Can a government funded FBO use a church property for delivering services?
Yes. An FBO can use space in a church, temple, mosque or other place of worship, but cannot engage in inherently religious activities while delivering services, or require beneficiaries to attend or participate in such activities, even if they are held separate from the federally funded program. Any religious activity must occur either at a different time or a different part of the building from the social service that the government is funding, and be voluntary for all beneficiaries of the government services. Back to Top ^ Question 9: Can a mosque or congregation itself be the grantee organization? Answer: Yes, a grant should be awarded without regard to the applicant’s religious or secular characteristics. Rather, the issue should be which organization can best deliver a secular social service with public funds without including inherently religious activity. Houses of worship are not required to form a separate nonprofit organization or apply for federal 501(c)(3) status. Back to T
