Faith-Based Initiative

Bay Area Legal Services - 030123

Abstract Number: 030123

August 2003

Bay Area Legal Services (BALS) implemented the Faith-Based Initiative Project to provide legal and technical assistance to faith-based social service organizations who directly serve Tampa Bay's low-income community. Bay Area Legal Services launched this Faith Based Initiative project after President Bush launched his Faith-Based Initiatives Campaign that provides assistance to eligible affiliates of religious organizations to compete for federal grants. Because churches are not able to receive money directly from the government, an affiliated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization must be established in order for the organization to be eligible to receive grants from federal, state, and local sources. Bay Area Legal Services provided a monthly newsletter to more than 200 faith-based organizations and volunteers. Eight of the area's faith-based organizations received start-up assistance that included incorporation and guidance on completing and filing applications to receive a 501c(3) non-profit status. BALS also served as staff to a newly-formed umbrella organization (incorporated by BALS) called the Tampa Bay Area Faith-Based Alliance. The faith-based initiative helped establish or expand a wide range of social services to Tampa Bay's low-income community including child care programs, at-risk youth programs, after school programs, a community center in a low-income neighborhood, an affordable housing program, direct services for the homeless, and more.

BALS also offers community legal education clinics on topics such as "So You Want to Start a Nonprofit?" and "How to complete your IRS 501c(3) application to obtain Tax-Exempt Status." For more information on this project, visit Bay Area Legal Services website at: http://www.bals.org/. Select "Our Services", then "Special Projects", then the "Judge Don Castor Community Law Center.

Contact Information:

Marilyn Kershner
Judge Don Castor Community Law Center
Bay Area Legal Services
Riverbrook Center, 2nd Floor
829 W. Dr. Martin Luther King
Tampa, FL 33603
Phone: (813) 232-1343
Fax: (813) 232-1403
Email

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