The future of the public funding offered to Ohio’s underrepresented communities through Governor Mike DeWine’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (GOFBCI) faces financial uncertainty after President Donald J. Trump’s signing of “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias” Executive Order 14202.
Established by Ohio Revised Code 107.12, GOFBCI advises the governor, general assembly, and the GOFBCI advisory board on the acknowledgement and removal of barriers between organizations and governmental entities, encourages organizations to seek public funding for charitable services, and assists local, state, and federal agencies in securing the maximum amount of funds to benefit the people receiving the organizational services.
Through the use of federal funds allocated to the office through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, GOFBCI financially supports the charitable services offered by organizations in the governor’s prioritized initiatives annually, including children’s initiatives, workforce development, food services, and affordable housing.
“We gave out $13 million over the last two years and to not have that funding would be catastrophic to the communities that we serve,” said GOFBCI Director Felicia King.
With funding applications typically made available in early March, the office is avoiding posting the application for organizations to receive funding from the 2026 Fiscal Year (FY) budget with their website stating the “Grant application is closed until further notice.” This delay will continue until funding decisions are finalized by the Senate and signed off by Governor DeWine by the end of June, said King. According to the office, current funding recipients have until June 30, 2025, to spend the money received for the 2025 FY.
Signed February 6, 2025, Executive Order 14204 aims to “Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias” in the federal government, including at the state level. The order also establishes a task force, to be led by Attorney General Pam Bondi to identify and address issues with policies or practices that present bias against the Christian faith and directs the Department of justice to provide funding and support to the task force.
At the 2025 Annual Prayer Breakfast, President Trump announced the first-of-its-kind Executive Order, claiming that it will create a more just nation and contribute to religious liberty.
“The mission of this Task Force will be to immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the Federal Government,” he said. “In addition, the Task Force will work to fully prosecute anti-Christian violence and vandalism in our society and to move heaven and earth to defend the rights of Christians.”
Amid this religious tension and political uncertainty, Toledo area advocate and GOFBCI Advisory Board Member Dr. S. Zaheer Hasan, MD of ProMedica Physicians Neurology said in spite of President Trump’s push for the Christian faith, he will continue advocating for the Muslim community to be included in political decision-making at local, state, and national levels.
“I mean, there’s a basic principle that everybody’s free to practice their religion and free to act on their beliefs and say what they feel like, but under that framework, it’s not appropriate to attack anyone’s faith or prevent anybody’s expression of faith,” he said. “That is un-American in my opinion.”
The GOFBCI Advisory Board is composed of eight individuals of various faiths, four appointed by the Governor and four appointed by the Senate and House. The board participates in quarterly meetings with the Governor’s Office to strengthen its community ties, recommend improvements and ensure that various communities and faiths are receiving acknowledgement and aid from the office.
Celebrating his reappointment to the GOFBCI Advisory Board for the fifth consecutive year, Dr. Hasan said during his current term, which spans from May 5, 2025, to May 4, 2026, his biggest goal is to further establish the presence of the Muslim community within Ohio’s political sectors and encourage other Muslims to contribute to its government.
“I personally think that the Muslims, in particular, whom I am representing and I talk for, should be encouraged to come up and acknowledge themselves, serve on various boards, and do a lot of good in the public sector to improve our image, our social interaction, and as citizens of Ohio, have a seat at the table,” he said.
Dr. Hasan has been a resident of Ohio for more than 40 years and completed his medical and residency training in both Pakistan and Ohio, mostly in Youngstown and the Cincinnati area. His community involvement and advocacy spans over 25 years and he has served as the Vice President of the Islamic Council of Ohio, a Founding Member of the United Muslims Association of Toledo, President of the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo, and on the Board of Community Relations for the City of Toledo.
Despite the financial future of the GOFBCI grant initiatives, King said the office will continue connecting Ohio organizations to other communal funding opportunities across the state. Additionally, the biggest goal for the office for the remainder of 2025 is to ensure each of Ohio’s 88 counties are receiving the support needed to meet the Governor’s initiatives. As of now, the result of this goal seems hopeful, with partnerships formed with nonprofit organizations such as the Ohio Association Food Bank and Operation Warm to ensure Ohio children have food security and high-quality winter gear such as shoes and coats.
Interested in staying up to date with GOFBCI? View or add your organization to the Governor’s Compassion Map and email [email protected] with a blank subject line and the message “subscribe gofbci” to subscribe to the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives newsletter.
