As we approach the end of the year, many of us are thinking about all we are grateful for and about how to make meaningful gifts in difficult times.
“These are the days we are living in. Days that force us to consider how we combat the cruelty that would disperse tear gas (a chemical weapon banned in war) at children and parents, at refugees and migrants? How do we build more pathways of love and peace in this world? Where can we bring our broken hearts, our aching, doubting, exhausted spirits?”
– Reverend Susan Frederick-Gray, President, Unitarian Universalist Association
Our congregations mend our spirits and heal the world. Giving to your congregation could not be more important than right now!
In considering and asking for year-end gifts, keep the following in mind:
- Those age 70 ½ and older who must take Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) from their retirement accounts can transfer their RMDs directly to the congregation, and reap the tax benefits of direct contributions.
- If your congregation is planning a capital campaign anytime soon or has a financial plan to build up reserves, be sure to invite people to contribute to those funds.
- Donating appreciated securities, such as publicly traded stocks or mutual funds, enables one to avoid paying tax on any gains while deducting the full value of the donated assets. Remind people that the congregation has a brokerage account to accept securities, and alert them to make arrangements in advance so the gift will be complete by year’s end.
- Make it clear that grants from Donor Advised funds are welcome.
- And remember that in our congregations, different generations give in different ways. Be sure to enable simple online and text giving and also include how to pay by check. Make your congregational appeal via all your channels of communication – email, paper mail, website, social media and text.
The world could not possibly need Unitarian Universalism more than right now!
Rachel Maxwell is a stewardship consultant with the Stewardship for Us team, a preferred provider of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Her TEDx talk focuses on how we can create value together. Rachel can be reached at rachel@stewardshipforus.com and via the UUA’s Pacific Western Region staff.
Rachel brings communities together to finance the things they value most. She is committed to stewarding our Unitarian Universalist communities toward healthy relationships with money and value. Her TEDx talk focuses on how we might create value together. She also co-founded and lead an innovative crowd-sourced lending platform, Community Sourced Capital. Reach Rachel at Team@Stewardshipforus.com