Financial Support
for Ministers
This year, the UUA received a $1.3 million gift to create a new endowed scholarship fund and an endowed fund to support seminary debt relief. The donor’s lived experience in their congregation served to inspire and sustain them through both good and challenging times. They shared that they have come to highly value the practice of Unitarian Universalist ministry and appreciate the rigorous process that candidates go through. Through their time in the congregation, the donor witnessed many ministerial interns on their journey of formation. They became acutely aware of the financial pressures ministers face in the formation process. This awareness, coupled with the personal experience of care and support from ministers, motivated the donor to ensure that gifted candidates can pursue their call to ministry.
This was not the only generous gift supporting ministers in formation received in 2024. We received an additional $100,000 gift this year, earmarked for scholarships for seminarians. We are so grateful for these expressions of generosity, on behalf of all the countless future ministers that these gifts will benefit.
The Living Tradition Fund (LTF) helps meet the extraordinary financial needs experienced by ministers from the beginning of their ministerial career through retirement. The Fund also supports other religious professionals and congregational staff, and surviving family members of deceased ministers.
The Living Tradition Fund provides a lifeline to religious professionals and other congregational staff in times of need. It is a concrete way for individual Unitarian Universalists to show appreciation for the staff and leaders who support and care for all of us.