MEDFORD, Ore. — Lawyers for a local Christian organization who believe it was unfairly stripped of grant money by the state says it’s getting the critical funding reinstated.
Medford’s Youth 71Five ministries say they’ve been receiving grants from Oregon’s Youth Community Investment Grant Program for years.
It filed a lawsuit in March after it was stripped of $400,000 in grants by the State Department of Education. The lawsuit says a new rule prohibits faith-based organizations from receiving grants if they prefer members of their own faith as employees or volunteers.
After a federal judge dismissed their suit, they appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals this summer.
Today, the organization representing Youth 71Five, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), said that the Ninth Circuit granted their request to reinstate those critical funds.
The ADF says the court ruled that the government must treat religious and secular organizations equally.
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