Faith-based Public Organizations and Social Management of Neighborhoods, Case Study: Local communities in district 1 of Tehran

Public participation in the form of spiritual institutions, which are known as faith-based public organizations (faith-based NGOs), is now one of the key strategies in local community development. Faith-based NGOs usually work to promote the human spiritual life; however, related extensive studies and recent investigations have shown that because of the faith capacity of these NGOs, in addition to their core function in spiritual matters of communities, they have much more effectiveness than any other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in providing social, cultural, and welfare services. In this study, in addition to identify various religious institutions involved in city management, the functional significance of these NGOs in the field of social security as well as the welfare of residents in small local communities was examined. The main objective of this study is to analyze and highlight the role of faith-based NGOs in sustainable management of social services and hence, in provision of public welfare in communities. The research method is analytic-descriptive which is based on library documents and interviews with a number of people and managers of these NGOs in Tehran, District 1. The results showed that in spite of the diverse characteristics of these public religious centers, they all have the same or similar purposes. Because of their cultural nature, voluntary organizations in general and faith-based NGOs in particular have more effects than any other organizations on creating cultural change as well as developing sustainable management of social and welfare services in small local communities.