Endowment Task Force Winter Update: February 4, 2022
The Endowment Task Force has been working steadily since our last update in the congregation in autumn. In our semi final phase, we are considering the following eight areas:
- Board of Trustees and Endowment Committee Relationships
- Endowment Committee Structure
- Distribution of Endowment Funds
- Committee Processes and Policies
- Legal Review and Bylaws
- Investments
- Communication with the Congregation
- Application Process
We have developed proposals to address the approximately 150 issues which were identified by the congregation. We are considering those issues and are finalizing our recommendations.
We have been meeting a couple times each month, for about an hour and half each time.
So far, we have completed draft versions of our proposals for two areas and half of a third. That leaves five and one half to finish. We expect that further input from the congregation will be necessary for us to conclude our final proposal recommendation process. We have determined that taking our time and giving each proposal proper consideration will lead to the best results.
By the spring we expect to reach out one more time for guidance from the congregation, before we publish our recommendations.
Thank you for caring about how we make use of this extremely valuable resource of UCE.
Joe Romeo
Endowment Task Force Update: October 1, 2021
The task force recently held its 8th meeting and we have three more scheduled for October.
After the task force discussed our own experiences and after we looked at the concerns from members of the congregation, we found about 130 particular issues to examine. We then refined those to 17 larger topics which incorporate all of the original issues.
In our last few meetings, we have listed ideas for how to address these topics. We have not finished this step yet, but hope to complete that task soon.
Some members have made suggestions for the task force to consider. If you have any ideas for improving aspects of how the Endowment Fund is managed and distributed, the task force would love to learn about them. Please send any such suggestions to BOT@ucevanston.org or romeo.joe@gmail.com. Please be as brief as possible.
Our next step will be to evaluate which solutions seem most workable and whether some of them could be combined so that we have a manageable list of viable solutions.
Progress has been very good.
Joe Romeo
Endowment Task Force Update: June 11, 2021
As you all have heard, the Board of Trustees and the Endowment Committee have formed a task force to improve processes for our Endowment. This is especially important given the size and recent growth of the Endowment Fund. We have now met several times and will continue to meet throughout the summer into the early fall.
We have begun by considering input from the congregation. Using our survey and comments we have received in emails from congregants, we have put together a list of about 90 issues to consider.
The issues raised fall into these general categories:
Endowment Committee Structure
Distribution of Funds
Solicitation and Fund Raising
Reporting
Structural Relationship to other UCE Committees/Leaders/Congregants
Legal Review
Powers/Responsibilities/Controls
Investments
Influence of White Supremacy Culture.
Our focus is around processes, controls and communication, and we hope to have recommendations for the Board of Trustees and the Endowment Trustees in the fall. Questions or comments? Please email me at Romeo.Joe@gmail.com.
Endowment Task Force Update: May 28, 2021
As a reminder, the Endowment Task Force consists of two members of the Endowment Committee, (Jane Kenamore and Margaret Schatz), two members of the Board of Trustees (Joe Romeo and Tom Ticknor), two members representing the Integrated Stewardship Council (Rob Wingader and Susan Comstock) and one member at large to represent the congregation as a whole, (Alice Swan).
So far the ETF has met three times. We have been working to identify issues we hope to address. We began by listing those topics of which we were aware based on our experience. We have added many more that were submitted by members of the congregation in response to our survey. We are building collaboration and developing a plan to address concerns which will ultimately be presented to the congregation.
We also want to be sure that we keep track of those practices we want to continue. If you would like, please send Joe Romeo a note to include any of those which occur to you.
Thank you very much for the continued interest in this critical asset.