Faith- and Community-Based Initiatives

The 82nd Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1965, which directs the expansion of faith- and community-based initiatives in Texas. HHSC and other state agencies are working to strengthen the capacity of faith- and community-based organizations and forge stronger partnerships between the organizations. Major components of the Faith- and Community-Based Initiatives include agency liaison activities, the interagency coordinating group, and the Task Force on Improving Relations with Nonprofits.

Texas Faith-Based and Community Initiative: OneStar leads the Governor's Faith-Based and Community Initiative, which was created in 2004.

Reports

Current Activities

Task Force on Improving Relations with Nonprofits

House Bill (H.B.) 1965, 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, directed the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), in consultation with the presiding officer of the interagency coordinating group, to appoint a task force to help direct the interagency coordinating group in carrying out its duties. The task force in coordination with the interagency coordinating group will develop and implement a plan for improving contracting relationships between state agencies and faith and community based organizations, develop best practices for cooperating and collaborating with faith and community based organizations, identify and address duplication of services provided by the state and faith and community based organizations; and identify and address gaps in state services that faith and community based organizations could fill.

Task force members are representatives from a statewide nonprofit organization, local government, faith based group, community based group, consultant to nonprofit corporations, an expert in grant writing, and a statewide association of nonprofit organizations. The task force will provide a report to the House Committee on Human Services, the House Committee on Public Health, and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee not later than September 1, 2012.

Task Force Members Appointed

  • Bee Moorhead, Co-chair
    Texas Impact
  • Barry Silverberg, Co-chair
    Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations
  • Juanita Budd
    Austin Free.Net
  • Donna Chatham
    Association of Rural Communities in Texas
  • Beth Olson Drew
    Texas Hunger Initiative
  • Courtney Groves
    CPG Partners
  • Jody Hopkins
    Lone Star Association of Charitable Clinics
  • Lucila Garcia
    Lagace University of Texas Pan American

HHSC Faith- and Community-Based Liaison

House Bill (H.B.) 1965, 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, directs additional state agencies to appoint a faith and community based liaison to help:

  • Identify and remove unnecessary barriers to partnerships between the state agency the liaison represents and faith and community based organizations
  • Provide information and training, if necessary, for employees of the state agency the liaison represents regarding equal opportunity standards for faith and community based organizations seeking to partner with state government
  • Facilitate the identification of practices with demonstrated effectiveness for faith and community based organizations that partner with the state agency the liaison represents
  • Work with the appropriate departments and programs of the state agency the liaison represents to conduct outreach efforts to inform and welcome faith and community‐based organizations that have not traditionally formed partnerships with the agency
  • Coordinate all efforts with the governor’s office of faith‐based and community initiatives and provide information, support, and assistance to that office as requested to the extent permitted by law and as feasible
  • Attend conferences sponsored by federal agencies and offices and other relevant entities to become and remain informed of issues and developments regarding faith and community based initiatives

Appointed faith- and community-based liaisons are from the following agencies:

  • The Office of Rural Community Affairs
  • The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
  • The Texas Department of Criminal Justice
  • The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
  • The Texas Education Agency
  • The Texas Juvenile Probation Commission
  • The Texas Veterans Commission
  • The Texas Workforce Commission
  • The Texas Youth Commission
  • The Office of the Governor
  • The Department of Public Safety
  • The Texas Department of Insurance
  • The Public Utility Commission of Texas
  • The Office of the Attorney General
  • The Department of Agriculture
  • The Office of the Comptroller
  • The Department of Information Resources
  • The Office of State-Federal Relations
  • The Office of Secretary of State
  • The State Commission on National and Community Service
  • The Higher Education Coordinating Board

Interagency Coordinating Group – Agency Liaisons

In addition to the Interagency Coordinating Group’s other duties to meet periodically and remove interagency barriers to partnerships between state government and faith and community based organizations, House Bill (H.B.) 1965, 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, directs the Interagency Coordinating Group, in coordination with the Task Force on Improving Relations with Nonprofits to:

  • Develop and implement a plan for improving contracting relationships between state agencies and faith- and community-based organizations
  • Develop best practices for cooperating and collaborating with faith- and community-based organizations
  • Identify and address duplication of services provided by the state and faith- and community-based organizations
  • Identify and address gaps in state services that faith- and community-based organizations could fill

Past Activities

Renewing Our Communities Account

House Bill 492 created the Renewing Our Communities Account during the 2009 legislative session. The account funds HHSC efforts to increase the capacity of faith- and community-based organizations to provide to Texans in need, assist local governments with establishing faith- and community-based initiatives, and foster better partnerships between state government and these organizations. The legislation directs HHSC to contract with OneStar Foundation to administer Renewing Our Communities Account funds and implement activities outlined in the bill. The OneStar Foundation website includes information about the account, funding opportunities, and information about grantees.

Renewing Our Communities Account Advisory Committee

House Bill 492 created the Renewing Our Communities Account Advisory Committee during the 2009 legislative session. The advisory committee meets twice each year and makes recommendations to the HHSC executive commissioner on the powers and duties of the Renewing Our Communities Account. The HHSC executive commissioner appointed nine members to the committee:

  • Ronnie Hagerty (chair)
    Assistant vice president of community relations, United Way of Greater Houston
  • Kenneth Gladish (vice-chair)
    President, Austin Community Foundation
  • Martha T. Blaine
    Executive director, Community Council of Greater Dallas
  • Teata Collier
    Executive director, Education and Agriculture Together Foundation
  • Marlene DiLillo
    Executive director, Greater Killeen Free Clinic
  • Dalia Rodriguez
    Chief executive officer, Rio Grande Valley Empowerment Zone
  • Bridget Samuel
    Chief operating officer, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston
  • Charlene Shreder
    Executive director, Sister Communities Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
  • J.D. Young
    Executive director, Faith Mission

Task Force on Strengthening Nonprofit Capacity

House Bill 492 directed HHSC to create the Task Force on Strengthening Nonprofit Capacity to submit a report with recommendations to the Texas Legislature on ways to strengthen the capacity of faith- and community-based organizations. The HHSC executive commissioner appointed eight members to the task force members.

The task force conducted five hearings throughout Texas in 2010 to get public testimony for the report to the Texas Legislature.

Task Force Members

  • Joyce James (chair)
    Associate deputy commissioner, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
    State Agency Representative
  • Robert Hickerson (vice-chair)
    Chief operating officer, Texas Tech University Off-Campus Sites
    Community-Based Organization Representative
  • Angela Bies
    Assistant professor, Bush School of Government & Public Service, Texas A&M University
    Academic Community Representative
  • Brad Carter
    Executive director, Connecting Caring Communities
    Faith-Based Organization Representative
  • Bruce Esterline
    Vice president for grants, The Meadows Foundation
    Foundation Community Representative
  • Karen R. Johnson
    Chief executive officer, United Ways of Texas
    Community-Based Organization Representative
  • Bee Moorhead
    Executive director, Texas Impact
    Faith-Based Organization Representative
  • Barry Silverberg
    Chief executive officer, Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations
    Community-Based Organization Representative