Early reports about the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursements to faith-based groups for their hurricane relief services were misleading and lacked essential details. At a press conference last week, FEMA announced that it will reimburse churches and faith-based groups; however, this is simply an extension of its Public Assistance Program that currently provides funding to private nonprofit groups that have provided food, shelter and supplies to victims of Hurricane Katrina at the agency's request. A Sept. 27 Washington Post story gave the impression that only faith-based groups would receive such reimbursements, prompting some protest.

In 2002, President Bush ordered FEMA to change its policies so that religious nonprofits could qualify for emergency relief after a natural disaster. However, the new FEMA policy marks the first time the government has made payments to faith-based groups for assisting in a natural disaster. Due to the sheer enormity of the response needed for Hurricane Katrina, state and local governments requested that nonprofit organizations establish shelters for evacuees. This effort required expenditures far in excess of normal operating costs for many organizations.

The policy on what sheltering costs will be reimbursed by FEMA is outlined in a Sept. 9 internal agency memorandum, "Eligible Costs for Emergency Sheltering Declarations." Under the new reimbursement policy, religious groups, like secular nonprofit groups, are reimbursed for allowable costs. They will be required to document their costs and file for reimbursement from state and local emergency management agencies, which will in turn seek funds from FEMA.

The faith community provided valuable and needed immediate assistance in the Gulf Coast. As long as religious indoctrination was not part of the services provided, few have criticized a FEMA policy that would reimburse faith-based for their expenses. However, concerns have been raised over the precedent such policies may set, shifting responsibility for disaster relief, and over religious messages, such as sermons or prayers, potentially bundled with shelter and other emergency services provided by faith groups.