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UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF TUCSON
STRATEGIC PLAN, 2007-2009
APRIL 2006
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
This three-year strategic plan covers the fiscal years ending June 30, 2007 through 2009. It is being developed in response to a number of factors. First, our church is in the process of seeking a settled minister, whom we hope to call to our congregation in May 2006. Second, we have been operating in a financial deficit mode for a number of years, and the congregation has asked the church’s leadership to develop a plan that will help improve its financial condition. Third, related to our financial situation, the church has been operating in a maintenance mode from a programmatic and operational perspective for a similar number of years. Lacking a clear and compelling vision and a plan to realize this vision, we have been unable to attract significant numbers of new members or increase our revenues.
With the guidance of our interim minister, the Reverend Robert Latham, we have made significant strides in the past 18 months towards revitalizing our church. We have adopted a new mission-covenant statement, increased pledge contributions, moved toward a Policy Governance framework, updated our Bylaws, and embarked on a strategic planning process of which this plan is its culmination. There is a new level of trust in the church’s leadership as evidenced in the congregation’s willingness to approve a FY 2005-2006 budget with a significant deficit, for the purpose of investing in needed staffing and repairs, and task the Board of Trustees to secure a means to finance it (which the Board was able to do).
One of the promises the Board made to the congregation when it approved the FY 2005-2006 budget was to develop a plan that would specifically detail how and when our church would “see the light at the end of the tunnel” in terms of our financial condition. We believe we have done just that with this plan.
The Board of Trustees
MISSION-COVENANT STATEMENT
This sacred community is rooted in our search for meaning guided by personal experience, diverse religious traditions, and scientific discovery. We are varied as the blooms in the Sonoran Desert, yet draw strength from one another. Envisioning a world where justice and compassion cross all borders, we pledge energy and resources to transform ourselves, this community and the world around us.
VISION
We envision a day when:
Our Sunday services consistently fill our sanctuary to capacity, our Religious Education program for children is brimming, and congregants of all ages are excited to participate in our Sunday ministry. We have a dynamic minister, whose sermons are intellectually stimulating and draw from different religious traditions, scientific discovery, and personal experience. Family Singers and Desert Chorale enjoy record-numbers of participants, and are joined in service by additional musical performers from within and outside of our church.
Our staff has increased—commensurate with our growth—ensuring that our congregation is offered a full range of programs, including adult faith development, religious education, pastoral care, social action, and other fellowship activities. Our lay leadership is strong, numerous, and diversified. We have enough leaders to spread the responsibility for running our church in a healthy way.
Through outreach and social action, we have elevated the profile of our denomination in southern Arizona. Locally and within the UUA, we are recognized as a congregation that speaks out and acts decisively on issues of religious intolerance, discrimination in all its forms, and humanitarian issues affecting our community.
Our existing facilities and campus are well maintained and make a positive first impression on newcomers and visitors. We have developed a plan to construct new buildings and enhance our landscaping, which will be recognized as a model for innovative and environmentally sensitive design in the greater Tucson community and within our denomination.
The strength of our programs, our vision for the future, and our leadership have contributed to a dramatic increase in membership and contributions to our church. We are well on our way to becoming a financially sustainable institution, with operating budgets generating an annual surplus and a growing endowment that will ensure a financially secure future for our church.
PROGRAMS
This section of the strategic plan addresses programming in the largest sense, including worship, lifespan religious education/faith development, community building, leadership development, and social action. The work of the Empowerment Team, as a part of Policy Governance, has led to a re-visioning of our previous church council into a Lifespan Program Council (LPC). Based upon the five areas of balanced programming listed above, this LPC will provide the opportunity for more collaboration and cooperation among committees in each of those five program areas. The LPC will be guided in its work by this strategic plan and the mission/covenant statement of our church. The Council will have a lifespan focus, plan programming balanced across all five areas, articulate our Unitarian Universalist identity, and spread leadership and volunteerism across all program areas. With the lifespan as one dimension, and programming balanced across all five areas as another axis, the third dimension of the Council’s work will be outreach to the wider community.
Program Goal #1:
¨ Our Sunday services provide for compelling and profound experiences and our sanctuary is filled to capacity on a regular basis.
Benchmarks:
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, our Sunday services will have been evaluated and found by a majority of members to be “compelling and profound experiences.”
