Stewardship & Money Resources
Here are links to websites that can provide resources for congregations and individuals who need help with stewardship and other fundraising issues.
If you are interested in where to find resources on the UUA website, here is an article by another district's staff person that might help.
There are new economic resources for congregations. You can view the list on the Economic Help page.
Many congregations have questions about the IRS. This pdf guide will help you. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf
Did you know that the small business rebate for health care benefits also applies for congregation? This is part of the Healthcare tax credit. Short summary:
- It is a credit for FICA & Medicare.
- Must have fewer than 25 full time equivalent employee hours per year.
- Must compensate said 25 or fewer FTEs less than an average of $50,000 per year
- Employer must be contributing at least 50% of the premium.
- The credit is 25% of health insurance expense for 2010-2013. Two additional years of credit can be claimed 2014 or later at 35%.
Here is the scoop from the White House Fact Sheet: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/fact-sheet-small-business-health-care-tax-credit
To find out if your congregation is eligible and how to take advantage of these credits, check out the following websites:
- Here is the IRS FAQ sheet with examples: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=220839,00.html
- Here is how congregations can figure out if they qualify (pdf): http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/3_simple_steps.pdf
- Here is the official notice (pdf): http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-10-44.pdf
This resource was created by Laurel Amabile at the UUA to help congregations help their members with financial management. You can download it as a pdf file. For a much more detailed and lengthy list of books, website and resources, download this pdf file or click here.
New in 2009-2010 from the UUA Bookstore!!
“Giving & Generosity Set” includes the following three book titles—a $52.00 value for only $45.00. UUA Book store item #7425, http://www.uuabookstore.org/productdetails.cfm?SKU=7425
- Clark, Wayne, Beyond Fundraising: A Complete Guide to Congregational Stewardship, UUA, 2007. Available via UUA Bookstore, ISBN# 1-55896-523-8. $18.00/copy. This is a guide that covers all the basics for congregational stewardship, with
Helpful information for finance committees, treasurers, ministers, and stewardship teams. - Sweetser, Terry & Milnor, Susan, The Abundance of Our Faith, UUA, 2006. Available via UUA Bookstore item #7092. $16.00/copy. A collection of award-winning sermons about the importance of stewardship in Our Unitarian Universalist congregations. Each sermon has an introduction by the editors and has a set of questions for personal reflection and group discussion. This is a wonderful resources for year-round stewardship education and small group discussion.
- Wright, Lauren Tyler, Giving—the Sacred Art, Skylight Paths Publishing, Woodstock, VT. 2008. Available via the UUA Bookstore in August. ISBN: 978-1-59473-224-9. $16.99/copy. Practical tips and inspiring thoughts for living a life of abundance and spirit-filled generosity. Giving as worship; giving as stewardship; giving as charity; and giving as justice are the topics.
Website links:
UUA Giving and Generosity, Stewardship and Development staff group, including Annual Program Fund (APF), Friends of the UUA, NOW Campaign, and Legacy giving: http://www.uua.org/giving
UUA Congregational Stewardship Services: http://www.uua.org/cde/fundraising/
UUA Worship Web, www.uua.org/spirituallife/worshipweb/ (search keyword: stewardship)
UUA website, http://www.uua.org , Google search “Stewardship” for a variety of resources that are found in the Leaders Library, Congregational Stewardship, Giving and Generosity, UUA Bookstore, and Annual Program Fund sections.
Appreciative Stewardship powerpoint presentation by Rev. Joan Van Becelaere. This was presented to the Columbus Church in January 2009. You can download it as a powerpoint file to view on your computer (you must have powerpoint to do so) or you can view it in your brower.
The Stewardship Office has prepared a collection of articles on fundraising in difficult times titled, Giving During Tough Economic Times. Download the collection as a pdf or word document. Included in this collection is Anticipating the Effects of the Economy on 2008-09 Congregational Giving to help with planning canvass or pledge drives in our current economic times written by the head of the Annual Program Fund at the UUA. Download the document as a pdf or a word document.
Grant Sources from GA: There are a number of funding bodies in our faith that congregations and clusters can apply to for special programming funds. Some also encourage non-UU groups. The UU Funding Program has four funds that issue grants. You can learn more about them at www.uua.org/uufp. The UU Women’s Federation has two funding programs that focus on programs for women and girls and feminist transformation. Learn more at www.uuwf.org. The Veatch Foundation at the Shelter Rock Church also offers grants each year. You can learn more about the guidelines of their programs at http://www.uucsr.org/veatchFunding.asp. There are more grants out there, if you learn of one, please let us know to add it to our list.
Trying to decide if your congregation needs to conduct an external audit? Or trying to get your finances in order? The UUA has a financial review document for congregations to help you get things in order and determine if new procedures and policies are necessary. You can download this pdf file by clicking here.
A short lifespan curriculum has been developed on the topic of stewardship. You can download the entire program (5 sessions) as a pdf or a word file at the UUA website's RE pages.
Socially Responsible Investing is big now and the UUA has a committee that works hard to keep the UUA and everyone who is interested in this investment strategy up to date. Congregations are now also investing their endowments and funds in a socially responsible way. More information on this method of investing is available at the UUA's website's SRI pages.
The UUA also has an Endowment Fund Guide for congregations. You can download the guide as a pdf file.
The Congregational Fundraising Office has consultants who can help with planning campaigns and answering questions. Learn more about what these consultants do here. From the office's archive webpage you can download the power point programs used by Wayne Clark in his GA Workshop presentations, look at pages with questions and answers on a variety of fundraising issues and also see what loan and grant programs are available to congregations. The office also has a list of resources for specific issues.
Learn about a new program called Forward Through the Ages that deals with stewardship.
The Annual Program Fund is how congregation support the UUA in order for the UUA to provide the resources and services that congregations need. To learn more about the Annual Program Fund, visit its page at the UUA website. 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. You can also download the issues of the Annual Program Fund's Newsletter as a pdf file by clicking here.
