Make Your Annual Pledge
ANNUAL PLEDGE DRIVE 2026–27
With our pledges, we ensure UUC is a refuge of hope, comfort, and connection. In these unprecedented times, we faithfully show up or one another and the wider community. Encouraged by this spirit of possibility, we are ready to welcome a new minister.
Goal for funding the July 2026–June 2027 fiscal year:
To raise $1.x
million in pledges, which will go toward our target budget of $1.x million
Ready to pledge?
Contributing to the Annual Fund is a two-step process!
Step 1 – Share Your Intentions:
Step 2 – Create a Payment Plan:
Step 1 – Share how much you wish to give and how often you want to make payments. Make sure the total at the bottom of the form matches your intention.
Step 2 – If you want to use automatically deducted payments, this is the time! You must revisit this step each year. Be sure to start payments after July 1 and complete them by the next June 30.
Various payment options are described in
Ways to Give Money. Need help? Please contact the UUC office.
March Is Pledge Month!
Why pledge
during
March? The pledge drive is timed so that UUC can develop a budget for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1. More than 70% of the budget comes from members’ financial gifts. Pledging your intention during March gives staff a reliable figure to work with.
Need to know more?
Each year, members and friends of UUC make a pledge—a promise—of their financial support for the next year. You then set up a payment plan to fulfill (or pay off) your pledge over the next fiscal year (July 1–June 30).
When you share your giving intention for the coming year by making a pledge, you make it possible for UUC to plan the next annual budget. Pledges provide more than 70 percent of the UUC budget. Your pledge determines how well UUC is funded!
Still have question? Check out our FAQ section at the bottom of the page!
Need to Make Changes to Your Existing Pledge?
Sometimes circumstances change. If you need to adjust your existing pledge or your payment schedule, please contact the UUC office for help. This helps UUC ensure that the change is implemented correctly.
How much should I give?
Every gift is cherished, no matter the size. At UUC, pledge gifts are offered freely and from the heart. There is no expected or required amount. People in the UUC community are generous within their means.
The table below can help you reflect on your household’s
financial situation and
engagement with UUC.
| My Financial Cup Is ... | My UUC Engagement Level Is … | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational | Active | Casual | Resting | |
| Limited | Up to $1,200 | Up to $1,200 | Up to $1,200 | Up to $500 |
| Sufficient | $5,000 – $7,500 | $2,500 – $5,000 | $1,200 – $2,500 | Up to $750 |
| Full | $10,000 – $25,000 | $7,500 – $10,000 | $5,000 – $7,500 | Up to $1,500 |
| Overflowing | $50,000 and up | $25,000 – $50,000 | $10,000–$25,000 | Up to $500 |
This table reflects giving patterns at UUC in recent years.
Guidance for “What’s in My Cup?"
This guidance can help you reflect on your household’s financial situation.
My Financial Cup Is Overflowing
My financial situation more than meets all my basic needs (food, housing, transportation, health).
Possible characteristics:
- I own one or more homes or properties. I have several vehicles.
- I fly business or first class.
- I never avoid getting medical care due to finances.
- I dine out at fine restaurants, attend multiple cultural events, and take vacations with ease.
My Financial Cup Is Full
My financial situation always meets all my basic needs (food, housing, transportation, health).
Possible characteristics:
- I own my own home or rent a higher-end place.
- I own or lease at least one vehicle.
- I have adequate access to health care and don’t avoid getting care due to finances.
- I can afford meals out, movies or a concert, new clothes, etc.
- I enjoy travel and vacations.
My Financial Cup Is Sufficient
My financial situation usually meets all my basic needs (food, housing, transportation, health).
Possible characteristics:
- I own a modest home, share housing or rent an apartment.
- I own or lease a vehicle.
- I have adequate access to health care and don’t avoid getting care due to finances.
- I have some savings (not living paycheck to paycheck).
- I occasionally enjoy meals out, a concert or movie, new clothes, etc.
- I can take a vacation without going into debt.
My Financial Cup Is Limited
My financial situation makes it hard to meet my basic needs (food, housing, transportation).
Possible characteristics:
- I live in low-income or affordable housing, or I have unstable housing.
- I’m unable to afford a vehicle. I am under- or unemployed.
- I qualify for government assistance for basic needs.
- I find it difficult to afford meals out, movies, new clothes, travel, or vacations.
Guidance for “My UUC Engagement Level”
The following offers a loose way to evaluate your level of participation and engagement at UUC. You may not fit into one of these exactly—but hopefully, these descriptions will help guide you.
