By Mike Hanson and Bonnie Gilbert, Endowment Committee Co-chairs

We have an Endowment Fund to ensure that the church continues to exist and thrive over the long term. The fund is invested and professionally managed in concert with other UU church endowments in the UU Common Endowment Fund. The UUCWC Fund has grown nicely over its 24 years of existence via generous legacy gifts from members and overall market performance.

Our committee’s practice, whenever possible, has been to award a portion of annual fund growth as grants for worthy projects and services. We typically invite grant proposals in February. This year, according to our formula, we were able to award grants totaling over $14,000.

We are pleased to announce these winning grant proposals:

• A wheeled book cart to support Social Justice, requested by the Racial Justice Ministry for $500.
• An OWL 3 camera for the smaller conference room to encourage connection on multi-platform meetings for $1,050.
• Melamine place-settings and plastic tumblers for more environmentally friendly meals and snacks for $2,900. Several food-related committees and the Earth and Climate Ministry support this. These were used at the recent Auction party.
• Paint supplies for Faith Engagement classrooms to enhance the environment for our children for $1,000.
• A freezer to replace the one that recently broke for the Food Ministry in support of Homefront, TASK, and social events. $5,522.
• A water heater for the Food Ministry’s dishwasher at a cost of $3,450 to replace the one that recently broke.
• A table cart to better store tables in the Crossings Room, used for Homefront and Fellowship, for $300.