At UUCC we act to make the world better through our time, talents, and treasure.
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia is recognized by the IRS as a not-for-profit 501c3 charitable organization. Your donation to UUCC is tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
Treasure
Donations
Make a one-time or recurring gift. You can give to the Sunday Offering, Food Insecurity, or any number of special funds this way. These gifts are considered outside of your annual pledge.
Pledging
A pledge is a promise to make a donation, in this case to our congregation. Pledges are formal commitments that specify the amount and timing of a donation, often made in installments throughout the year. Our congregational (fiscal) year runs July 1 – June 30.
UUCC’s operating budget is approved by congregational vote at the annual meeting each June.
Ways to Give
Online
UUCC uses a church management system called Realm. If you have a Realm account already you can log in to manage, review, or track your giving. Here you can save your preferred payment method. You can use credit card, ACH bank transfer, Google/Apple Pay. UUCC is charged a processing fee for online payments (3% for cards and 1% for ACH). If you would like to help offset that cost, check the box in the donation form and the amount will be added to your gift total.
Cash
Cash is welcome on Sundays, but is not able to be tracked. If you would like your cash gift to appear against your Realm record, please put it in an envelope with your contact information. You can also drop cash gifts off to the UUCC staff in the Interfaith Office at Owen Brown Interfaith Center.
Check
Please make checks payable to the UU Congregation of Columbia. Ensure that we track your payment properly by putting the fund name in the memo: i.e. current pledge, food insecurity, endowment.
Stock Transfer
If you have a stock portfolio, you may benefit by making pledge payments or donations in the form of transferred appreciated stock. Learn more about this process.
Qualified Charitable Distribution
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) offer significant tax advantages for retirees age 70.5 and older. Using a QCD allows you to donate directly to UUCC or other charities directly from an IRA, while reducing your taxable income. QCDs can help satisfy Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) requirements without increasing your taxable income. By donating a portion of your RMDs as QCDs, retirees can effectively lower their taxable income while supporting UUCC! This may make it possible to increase your pledge without increasing your financial commitment.
We’re not tax experts, learn more from Schwab experts or talk to your financial advisor.
Sharing with our Greater Community
Second Sunday Offering
On the Second Sunday of every month, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia collects a second Sunday outreach offering for an outside organization—usually a local non-profit. In this way we are able to extend financial support to work in our community that aligns with our Unitarian Universalist values. View past recipients or nominate an organization.
Donated Space
Local organizations often reach out to the UUCC office for sponsorship of events. In this way, we are able to offer a non-cash gift of great value to their organization or cause. Some current and past sponsorships include: Mosaic Community Chorus, People Acting Together in Howard County (PATH), Columbia Dojo, No Kings.
Legacy Giving
The UUCC Endowment Fund
The Endowment Fund is a source of financial capital that grows and produces income for UUCC’ today’s operating budget each year, while ensuring that our congregation is financially able to continue its work for decades to come. In 2026, the Endowment reached $1,000,000!
UUA’s Planned Giving Programs
A wide range of giving opportunities fit under the planned giving umbrella, including charitable bequests, life income gift arrangements such as charitable remainder trusts and gift annuities, gifts of real estate and gifts that use retirement and insurance plan benefits. For more information, visit the UUA’s Planning Library.
Other Ways to Support UUCC
Gift Card Purchases
Through an organization called Raise Right, the volunteer leaders of our congregant-led Scrip program buy gift cards at a discount in bulk, then sell them to UUCC and our friends at face value. You can buy gift cards to the retailers you regularly shop at, including Giant, Safeway, CVS, and many more. Profits from the Scrip program support our operating budget.
UUCC depends on the time and talents of countless congregants in order to live out our values in our community. Your gift of volunteerism helps us grow into the multicultural Beloved Community we want to become.