Close to 500 people representing faith-based and community organizations from all parts of the State of South Carolina converged on the Low Country to take part in a capacity building conference September 9 and 10, 2003.

The Columbia HUD Field Office, its collaborative partners Fannie Mae, USDA/Rural Development and its co-sponsor, the South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations, made an extraordinary effort to reach out to faith-based and other community organizations to engage them in a series of workshops designed to create mutual expertise through collaborative partnerships. Many attendees were new to the faith-based and community initiative effort.

Recognizing the importance of the role that faith-based and community development leaders play in planning and implementing housing and community economic development activities, the array of workshops were designed to exemplify the core of the administration's Faith-Based and Community Initiative (FBCI) which strives to:

• educate faith-based and other community organizations to opportunities for partnerships and collaboration;
• equip these faith-based and other community organizations with tools and skills needed to develop and implement realistic action plans; and
• empower them to take actions necessary to revitalize communities and improve lives.