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When we talk about paying our “fair share,” we generally are speaking of contributions
our congregation makes to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and the Ohio
Meadville District (OMD).
The UUA is an association of congregations and relies on congregational support for
about half of its unrestricted income. The elected board of trustees of the UUA sets the
amount of the fair share assessment for member congregations. For most congregations,
this is a per-member amount, currently $53/member. Congregations with more than 550
members may choose instead to pay 4.2% of total budgeted expenses. These contributions fund UUA programs, services and resources that directly benefit and
strengthen individual congregations and Unitarian Universalism as a whole. By joining
together, UU congregations can create religious education curricula and social justice
programs. We can also provide support for ministry, growth, extension and outreach. Each independent congregation has the opportunity to help fund the work of the
Association and to be part of an interdependent religious community.
There are 20 districts within the UUA. Ours is the Ohio Meadville District, which serves
congregations in much of Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The OMD
receives support from the UUA, but depends on congregations for most of its income.
OMD dues currently are set at $21/member. The OMD provides a variety of services and resources to congregations, including
ministerial settlement, leadership training events, consultant services, youth
programming, Summer Institute, and much more. For many years this congregation paid its full fair share every year to the UUA and
OMD. For the past several years, we have paid less than our full fair share. This year we
expect to pay not quite half of our fair share to the UUA; we have budgeted $16,601. We
have budgeted our full fair share to the OMD; that comes to $14,175. We receive many
services from the UUA and OMD and many of us want to return to paying our full fair
share consistently in support of their important work. |
