UUCP logo next to colorful text: UUCP Share the Plate

Our Share the Plate ministry is one way we breathe life into our commitment to be agents of change in our community. In 2008, UUCP began donating one Sunday’s collection plate each month to a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the community—this amounted to 3% of the UUCP operating budget. 

In April 2022, we started splitting our weekly offering 50/50 with a different organization each month, because we feel this approach better reflects our values. The current recipient can be found in the sidebar on this page.

Please Donate to Share the Plate

The Share the Plate team oversees the selection of the organizations that will receive a donation. Past recipients include: TransMentors, Interfaith Cooperative Ministries, Circulo de Amigas, Booker T. Washington Child Development Center, the Permaculture Guild, Hogar Materno, Fresh Start Women’s Resource Center, UMOM New Day Center, The Family School, the UUA, and the UU Service Committee.

How to Apply

The Share the Plate team operates on a 4–6 month cycle, so we cannot guarantee that funding for specific events will occur in a timely manner. Please email any questions or requests to apply for donations to sharetheplate@phoenixuu.org.  

Selection Criteria

  • The recipient organization must be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in the US, or have a fiscal sponsorship arrangement with an organization that has 501(c)(3) status.
  • The mission, purpose, and practices of the recipient organization must be aligned with those of UUCP.
  • Recipients must have some connection to UUCP through shared work, affinity, recommendation, or sponsorship by a UUCP member or other UUCP support.
  • The donation must make a significant contribution to the organization’s programs, with the majority of funds going toward such programming. Preference will be given to organizations with smaller budgets.
  • Recipients must have a budget that is mindful of the balance between program and administrative costs.
  • Organizations with local programs that serve beneficiaries in the Valley will be given priority. However, we will also consider non-local programs with a strong connection to UUCP members.
  • Preference will be given to new nominations. Recipients will generally receive a donation only once per year.

Interested in Joining Our Team?

This document provides information about our mission and activities and what we expect of our members: Share the Plate. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, please email sharetheplate@phoenixuu.org.