Testing Faith: Improving the Evidence Base on Faith-Based Human Services

The U.S. federal government, through Charitable Choice, has opened public funding for the delivery of social services to faith-based organizations (FBOs) more than ever before. This increased access to governmental funding at all levels has led to a closer examination of the evidence base on the eff...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of religion & spirituality in social work 2006-01, Vol.25 (3-4), p.105-122
Main Authors: Fischer, Robert L., Stelter, Judson D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accountability
Evaluation
evaluation methods
Evaluative research
Evidence Based Practice
Faith-based organizations
Organizational Effectiveness
outcome monitoring
Outcomes
Religious groups
Research Design
Social Services
Social services agencies
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Summary:The U.S. federal government, through Charitable Choice, has opened public funding for the delivery of social services to faith-based organizations (FBOs) more than ever before. This increased access to governmental funding at all levels has led to a closer examination of the evidence base on the effectiveness of the services provided by FBOs, and the capacity of FBOs to respond to data needs for accountability and program improvement efforts. This paper discusses the current status of evaluation research on FBO services and the emerging data needs among faith-based providers. Promising avenues for enhancing the current understanding of outcomes of FBO services are explored such as (1) adopting outcome measurement practices in use within the current nonprofit sector, and (2) developing more rigorous research designs tailored to the special contexts of faith-based services. The paper suggests an agenda in which FBO operators, funders, and evaluators work together to move forward in improving the evidence base on faith-based services.
ISSN:1542-6432
1542-6440
DOI:10.1300/J377v25n03_07