Fund UUism

Overview

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The Fund for Unitarian Universalism makes grants to UU organizations and projects that strengthen Unitarian Universalist institutions and community life, nurture and celebrate our liberal religious heritage, and encourage a generosity among Unitarian Universalists that is reflected in commitments of time, money and energy. The priority of the Fund is to make grants for innovative, challenging, or experimental projects that demonstrate potential for wide denominational impact and/or address needs unmet by the present institutional structures.

• Panel members read and evaluate a set of grant applications, contact those that have been assigned to them, and participate in meetings to decide collectively with other Panel members how to distribute the grant funds.
• Panel members understand how denominational life works; about half of the Panel members are UU ministers.
• Panel members should understand how committees work, how to evaluate projects, how to read budgets, and how to participate in meetings where decisions are made collectively.
• The Fund has two grant cycles each year (spring and fall). Each cycle has 2 Zoom meetings lasting 2-3 hours each. The purpose is to make grants from the pool of applications received a month prior.
• Panel members read each application and are assigned to contact and speak with some applicants to receive updates, clarify information, and make the process more human. At meetings, members share updates, evaluations, and grant amounts. There is very little work in between meetings.
• We aim for each Panel to represent as broad a representation of Unitarian Universalism as possible.
• Dialogues are conducted in a manner that supports the mission to promote UU principles through grantmaking.

• Panels meet during one or two grant cycles per year to review applications and issue grants (usually November/December and May/June; dates vary by schedule).
• Each of the four Funds has its own mission, guidelines, and process.
• Panel members read all proposals to their Fund, write evaluations, scores, comments, and questions on the application platform (Foundant). Each member is assigned applications and contacts applicants for updates. The conversation informs the Panel's presentation and discussion.
• Panel members are not expected to advocate for proposals they are assigned to but to present information and updates. Members may belong to organizations seeking funding but must recuse themselves from grant decisions when appropriate. Applications are discussed with the entire Panel and funding decisions are made by consensus. Meetings have shifted from in-person in Boston to Zoom sessions lasting up to two hours per meeting.
• Panels comprise ministers and lay leaders with a commitment to reflecting the full diversity of the Association, especially regarding historically marginalized communities.

• Unitarian Universalists with an understanding of how denominational life works.
• Understanding of committee processes, project evaluation, budget reading, and collaborative decision-making in meetings.

• Diversity and broad representation of Unitarian Universalism in each Panel.

Additional information about the Fund and its panels, including mission statements and general practices, is provided in the detailed descriptions of the Unitarian Universalist Funding Panels.