WASHINGTON -- As part of President Bush's faith-based initiative, religious and nonprofit organizations received government funds Jan. 2 to promote marriage.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced more than $2.2 million in grants to 12 states and a variety of religious, nonprofit and tribal organizations, according to The Associated Press.

The money, which comes from the government's child support programs, is to advance the nation's child support enforcement system, Thompson said.

In Allentown, Pa., a group called Community Services for Children Inc. received $177,373 to work with local church groups in providing marriage education and other services to unwed couples.

Bush, bypassing a reluctant Congress, signed executive orders last month that put parts of his faith-based initiative in motion. His steps help give religious organizations more of a chance to win federal contracts for a variety of social services.

Bush said, however, that no government money ``will be used to directly support inherently religious activities,' an assertion that has not satisfied skeptics, according to the AP.

The government has promoted marriage in the past, primarily through the 1996 welfare overhaul, but it has faced restrictions in giving money to religious organizations to advance that same goal.

Marriage Coalition director Sandra Bender described her group as "a nonprofit organization of inter-religious clergy, mental health professionals and individuals dedicated to reducing the divorce rate and birth to unmarried parents through education."

The group, which advocates marriage, is not a religious organization, Bender said, but it does train clergy and counselors to help engaged and wedded couples.

"People go to churches. Seventy-five percent of people who get married get married at churches so that's where our customers are," Bender said.