How Do We Count Non-Member Friends?

Beyond the number of members your congregation certifies annually, how many "friends" do you have—people who might identify as Unitarian Universalist (UU) but are not reported as members? This includes people involved in the congregation who prefer not to join.

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is looking for a way to measure how many non-members benefit from the services that our congregations provide. We want to know how we can reach out to those who are not necessarily formal members of our congregations, but who identify with our faith and values.

Do include:

  • non-members who financially contribute
  • non-member parents of children enrolled in religious education
  • former members who have moved away, but still retain a connection such as continuing to receive your newsletter
  • participants in outreach programs such as college campus group or military ministry group that your congregation sponsors.

Don't include:

  • people served by a community social justice program of your congregation that have no connection to the congregation.
  • attendees at events for which another organization has rented your building.
  • families whose children go to a pre-school program in your building and have no other connection with the congregation.

Please base your estimated number on a recent twelve-month period of time, preferrably January-December 2023.

Note: This number will not be used to calculate your Annual Program Fund (APF) contribution to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).