Public-Private Partnerships

Abstract The earliest days of social service in American history included elements of religion and government, working together in efforts to address human needs. In recent years, with devolution, privatization, and an overall reduction of public spending on human services, government entities have acknowledged their shared role with religious organizations in efforts addressing human needs. Recent social policies, known as faith-based initiatives, have emphasized these relationships, calling for more involvement from religious organizations and more public support of these organizations. This paper offers initial analysis of qualitative data that focuses on the nature of relationships between government entities and religious organizations.