Annual Program Fund of the UUA
Read our feature on this program in the October 2009 OMD Up Close.
The Annual Program Fund (APF) is the support each congregation makes to the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. It provides nearly half of the UUA Budget and it is the means by which we all support the work of the Association and each other.
Monies come back to each District in the form of grants and salary support for our District Executive; and to congregations with Lifespan Faith Development resources, assistance with consultants and workshops, Ministerial Settlement assistance, and the wealth of information available on the UUA Website.
The Fair Share gift for the 08-09 fiscal year is $56 per member, as approved by the General Assembly. In the 09-10 fiscal year it will remain $56 per member. Those congregations over 550 members may opt to give 4.2% of their budget instead of a per member amount.
It may be difficult for some congregations to achieve Fair Share. They are encouraged to work toward that goal by aiming to become Merit Congregations with an increase of at least 20% over the previous year.
Each District has an APF Chair available to work with congregations as they maintain their Fair Share giving or work toward Fair Share as part of the important Stewardship of each congregation, the District and the UUA. The APF Chair for the Ohio-Meadville District is Gerry Blomgren. You can contact Gerry at gblomgren at ohiomeadville.org. If you need to call her, her number is 216-221-4478
Learn more about the Annual Program Fund and generosity strategies by reading the quarterly Annual Program Fund's Newsletter from this webpage. The newsletter is a pdf file.
The Top Ten Ways Your “Fair Share” Contribution Helps Grow Our Unitarian Universalist Faith
Adapted by Rev. Naomi King, UUMA Liaison to APF, The River of Grass UU Congregation, Plantation, Florida
10. You teach your congregation that we truly are called together as one association of congregations and that our greatest strength is not individual but communal. Together, we overcome fear, alienation, and loneliness, creating a better today and a more hopeful future.
9. You encourage generosity by modeling generosity.
8. You connect your congregation to great stories of our Unitarian Universalist living faith all around the world.
7. Your congregation’s “fair share.” gift models individual right relationship in expending our individual resources.
6. You strengthen the connection between your congregation and our family of associated congregations. – our Unitarian Universalist Association
5. When people see what our Unitarian Universalist faith is doing through their giving around the world, it encourages and develops heir stewardship and their sense of making a difference.
4. You are having the greatest effect on our home mission in planning new congregations, strengthening existing congregations and reaching people with the good news of Unitarian Universalism.
3. When you give at the. “fair share.” level to our Association, you model your congregation living our values of interdependence, mutuality, cooperation, and hope.
2. You strengthen the identity of your congregation as a mission- and service-focused people.
1. Your gifts enable your congregation to expand our living faith values of love, reason, freedom and justice .– healing and transforming our world here and now.
We can be and do more together than we can be and do on our own.
To learn more about the APF program visit the UUA website's Annual Program Fund Page. This page includes important information for congregational treasurers and links to UU Money Songs to use for canvass programs. The UUA also publishes it's monthly reports about where congregations are in paying their fair share on the website. You can find these reports at the APF Committee page.
