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	Information Products

National Child Care Information Center: Information Products
	Faith-Based Child Care

The following sample of organizations and resources have information about faith-based child care initiatives, funding streams, and program start-up information to support the faith-based community.

• What Congregations Should Know About Federal Funding for Child Care (2003) is a brochure by the Child Care Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Copies of the brochure are available from NCCIC at 800-616-2242. This brochure is also available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/providers/faithbased.pdf.
• A list of organizations and resources that have information about faith-based child care is available on the Web at http://nccic.org/poptopics/faithbased-res.html.
• Information on starting a child care program is available on the Web at http://nccic.org/poptopics/starting.html.
• NCCIC State Profiles summarize basic demographic information and licensing requirements for each State, and include contact information for agencies related to child care and early education as well as other human services. NCCIC State Profiles are available on the Web at http://nccic.org/statedata/statepro/index.html.
• In some States, child care centers affiliated with religious institutions are exempt from child care licensing requirements. The document Center Child Care Licensing Regulations (February 2004): States with Religious Affiliation Exemptions is available on the Web at http://nccic.org/pubs/exemptions.html.
• To participate in the publicly subsidized child care services program in your State, contact the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) agency. Each State’s CCDF agency contact information is listed in the State Data and Contacts section of the NCCIC Web site at http://nccic.org/statedata/index.html.
• Information about the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), the main Federal subsidy for child care, is available on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/geninfo/ccdfdesc.htm.

Several agencies and organizations have taken the lead in removing unnecessary barriers to the participation of faith-based organizations in Federal grant programs:

• White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
  The White House
  1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
  Washington, DC 20500
  202-456-1414
  World Wide Web: http://www.whitehouse.gov
• In January of 2001, the president established a White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (White House OFBCI), which will expand the work of faith-based and other community organizations to the extent permitted by law. This office was created to develop, lead, and coordinate the Administration’s policy agenda affecting faith-based and other community programs and initiatives, expand the role of such efforts in communities, and increase their capacity through executive action, legislation, Federal and private funding, and regulatory relief.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
  The Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (CFBCI)
  200 Independence Avenue SW
  Washington, DC 20201
  877-696-6775
  World Wide Web: http://www.hhs.gov/faith/
  
  The mission of the CFBCI is to create an environment within HHS that welcomes the participation of faith-based and community-based organizations as valued and essential partners with the Department in assisting Americans in need. CFBCI’s mission is part of HHS’s focus on improving human services for the country’s neediest. CFBCI is the leader of HHS’s efforts to better utilize faith-based and community-based organizations in providing effective human services.
• Office of Family Assistance (OFA)
  Administration for Children and Families
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  World Wide Web: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/
  
  OFA is the Federal office responsible for the administration of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. The OFA Web site contains a variety of current and historical information about TANF in general and about reauthorization in particular, including: TANF work participation rates, TANF Annual Reports to Congress, a summary chart of selected characteristics of State TANF plans, TANF policy documents, and public comments on reauthorization. HHS has regulations for ensuring that faith-based programs are treated equally with other organizations in competing for funds under the TANF program. The regulations are available on the Web at http://www.dhhs.gov/fbci/finalTANF_ccregs.pdf.
• Ecumenical Child Care Network (ECCN)
  8765 West Higgins Road, Suite 405
  Chicago, IL 60631
  800-649-5443 or 312-829-6204
  World Wide Web: http://www.eccn.org
  
  ECCN is a national, interdenominational membership organization whose members advocate for high-quality, equitable, and affordable child care and education in churches and other religious organizations.
• Other resources related to early care and education are included in the NCCIC Online Library. This searchable database is available on the Web at http://128.174.128.220/cgi-bin/nccic/searchnccic.cgi.
• A compilation of Federal agencies and other organizations that have child care funding information is available on the Web at http://nccic.org/poptopics/funding-opportunities.html.

Updated March 2004