Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (CFBNP) promotes partnerships to serve people in need by building bridges between the federal government and nonprofit organizations, both secular and faith-based. Situated within the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, the office works in tandem with the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and Centers at other federal agencies across government.

At the U.S. Department of Education, we believe that high-quality education—from prekindergarten through postsecondary learning and beyond—lifts up communities, unites people around student success, strengthens our democracy, grows our economy, and empowers people everywhere to realize their dreams. That is why we are committed to ensuring that all students receive an education that enables them to thrive in school and in life. The CFBNP shares information with its stakeholders to ensure they are aware of opportunities to participate in raising the bar for students of diverse religious and nonreligious backgrounds. Our primary goals are to:

  • Assist in organizing more effective efforts to serve people in need across the country and around the world, in partnership with civil society, including faith-based and secular organizations.
  • Develop, lead, and coordinate the Administration’s policy agenda affecting faith-based and other community programs and initiatives and to optimize the role of such efforts in communities.
  • Bring concerns, ideas, and policy options to Administration leadership for assisting, strengthening, and replicating partnerships, whether financial or nonfinancial, with faith based and other community organizations.
  • Promote awareness among diverse civil society leaders of opportunities to partner — both financially and otherwise — with the federal government to serve people in need and to build institutional capacity.

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Please note: The Center does not make funding decisions, which are made through procedures established by each departmental grant program – typically involving a competitive process. All applicants compete on an equal basis for department funds.