Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility

The Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility makes grants to Unitarian Universalist organizations working to increase the direct involvement of Unitarian Universalists in service, advocacy, and/or organizing to create justice in the larger community, and to link Unitarian Universalists with the larger community.

Panel members read and evaluate a set of grant applications, contacting 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 need to be Unitarian Universalists with an understanding of how denominational life works, and have an understanding of UU organizations and UU social justice. About half our Panel members are UU ministers.

Panel members should have an understanding of 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, in the spring and in the fall. Each cycle has 2 meetings. The meetings are held on Zoom and last 2-3 hours each. The purpose of the meetings 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 of the applicants to receive updates, clarify information, and make the process more human. At the meeting, Panel members give updates on these conversations, share their evaluations of each application, and decide on how much to grant. There is very little work between meetings, with the exception of decisions about smaller grant initiatives, such as Get Out The Vote (GOTV).

Most of our Panel members have been involved with organizations that have applied for funding – this is fine, though Panel members must recuse themselves from decisions involving grants to organizations of which they are a member.

Unitarian Universalist Funding Panels Mission Statement

Inspired by the richness and diversity of the liberal religious tradition which guides us, the mission of the Unitarian Universalist Funding Program is to promote the influence of Unitarian Universalist principles through grantmaking. Grants are made which support the work of social justice, strengthen Unitarian Universalist institutions, make Unitarian Universalism more visible in the world, and transform gratitude for being into generosity of living.

More Details about the 4 Unitarian Universalist Funding Panels

Panels meet during one or two grant cycles/year to review applications and make grants (usually November/December and May/June – variable given people’s schedules). Each of the four Funds has its own mission, guidelines, and process.

Panel members read all the proposals to their Fund, and write their evaluations, scores, comments and questions on the application platform (Foundant). Each Panel member is assigned applications – for these, they contact the applicant, ask questions, get updates on the work, make the process humane. This conversation is part of the presentation/discussion at the Panel meeting. 

Panel members are not expected to advocate for the proposals they are assigned to, but rather to present more information and updates. Panel members may belong to an organization seeking funding, but must recuse themselves from the grant decision. Each application is discussed with the entire Panel and funding decisions are made by consensus. While we used to meet in person in Boston over one to three days, we now meet on Zoom in two to four meetings lasting up to two hours each.

Each Panel is comprised of ministers and lay leaders and we always aim to reflect the full diversity of the Association, especially in regard to historically marginalized communities.