UCE members—we need you! Please come to the June 11th Special Meeting of the congregation starting at 11:50 am in the sanctuary to vote on proposed changes to the Endowment related sections of the UCE Bylaws including the Endowment Fund Agreement appendix.

Visit the UCE Endowment Page to read proposed changes.

The Endowment Fund is governed by the Endowment Agreement which sets the responsibilities of the trustees and the restrictions of the fund’s uses. The proposed changes will simplify and clarify confusing language, bring the mechanics up-to-date, clarify that the Fund is not a separate legal entity but a restricted fund of UCE, and allow for as many as five elected Endowment trustees compared to today’s limit of three. The changes will not loosen the Endowment Agreement or change the restrictions on how funds can be spent.

The Endowment Agreement has not been updated since 2005! To ensure smooth functioning of the Endowment Fund, we need this update. Please join us on June 11 at this meeting—we need your participation!

Currently the UCE Endowment Fund size is approximately $1.5 million and about 5% of the fund is distributed per year. Endowment trustees are elected by the UCE Congregation and manage the fund per the terms of the Endowment Agreement. In addition, the trustees may appoint Endowment Committee members to help get the work done but not to vote on issues related to core responsibilities.

The proposed changes are the result of two years of work by the Committee and a special Endowment Task Force. They reflect many years of Committee experience, congregational input, and legal advice from Kirk Hoopingarner from Quarles & Brady. In addition to proposed updates to the Agreement, changes to section VI of the Bylaws relating to the Endowment are also proposed. Other changes to Endowment policies and procedures (which don’t need to be voted on by the congregation) were also proposed by the Endowment Task Force and accepted by both the Endowment Committee and the Board of Trustees. Those include new procedures for making grant distributions and new financial procedures, as well as improved communications—more to come over the next year!

See Quorum Needed for Special Meeting Vote on June 11th in this newsletter for information about the Special Meeting.

Susan Comstock, Endowment Trustee, and Carla Williams, Board President

Prior to the April meeting, Trustees were asked to complete a survey in advance of a Board discussion about the allocation of Endowment funds for Congregational Support. The survey surfaced trustees’ thinking about the degree of appropriateness for activities funded by Congregational Support grants, and what circumstances might be considered when considering a grant or a repeat request for a grant.

The Board discussed types of requests as to whether they were very, somewhat or not appropriate. Types of requests might include:

● learning and personal development opportunities to support member engagement in UCE’s mission related work;

● leadership development opportunities to support UCE governance and social, environmental, and justice work;

● programs specific to youth engagement in UCE’s mission related work and UUism;

● opportunities for member participation in broader UUism;

● programs and opportunities to support member well-being and spiritual and personal growth;

● programs to support maintenance of UCE’s physical assets;

● and programs that support staff or congregant resources needed to sustain activities and programs.

Different examples of Congregational Support requests were considered, and the Board provided input on how requests compared in terms of being very appropriate, somewhat appropriate or less appropriate. The discussion surfaced some differences in

interpretations of the Endowment’s Congregational Support allocation. Some trustees expressed an interest in not including requests for predictable and regularly occurring needs such as UUA dues, section leads for the choir, and scholarships for members participating in UU organizations such as MidAmerica Region and UUA general assemblies. While these are important programs, some felt these are better supported through the operating budget. Requests considered very or somewhat appropriate included solidarity circle training; building and grounds enhancements or emergency projects not funded by the operating budget; section leaders for the choir, and for some trustees UUA dues fell into this category as important to fund. There was some discussion regarding how to consider such unusual events as funding an interim minister, or an unusual increase in dues.

One possibility for supporting regular and predictable activities through a Congregational Support grant is for seed money to start a special fund for that activity, e.g., a fund for leadership opportunities to support member participation in broader UUism, or for programs that benefit members, including for youth, and support engagement in UCE’s mission related work. When thinking about criteria for funding Trustees suggested weight be given to how critical the need is and whether the need can be met with volunteer efforts, even if not as well. Repeat funding considerations related to whether funding is needed for the program to stay afloat and whether the need being met is ongoing. Other factors to take into account might be the context of that year’s circumstances and whether funding through the operating budget makes sense.

For a number of years we have been challenged to balance the operating budget expenses with pledge and non-pledge revenue. The UCE leadership is committed to holding a summit this summer to explore how we create financial sustainability for the future. In support of that work the Board of Trustees will continue to hold clarifying discussions that support its work to optimally steward our UCE and Endowment resources.

The Endowment Committee is delighted to report that four additional grants have been approved by the Committee and the Board of Trustees from our October 31 application cycle.

* Food and Shelter Team: $1,000 to cover the cost of supplies and some food for the two spring Soup Kitchens held at UCE.

* Immigrant Solidarity (Refugee Support Team): $2,160 to cover the cost of childcare for the family’s mother to attend ESL classes.

* Food and Shelter Team: $4,320 to Interfaith Action of Evanston to cover the cost of a new weekend breakfast program for shelter residents.

* Racial Equity Action Leadership (REAL)/Anti-Oppression Task Force/Social Justice Council: $20,000 as matching funds for UCE fundraising for the Evanston Reparations Community Fund.

This brings the total amount of grants approved for this fiscal year 2022-2023 to $65,760!

We have approximately $10,000 of funding left for this fiscal year (and many worthy causes)! Our last application deadline for this year is January 31.

Questions? Check out our webpage, email us at endowment@ucevanston.org, or contact one of our co-chairs Bill Hartgering and Susan Comstock.

