E-Mail This Article to a Friend FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS Romney’s $20 million inaction BY DAVID S. BERNSTEIN

Despite his claimed support and enthusiasm for George W. Bush’s promotion of faith-based initiatives, Governor Mitt Romney continues to do little to help the state’s religious organizations get the federal grant money available through that program. As previously reported in the Phoenix (see "Not Keeping the Faith," News and Features, September 17, 2004), Massachusetts is one of a dwindling number of states — fewer than 20 — without a state liaison office to help faith-based organizations (FBOs) find and obtain these grants.

Thanks to Romney’s inaction, the state is missing out on millions of dollars every year — and the services they would bring. We now have a rough price tag on what it’s costing us: at least $20 million a year, and growing.

A newly released White House survey of federal grants to FBOs reveals that in the 2004 fiscal year, Massachusetts received just under $21 million of the $2 billion total. That’s barely one percent, or less than half of what the state would expect on a per capita basis. In fact, the $21 million figure is misleadingly high — a third of it represents a single grant that came about thanks to help from outside the state.

That $7.3 million grant from Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will help the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield build a much-needed 50-unit, low-income senior-housing development in Holyoke. That’s a win-win step toward addressing a serious statewide problem, but Romney’s administration did nothing to help make it happen — even though 23 percent of all HUD competitive grants now go to FBOs. The Sisters first learned about the possibility of a HUD grant from Mercy Housing, a Colorado-based FBO. "I wouldn’t have thought to do that [apply to HUD]," says Sister Patricia McDonnell. "We thought cities and towns get that money."

Mercy then referred McDonnell’s group to an Atlanta-based consulting company that helped with the onerous grant-writing process, for a fee — assistance other states provide through their liaison office, along with listings of available grants and other information. "That would be wonderful," McDonnell says. "We had no idea how involved a HUD application process is."

Although first-time applicants rarely win these grants, the Sisters actually received more than the $5 million they asked for: $6.3 million for construction and $1 million a year for five years in rent subsidies. They are now seeking supplemental funding to reach the roughly $9 million project cost. Construction may begin this fall. Eventually, 50 low-income seniors will have new, "program-enriched" low-income housing — at no cost to the state. When that day comes, those 50 seniors can be thankful that the Sisters of St. Joseph didn’t wait for the Romney administration to help them.