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, 70% or more members of the congregation will regularly (twice monthly) attend Sunday services.
Program Goal #2:
¨ We have a comprehensive and integrated set of programs that addresses the congregation’s spiritual needs at all ages and during all of life’s important milestones.
Benchmarks:
¨ By the end of FY 2006-07 a comprehensive map of programs will be developed by the Lifespan Program Council. The LPC will use this tool to assess that balanced programming is offered.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, the congregation will call an Associate Minister to provide pastoral care and/or other ministry to the congregation.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, we will have trained a sufficient number of lay leaders to guide and support the church’s growing programs and needs.
Program Goal #3:
¨ Our congregation is broadly engaged in discussion, discovery, and collective action around the theme of “respect” and the meaning and practice of the Unitarian Universalist first principle.
Benchmarks:
¨ By the end of FY 2006-2007, the Lifespan Program Council will develop and launch a multi-year campaign of activities around this theme —including worship, learning experiences, leadership development, social action, community building, and outreach.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, at least 50% of the congregation will participate in one or more campaign activities.
¨ By the end of FY 2008-2009, at least 70% of the congregation will participate in one or more campaign activities.
Program Goal #4:
¨ We have assumed multiple leadership roles within our denomination at the national and district levels.
Benchmarks:
¨ For FYs 2007-2009, we will continue to provide our Fair Share contributions to the UUA/PSWD based on our actual membership.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, we will establish a scholarship fund that supports lay leaders’ attendance at the UUA’s district and national meetings.
¨ For FYs 2007-2009, we will have taken proactive steps to position several members to represent us on the PSWD board and at least one national UUA committee.
¨ By the end of FY 2008-2009, we will enroll 15% of our congregation in the Chalice Lighters Program.
¨ By the end of FY 2008-2009, we will successfully advocate for the adoption of a resolution at the UUA General Assembly.
¨ By the end of FY 2008-2009, there will be a 100% increase in the number of UUCT members attending UUA gatherings over current (2005-06) levels.
OUTREACH
This section of the strategic plan is dedicated to outreach activities in Tucson and southern Arizona. Much of the activities and benchmarks associated with our first outreach goal will be dependent on the proposed campaign around the theme of “respect” (see previous section).
Outreach Goal #1:
¨ We have elevated our profile within greater Tucson’s faith community and the community at large.
Benchmarks:
¨ By the end of FY 2006-2007, we will adopt a set of operating principles and goals for our primary tools for communication (Web site, newsletter, order of service, and emails to the congregation).
¨ By the end of FY 2006-2007, we will develop a communications strategy (describing activities and outcomes) that makes use of free media (cultivation of local reporters, placement of op-ed pieces in daily newspapers, and/or a “letters to the editor” campaign) and paid media (local TV and radio program sponsorships, print advertising, and/or our very own radio program).
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, we will implement this communications strategy.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, the congregation will sponsor, financially support, or otherwise participate in one or more inter-faith campaigns on local humanitarian or social issues of concern in southern Arizona.
Outreach Goal #2:
¨ We have a dynamic Campus Ministry program established at the University of Arizona.
Benchmarks:
¨ By the end of FY 2006-2007, we will establish weekly meetings at the UofA with average attendance of 8-10 students.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, the congregation will commit to a half time position, staff or associate minister, to lead the Campus Ministry program.
¨ By the end of FY 2008-2009, the Campus Ministry program will offer alternative monthly services at UUCT.
Outreach Goal #3:
¨ Our membership includes an increased number of families with school-aged children and young adults, and individuals of differing sexual orientation or ethnic backgrounds.
Benchmarks:
¨ By the end of FY 2006-2007, we will develop print and Web-based information designed to appeal to these diverse audiences.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, in conjunction with Outreach Goal #1, Benchmark #3, we will develop and implement a publicity/ marketing strategy to reach out to these audiences.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, the Hospitality program will establish on-going activities beyond Sunday services to engage newcomers, friends, and others interested in our church.
FACILITIES
The strategic plan addresses facilities on two levels. The first priority is to repair our current buildings and grounds and to ensure that these are better cared for. The second priority is to initiate a lay-led planning process that explores various options to accommodate projected growth in membership and staff. The latter may involve either the expansion of existing buildings or the construction of new ones. This process will be iterative, with opportunities for the congregation to weigh in and assess whether this planning initiative should continue on. The benchmarks in the second goal assume the process is ongoing, thereby positioning us to decide whether or not to launch a capital campaign in the third year of this strategic plan.
