by David Scheie and Nan Kari
This report shares initial findings from Rainbow Research’s evaluation partnership with faith-based community organizing and civic engagement projects in California. The Organized Religion Evaluation Initiative’s goals are to: (1) strengthen the evaluation capacity of these organizations, (2) improve their performance through evaluation, (3) generate and share lessons on effective faith-based civic engagement; and (4) develop and refine evaluation tools and strategies for the fields of civic renewal and faith-based community action. Support comes from the James Irvine Foundation.
This paper presents key principles, tensions and strategies at the intersection of faith and public life evident in these projects. We identify core elements of faith-based civic engagement work, including how it differs from secular approaches to community improvement. And we offer some initial reflections on what faith-based civic engagement offers to democratic renewal.