Faith and Communities Engaged in Service (FACES)

The Corporation for National and Community Service is implementing President Bush's directive to reach out more effectively to small faith-based and community organizations through an agency-wide initiative known as Faith and Communities Engaged in Service, or FACES. The FACES Initiative is not a distinct program but an expansion of the way the Corporation and its three main programs - Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America - typically operate.

Those programs have a long history of working with grassroots organizations, both faith-based and secular. To date, FACES activities have focused on strengthening the Corporation's existing partnerships, forging new state and community-level partnerships, developing improved performance measures, developing toolkits (and other technical assistance and training) geared to the needs of grassroots groups, and removing barriers in order to be even more welcoming to faith-based and small community organizations, particularly throughout the federal grants process.

In 2003-2004, FACES has selected the following three program priority areas in which to engage and assist faith-based and small community groups across all of the Corporation's programs. The goal in each of those areas is to empower those organizations by providing them with the resources they need to successfully apply for grant funds, to fulfill all administrative requirements of those grants, and to expand programs that are successfully in meeting needs and turning people's lives around. Those areas are:

* The President's Mentoring Initiative: FACES will support the efforts of faith-based and small community organizations to provide services related to mentoring children of inmates as well as gang and youth intervention activities.
* Strengthening Families: FACES will assist faith-based and small community organizations to strengthen families and break the intergeneration cycle of poverty.
* Prisoner Re-Entry: FACES will assist organizations that help former prisoners become responsible and productive members of society.

To find out more information about FACES and how your organization can take advantage of national service resources, contact 1-866-78FACES.