Ten proposals for Endowment funding were submitted to the Endowment Committee by the May 31st deadline. Thank you to UCE’s committees, teams and staff for all the effort put into their preparation. The applications are:

1. Buildings & Grounds – $15,000 – Integrated Stewardship Committee
2. Connections for the Homeless Youth Programs Aftercare – $40,000 – FAST, UCE Prison Ministry Team
3. Denominational Affairs Scholarships – $8,825 – Denominational Affairs
4. Family Focus After School and Summer Program Scholarships – $6,750 – REAL
5. READI for Re-entry – $7,500 – REAL, Prison Ministry Team
6. Solidarity Circles Grants – $4,000 – UCE UU Prison Ministry of IL Team
7. Soup Kitchen – $1,450 – FAST/Soup Kitchen
8. Support for Afghan Refugee Family – $5,950 – Immigrant Solidarity Team/Refugee Team
9. UCE Garden Rejuvenation and Maintenance – $1,380 – UCE Garden Team
10. Worship Arts/Support of Choir Section Leaders – $9,000 – Worship Arts Team

The applications are available to read Applications – Pending.

The Endowment Committee will review the proposals at the June 13th meeting and make recommendations for funding to the Board of Trustees. The Board will make final decisions on funding in June.

Endowment grants come in different sizes and the impact of each may be difficult to measure. The use of Endowment funds by the UU Prison Ministry of IL for Solidarity Circle grants clearly shows that a small amount of money can make an impactful difference in an individual’s life.

These Endowment grants, distributed over the past year, benefited four Solidarity Circle leaders making their way back into society after being in prison.

• Robert, in his Evanston circle for over three years, has recovered from health problems and currently has a job as a tow truck driver.  He used $400 in September 2021 to help replace his car. He received $400 in March, 2022 to repair damage to his car from an uninsured motorist.  
• Jimmie, in a solidarity circle at 2U for two years, used $400 in November 2021 for groceries, money on his bus pass, and some winter clothing items.  He is in a job training and housing program and is eligible for another grant.
• Thomas, in a circle since 2019 at First and Third Unitarian, received $400 in December, 2021 for a warm jacket and boots and housing supplies.  He is eligible for another grant.
• James is a new circle leader at Tree of Life.  He received $400 in December 2021 for brake repair on his car. He is eligible for another grant.

Members of the UCE UU Prison Ministry of IL Team are: Becky Taveirne (convener ), Les Butler, Mary Ellen McGoey, Steve Serikaku, Gail Smith, Jordan Strueber and Dale Griffin. Thanks to Dale Griffin for this report.

Whatever size grant may be under consideration, the first deadline for Endowment proposals is May 31. At the June Endowment Committee meeting applications for the next fiscal year, beginning July 1, will be reviewed and recommended to the Board of Trustees for funding approval.

If you have questions about submitting a grant application to the Endowment Committee, please contact  an Endowment Trustee:

• Margaret Schatz, chair, mesharbor@gmail.com 
• Tom Hempfling, thempfling45@gmail.com 
• Bill Hartgering, bhartgering@gmail.com

It’s that time. UCE committee and group leaders and UCE community organization members should begin work on Endowment Fund applications for FY 2022-23, beginning July 1. The first deadline for proposals is May 31 when applications for the next fiscal year will be reviewed and recommended to the Board of Trustees for funding.

• Read instructions and fill out an application.
• Purposes for use of endowment funds are listed in application instructions.
• Funds should be spent within the fiscal year awarded unless the application includes a specified timeline.
• One contact person should be named in the application. That contact person has the responsibility of communicating with their committee members about the application
• If considering a grant which benefits a community organization, read the qualifications and additional instructions.

Applications submitted during April and early May will receive a preliminary review by the Endowment Committee. This ensures that the application is filled out completely and correctly and questions from the committee are answered. Be creative. The Endowment Fund is a resource and a means to fulfill UCE’s Whole Mission. Questions: Contact Trustees Margaret Schatz, chair; Tom Hempfling; and Bill Hartgering.

January is the perfect month for looking back and looking forward. Although it’s the beginning of the calendar year, January is the middle of our church fiscal year, FY21/22.

Looking back over the first half of the fiscal year, the UCE Board of Trustees approved fourteen grant applications. These grants fulfill the total Endowment Fund distribution of $87,729 for FY21/22.

Six grants support community organizations or outreach:

• Interfaith Action Community Support (FAST) – $15,000
• Family Focus Scholarships (FAST) – $6,650
• Solidarity Circles and Training (IST) – $5,900
• Expansion of Youth Housing – CFH (FAST) – $23,000
• Immigrant Family Support (IST) – $3,500
• Soup Kitchen (FAST) – $1,000
• Total = $55,050

Seven grants support UCE programs, projects, and scholarships:

• 8 Principles (BOT) – $950
• Hybrid worship/conferencing equipment (STF) (-$5,047 which was funded in FY20/21) – $18,600
• RE Storyteller (FFF) – $1,800
• Worship Arts Section Leads (WAC) – $9,000
• Installation Service (BOT) – $2,000
• UUA General Assembly Funding (DA) – $4,376
• Lobby Arts Program (LAP) – $1,000
• Total = $37,726

A grant supporting scholarships for the MidWest Leadership Training School has been combined with the UUA General Assembly Funding grant, reducing the total grants by one.

Looking ahead, the Endowment Fund distribution amount for FY22/23 is $95,496 (5% of the Fund principal on 12/31/2021). Applications for FY22/23 may be submitted for the May 31 deadline. If recommended by the Endowment Committee and approved by the Board of Trustees, these will be funded in July, 2022.

Contact Trustees Margaret Schatz, Tom Hempfling, and Bill Hartgering, if you have questions.