It is easy to contribute appreciated securities to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). The UUA can also receive gifts of stock on behalf any UU congregation or recognized UU entity through our Umbrella Giving program....

Many Unitarian Universalist congregations rent space in their buildings. Doing so not only helps out the community but gives the congregation some added income. Rentals—whether for weddings, meetings, rehearsals, concerts, Tai Chi sessions, or conferences—also allow the community to get...

When the offering plate comes around on Sunday morning at First Universalist Church of Denver, Colo., many nonprofit groups in the community feel the earth move just a little. This is the third year that the congregation has given its entire offering—every Sunday—to local groups or to support...

Sometimes a new building is just what a congregation needs. Sometimes, if you build it, people will come and fill it. There is nothing worse than having to turn away people because you don't have room for them. And sometimes there are alternatives to a new building. Before you embark on an...

The annual stewardship drive is a lot of fun at Arlington Street Church (ASC), Boston (301 members). For starters there’s the gold spray-painted “ark of the covenant” that is carried down front on Covenant Renewal Sunday. There’s a celebratory mood, with lots of music and a rousing sermon by...

Every congregation would like to have a substantial endowment fund. But many never get there. We hate to ask for the money. We’re afraid we won’t know how to manage it well. Or that there might be disagreements about how to use it. There are good reasons to overcome those obstacles, says Marcy...

Q. We’re considering a capital campaign. I understand most campaigns collect the money over three years, but what is the rationale for that length? Why not five, for instance? And how should we involve the people who join the congregation toward the end of the campaign or afterward?...

Should congregations borrow money from their own members for capital improvement projects? It’s an option that some congregations have used, but it’s not without pitfalls. “There are all sorts of reasons why it’s not a good idea,” said Wayne Clark, the Unitarian Universalist...

Should ministers know how much their parishioners contribute financially? It’s a question that can cause anxiety on both sides. InterConnections recently invited ministers to discuss this topic....

We all know the purpose of the annual canvass is to fund the operating budget, and that if we do it right, we're set for another year. But the reality is that the canvass sometimes falls short. Consequently many congregations rely on smaller fundraisers to fill the hole. We also know these other...

It's been the big question behind the door: Would September 11 terrorism and economic downturn hurt contributions to congregations during 2001? Would congregants who gave generously to the Red Cross give less to their churches?...

Need a way to finance a special project? Do it one square foot or one piano key at a time. For instance: to buy a new piano, take the total cost and divide it by eighty-eight, then "sell" one key at a time....

When congregations set out to renovate their buildings, they're thinking primarily about the work to be done, how to pay for it, and how much better the building will be. They're generally not thinking about catastrophes that can happen while the work is taking place....

Music feeds our souls and many of us wouldn’t stay in our congregations without it, but to do it properly takes vision, time, and talent. Ten years ago, when Tom Benjamin, a choral director who had recently moved to the area, was asked to build a music program at the Unitarian Universalist (UU)...

The First Unitarian Church, Oakland, CA (284 members), used to have a cash flow problem in the summer. As Church Administrator, Jay Roller, explains it: "People would go away in the summer and forget to pay their pledges."Seasonal sag is a perennial church problem....

The annual budget drive. Done well it's a thing of beauty and a joy for at least nine months, until the next one rolls around. Done badly it causes massive volunteer burnout, drives the congregation into hiding, and forces budget cuts that set the tone for a parsimonious year....