Woburn Grants

History & Purpose

The Woburn Fund was established in 1990 as a legacy of the Woburn Unitarian Universalist Church to assist in the growth and development of congregations in the Massachusetts Bay District. The Woburn Fund Grant Panel, acting on behalf of the District, distributes approximately $30,000 each year in a competitive process. Most grants are between $1,500 and $5,000.

Eligible Applicants

Unitarian Universalist congregations in the Massachusetts Bay District
Organizations supporting religious professionals serving Unitarian Universalist congregations in the District
Unitarian Universalist organizations whose mission explicitly includes growth and vitality of Unitarian Universalism

Woburn Fund Goals

The Woburn Fund encourages applications for projects supporting the following areas of congregational life:

Membership growth
Multigenerational connection and vitality
Leadership development
Support for staff positions directly addressing membership growth, leadership development, or multigenerational activity

Program Priorities

Priority will be given to applications with the following qualities.

The proposed activity is part of larger congregation-wide effort and has clear and sustained support from the congregation and its professional and lay leadership.
Intended outcomes from the proposed activity are reasonable, measurable, and clearly defined.
The impact and outcomes of the proposed activity will have long-term benefit to the congregation or religious professionals.
The applicant provides evidence of additional financial support for the proposed activity from the applicant congregation.
Priority will be given to congregations making Fair Share contributions to the Massachusetts Bay District and the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. Applications will also be considered from congregations with a board-approved plan in place to achieve Fair Share giving levels within three years.

Ineligible Uses

Applications will not be accepted for the following uses:

Capital campaigns
Building projects

Applications will not be accepted for project expenses that were incurred prior to the grant approval date. While exceptions are made under extraordinary circumstances, applications for the same project in subsequent years are strongly discouraged.

Application Process & Timeline

The Woburn Fund is administered by the Woburn Grant Panel and the staff of the Massachusetts Bay District. To be considered for a grant, your organization must submit an application, proposal, and certification by your governing board. Find materials to download at the links below:

Woburn Grant Information (MSWord) or (PDF)

Board Certification (MSWord) or (PDF)

Grant Application Form (MSWord) or (PDF)

The grant cycle timeline is as follows:

March 15: Application materials posted
May 7: Grant applications due
June 15: Funding decisions announced
July 1: Grant funds available for disbursement to awardees

If you have questions about this application or the grant review process, contact sphillips [at] uua [dot] org (Rev. Sue Phillips), District Executive, 617-803-1116.

Reporting requirements

Recipients are asked to complete a final report summarizing their project and an Attestation of Use signed by the governing board, both of which are due on June 1st of the year following the grant year.

The final report form for 2011 awards, due March 1, 2012, is available here in WORD or PDF format.