Foundational. You may be or have been in a leadership role, deeply engaged in programs or teams, or an informal thought leader.
Active. You are engaged in programs or activities, maybe even leading a small group. You participate regularly in Sunday worship.
Casual. You occasionally enjoy a Sunday or holiday service. You may engage every once in a while in other UUC activities.
Resting. You may be stepping back after years of participation or due to a personal situation. You attend church once a month or less.
Your gift is greatly valued.
Considering how much to give is a question we all find ourselves facing. What amount feels right? What gift fits within my current capacity? What does the community need?
It’s important to find right relationship with our resources—our treasure, time, and talent. All are valuable. Finding the sweet spot means our values and our capacity are in sync.
FAQs
What is the Annual Pledge Drive?
The Annual Pledge Drive is our yearly fundraising effort that raises more than 70 percent of UUC’s annual operating budget. During the pledge drive, UUC members and friends make a financial pledge (a promise of financial support) for the next fiscal year, which runs July 1–June 30. Our pledges give UUC’s staff and Board of Trustees the critical information they need to form a budget.
What is a pledge?
A pledge is your promise to donate a certain amount of money to UUC over the next fiscal year (July 1–June 30). A pledge of financial support is one of the responsibilities of membership at UUC. Pledges are then paid off over the coming fiscal year, with payment completed by June 30 of the next calendar year.
Who should pledge?
Members and friends of UUC are all invited to pledge. This is important to sustaining the intellectual, artistic, spiritual, and justice-centered activities you enjoy at UUC.
When should I make my pledge?
The Annual Pledge Drive pledge drive officially starts March 1—March Is Pledge Month! The sooner you pledge, the more you help UUC work toward its next budget. Please strive to pledge before April 1.
I’m new—did I miss the pledge window?
Newcomer pledging is welcome at any time of year. The fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30. Going forward, you can revisit and remake your pledge each March thereafter.
When do I pay off my pledge?
Pledges are paid off over the fiscal year, which runs July1–June 30. Pledge payments can be made weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually—whatever works for you. Plan to pay off your pledge by June 30.
How much should I pledge?
Please know that there is no minimum amount—all gifts are valued and cherished. A suggested giving guide is near the bottom of this web page. Those who feel unable to pledge at all are encouraged to contact a minister or the director of Finance and Operations, and a waiver will be granted!
How do I make a payment?
Please visit the Ways to Give Money page for more details.
I need help with the online pledge form...
Please contact the UUC office to request support. The Stewardship team can answer questions, but to maintain confidentiality, we do not enter financial information for fellow UUC members or friends.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes, donations are tax deductible. University Unitarian Church is a tax-exempt organization. We issue end-of-year tax letters confirming your calendar year contributions that we have recorded and that meet tax law.
Does my money make a difference?
Yes! Our pledges of financial support provide more than 70 percent of UUC’s operating budget. UUC uses our financial resources to provide spiritual growth, promote UU values in the wider community, be good employers, care for our facilities, and grow adults and children with open minds, helping hands, and loving hearts. Our church cannot survive without your support!
May I volunteer instead of pledging?
Our volunteer gifts and our financial gifts empower this church and make it sustainable. We depend on both. Thanks to our volunteer hours, we accomplish so much—and we support staff and keep costs down. Yet, the church also requires financial support in order to pay utility and insurance bills, provide staff with a living wage and healthcare, and support church programming. Volunteered time is highly valued in its own right but can never replace financial contributions. Providing financial support is a key responsibility of UUC membership.
Why are church pledges often higher than gifts to other groups?
Churches typically have fewer donors than many nonprofit service organizations. This means our gifts must be larger to sustain UUC operations. Our church community touches our lives in so many ways—religious education, Sunday services, music, social justice activities, a caring network, and small group gatherings. We benefit from those who came before us. Now it’s our turn.
What if I cannot pay my pledge?
Through good times and bad, we are all in this together. If you make a pledge but later find yourself unable to meet the obligation, please contact one of our ministers or the director of Finance and Operations.
Can I pledge to a specific activity or program instead of the operating fund?
All gifts are appreciated. However, it is most helpful to the church if donations go to our operating budget because that’s what supports our staff and programs from year to year. We need those funds to ensure that the church runs properly from every angle.
I still have questions. Who can help me?
Contact a Stewardship Committee member, a minister, or the director of Finance and Operations. We welcome any questions you may have.