Facilities Goal #1:
¨ We no longer have a backlog of repairs to the church’s existing facilities.
Benchmarks:
¨ By the middle of FY 2006-2007, we will repave the parking lot.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, we will have a new roof for Goddard Hall.
Facilities Goal #2:
¨ We are prepared to launch a capital campaign to build new facilities and make other improvements to our campus, in order to accommodate growth in the congregation and staff.
Benchmarks:
¨ By the end of FY 2006-2007, the congregation will create and approve design plans for our campus.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, we will complete a capital campaign feasibility study.
¨ In FY 2008-2009, the congregation will vote whether or not to launch a capital campaign for new campus plan.
FINANCE
This section of the strategic plan outlines goals and benchmarks related to future fundraising and finance policies. It does not describe how the plan will be financed, which is in the next section of the plan [to be developed after the March 5th congregational meeting on the strategic plan].
Finance Goal #1:
¨ Consistent with the strategic plan’s financial projections, at least 65% of the church’s annual operating budget will be financed entirely by pledge contributions.
Benchmarks:
¨ By the beginning of FY 2006-2007, we will establish a year-round canvass campaign.
¨ For FY 2006-2007, pledge contributions will total at least $320,000.
¨ For FY 2007-2008, pledge contributions will total at least $373,000.
¨ For FY 2008-2009, pledge contributions will total at least $430,000.
Finance Goal #2:
¨ We are actively seeking and securing planned gifts for our endowment.
Benchmarks:
¨ By the end of FY 2006-2007, the congregation will approve a revised mission statement and governance structure for the church’s Endowment and Memorial funds.
¨ By the end of FY 2006-2007, we will develop investment and allocation policies for the Endowment and Memorial funds.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, we will establish a planned giving program.
¨ By the end of FY 2008-2009, as a result of this new program, we will have received bequests or planned gifts from congregation members.
Finance Goal #3:
¨ We have instituted the necessary systems and procedures that ensure the financial integrity of our church.
Benchmarks:
¨ By the end of FY 2006-2007, we will clarify the role, structure, and policies of the Finance Committee under the new Bylaws.
¨ By the end of FY 2006-2007, we will have in hand our first CPA-audited financial statements.
¨ By the end of FY 2006-2007, we will document and institute comprehensive policies and procedures for internal financial controls that promote transparency and accountability.
¨ By the end of FY 2007-2008, we will establish and adequately fund a leadership development program that focuses on all aspects of church management and finances (budgeting, financial reporting, canvassing, planned giving, and investments).
HOW WILL WE FINANCE THIS PLAN?
A number of scenarios were considered to determine how the strategic plan could be funded. No matter what scenario was considered, all required some level of debt financing for the church.
The most conservative growth scenario--one based on no membership growth but steady annual increases in average pledge contributions—would not allow us to get out of deficit spending. The most optimistic scenario—one that shows a 10% annual increase in both membership and pledge contributions—provides us with a surplus operating budget in five years.
The scenario chosen to guide us in implementing the strategic plan is a middle-of-the-road scenario—bolstered by an assumption of 6.5% growth in membership and 8% growth in pledge contributions annually. It is a scenario that the Strategic Planning Team, Board of Trustees, and Rev. Diane Dowgiert are comfortable with.
This scenario projects a surplus in seven years. It will likely require that we secure debt financing of between $300,000 to $400,000 (total) over the next three years. The amount of total debt will depend on how well we meet our membership pledge goals.
We will use this scenario to guide our progress in implementing our strategic plan. To the extent, that we exceed or fail to meet our revenue projections, we will make adjustments accordingly and renegotiate our debt load on an annual basis.
Is this a reasonable or prudent approach? Yes, partly because we really don’t have a choice. If we cut back programs to keep our current budget in line with projected income, we will experience both loss in members and a significant psychological setback. Moreover, given that we currently carry no debt, have approximately $200,000 in endowed funds, and property that is conservatively estimated at $2 million, we can afford to carry debt.
As Robert Latham, our interim minister, has often said, “No debt, no vision.” This strategic plan outlines a vision and important steps to get us there. Now, it is up to the congregation to support this vision by voting to finance this plan.
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