The White House last week promoted its Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at a conference of leaders in the field, emphasizing that the office intends to focus on President Obama's agenda rather than distributing federal funding, the Kansas City Star reports. Joshua DuBois, executive director of the office, said that the group "does not control any grant money" and that the administration "will measure this office not by the number of groups that had access or the amount of money given out but by how we have done on" achieving its four major goals, which include reducing the need for abortion. According to DuBois, the faith-based office under former President George W. Bush was focused on "leveling the playing field" by making sure that religious charities had the same access as secular groups to federal grants. DuBois said that he and Obama "agreed that truly, at the end of the day, that doesn't answer the question of who this office is here to serve." The Star reports that the focus of the office will now be on four issues: reducing the need for abortion, reducing domestic poverty, promoting fatherhood and fostering interfaith dialogue abroad.

The office's priorities were introduced to a bipartisan group of about 60 leaders at the conference involved in faith-based and local charities, including most of the 25 members of Obama's recently completed Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. While many in attendance said they appreciate the information and access offered at the meeting, others said they are concerned that federal funding specified for various causes often does not reach local charities. The White House also faces a decision over the issue of whether to allow charities that receive federal money to consider religion in their hiring decisions, as many currently do, the Star reports (Burke, Kansas City Star, 4/18).

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