Faith Works

In the process of transforming lives, which is the essential mission of social service work, the element of faith is often foundational, and this article from Governing examines the interaction of innovative nonprofit social service organizations with government.

An excerpt.

“In 1993, Springfield, Ohio, faced crises of growing poverty and an astounding divorce rate. A new group of concerned citizens and civic leaders, calling themselves The Nehemiah Foundation, came together to change that. Using their collective leverage as a source of philanthropic funds, they worked to promote cooperation among Springfield's faith-based food banks, youth workers and more. Across the city these grassroots providers became known as "street saints" and today they reach 6,000 families every week.

“As director of the Ohio Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Krista Sisterhen worked closely with the Nehemiah Foundation's CEO Wally Martinson. She calls his effort "the best model I have seen of a faith-based intermediary working with government and other private funders to make life better in their community."

“In our new book The Power of Social Innovation, we studied dozens of innovative organizations like the Nehemiah Foundation. We set out to learn how these social innovators -- some faith-based, many secular -- interact with public systems to produce social good. We also sought to understand the role that local government plays in social innovation -- both as impediment and as champion.

“Especially at this time of fiscal distress, the concept of social innovation offers great promise for government officials looking to create more public value. Collaboration between the nonprofit, philanthropic and public sectors is routine, of course. But with its potential to transform entrenched service networks and deliver results, social innovation promises something more.

“The social innovation trend follows on the heels of the effort to leverage the potential of faith-based providers that started roughly two decades ago.

“In the 1990s, lead author Stephen Goldsmith gained national attention for promoting collaboration between city government and the faith community as mayor of Indianapolis. His Front Porch Alliance was based on the belief that religious congregations can transform lives and communities in ways that government cannot. Goldsmith actively solicited feedback from religious leaders, forced city agencies to create new partnerships with faith providers and used the bully pulpit to encourage foundations and businesses to do the same.”