TPUUF Donations Policy
(Approved by the Congregation 3/27/99The Purpose of This Policy)

In September 1998, as a result of its findings, the Facilitation Planning Committee proposed the development of a policy regarding financial and property (i.e., goods) donations to TPUUF. The committee’s intent in developing the donations policy was to provide a means by which members and friends of the Fellowship could donate money and/or material objects to meet the Fellowship’s needs without causing conflict among the membership.

The following were the committee’s goals:

  1. To develop specific guidelines regarding the implementation of donations to the Fellowship so as to minimize conflicts of interest and the impression that conditions are attached by the donor to the gift.
  2. To establish procedures by which the needs of the Fellowship can be made known to potential donors. (See “Wish Lists”)
  3. To establish procedures by which donations can be evaluated, accepted, and/or refused if the “best interests” of TPUUF are compromised.
  4. To work closely with the Aesthetics, Grounds, and Building Committees and the Cremains Ad Hoc Workgroup to establish policies regarding donation of memorials.

This policy is the result of the Facilitation Planning Committee’s work. The policy was presented to and approved by the Board on February 19, 1999.

Types of Donations Defined in this Policy:

  1. Endowment Donations
  2. General Operating Donations
    • Canvas/Pledge Drive
    • Fundraisers
  3. Generally Defined Donations
  4. Donations with Specific Intent (Donations In-Kind)
  5. Anonymous Donations
  6. Memorial Donations
  7. Donations Made on Behalf of the Fellowship
Endowment Donations

Monetary donations to be turned over to the Endowment Committee for investment.

General Operating Donations

Monetary donations with no specified expenditure. Includes donations to the annual canvass drive and board-approved fund-raisers. There are no restrictions on the size of General Operating Donations.

Items donated with the sole intent of re-sale as part of a fundraiser are to be considered General Operation Donations.

Generally Defined Donations

Monetary and property (i.e., goods) donations to be spent/used for a purpose specified by the donor but whose implementation is the responsibility of the accepting body. Consideration, acceptance (refusal) and implementation of Defined Donations are dependent upon the dollar amount or value of the donation, as specified below. Appraisals of property donations are the responsibility of the donor, with items valued above $200 requiring certified appraisal and/or other evidence of value.

Type A Defined Donations

Type A donations are donations made to a specific committee(s) with a value of up to $500 or no more than 50% of the committee’s annual budget. Consideration, acceptance (refusal) and implementation of the donation are the responsibility of the committee, and cannot jeopardize any outstanding balance of the committee’s annual budget.

Type B Defined Donations

Type B donations are donations made to a specific committee(s) with a value between $501 and $2000 or more than 50% of the committee’s annual budget. Consideration, acceptance (refusal) and implementation of the donation are the responsibility of the Board of Trustees. The Board may consult with the affected committee(s) in deciding to accept or reject the donation, and may assign a specific committee(s) to implement the donation.

Type B donations that exceed $500 (or 50% of annual budget) cannot be implemented by the donor or the donor’s immediate family. This restriction includes, but is not limited to:

  • Overseeing the implementation of the donation (i.e., supervising contractors, hired personnel and/or volunteers).
  • Chairing the committee assigned to implement the donation (may step-down and let the committee appoint a temporary chairperson).
  • Changing the scope of a donation once implementation has begun.
Type C Defined Donations

Type C donations are donations in excess of $2,000. Consideration, acceptance (refusal) and implementation of the donation are the responsibility of the membership. The Board of Trustees is responsible for calling a Congregational Meeting and preparing information regarding the donation for consideration by the membership.

Type C donations that exceed $2000 cannot be implemented by the donor or the donor’s immediate family. This restriction includes, but is not limited to:

  • Overseeing the implementation of the donation (i.e., supervising contractors, hired personnel and/or volunteers).
  • Chairing the committee assigned to implement the donation (may step-down and let the committee appoint a temporary chairperson).
  • Changing the scope of a donation once implementation has begun.
Donations with Specific Intent (Donations “In-Kind”)

Monetary, service, and property donations with specific intent and/or donations “in-kind” may be exempt from the restrictions outlined above as long as the information below is specified as part of the donation. The value of the donation will determine whether the committee (<=$500), Board ($501-$2000), or membership (>$2000) is responsible for considering the donation.

Required information regarding Donations with Specific Intent:

  • Monetary value of the donation
  • Intended use (i.e., for a specific committee, for the Fellowship as a whole, etc.)
  • Implementation details:
  • What role does the donor(s) have in its implementation (i.e., recommending and supervising contractors, installation, etc.).
  • Time-line involved.
  • Expected inconveniences to fellowship functions during implementation.
  • Committees expected to be involved in the implementation.

Donors may provide all details pertaining to the implementation of the donation, however it is suggested that potential donors work in cooperation with the appropriate standing committee(s) in preparation for formal consideration.
All donations made in kind must either be accepted or rejected as presented. The committee/Board/membership considering the donation may not negotiate the parameters of the donation once presented; donations must be accepted/rejected “as-is,” else the donation is restricted by the requirements of Generally Defined Donations.

Anonymous Donations

Anonymous donations must meet requirements as outlined above, with the following exceptions:

  • For Generally Defined Donations and Donations with Specific Intent, in order to protect the anonymity of the donor(s), the Board (committee) will consider the donation in an executive session. The donation will be reviewed and if necessary, arrangements for its implementation will be made so that conflicts-of-interest will be minimized.
  • Details of an anonymous donation, once agreed upon by the Board (committee) and the donor cannot be altered by the Fellowship. Such donations can only be accepted “as-is.”
Memorial Donations

Donations made as memorials must adhere to the guidelines previously mentioned. Upon receiving a memorial donation which falls into the Type B or Type C category, the following information shall be placed on a Memorial Board in the main lobby of the fellowship:

  • Name of the donor
  • Item(s) donated (or item(s) obtained as a direct result of the memorial)
  • Name of the person(s) in whose memory the item is donated
  • Date of donation

The Memorial Board shall be maintained by the Library Committee. All memorial plates shall be of standard size and shall contain information about the donation as outlined above.

Recognition of memorial donations categorized as Type A shall be the responsibility of the accepting committee.

Property/items shall not be named (e.g., “Jack Smith Memorial Sidewalk”), but may contain a modest notation as to the donor and person in whose memory it has been donated (e.g., “This hymnal was donated in memory of Jack Smith by Jill Smith on July 4, 1998”).

Donations Made on Behalf of the Fellowship

Prior to donations being made to an outside organization “on behalf” of TPUUF, the request must be made to the Board, who may either approve (reject) the request or defer the matter to the membership.

Wish Lists

The Office Committee shall be responsible for maintaining and posting a master “wish list” of items/services desired by committees/board of TPUUF. Each committee is responsible for submitting a list of desired items/services to the Office Committee on a regular basis.