended Executive Order 13199, establishing the White House Office and President's Advisory Council of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He said, "There has been much talk about what our government's role should be during this period of economic emergency. That is as it should be - because there is much that government can and must do to help people in need," said President Obama. "But no matter how much money we invest or how sensibly we design our policies, the change that Americans are looking for will not come from government alone. There is a force for good greater than government. It is an expression of faith, this yearning to give back, this hungering for a purpose larger than our own, that reveals itself not simply in places of worship, but in senior centers and shelters, schools and hospitals, and any place an American decides."

President Obama has asked the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships to focus on four special priorities. These priorities are:

• Strengthening the Role of Community Organizations in the Economic Recovery
• Reducing Unintended Pregnancies, Supporting Maternal and Child Health, and Reducing the Need for Abortion
• Promoting Responsible Fatherhood and Strong Communities
• Promoting Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation

Efforts associated with these key priorities will be carried out by working closely with the President's Cabinet Secretaries and the 11 Agency Centers for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, as well as the Strategic Advisor at the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships also coordinates the President's Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. This Advisory Council is a group of 25 leaders from both faith-based and non-sectarian organizations, each serving 1-year terms. The Advisory Council forms recommendations on how the Federal Government can more effectively partner with faith-based and neighborhood organizations.

To learn more about the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ofbnp