By the Numbers

Rev__Exp_Board_-_June_2025.pdf

Finance Summary FY 2024-25                  Daniel Trollinger, Executive Minister (August 2025)

4Q Finance Update

Building on a good foundation in the past several years, giving patterns seem to match the growth we are seeing in attendance and membership. ERUUF is in a very stable position with multiple designated funds for specific and strategic purposes. Overall, this has been an amazing financial year for the Fellowship.

Prompted by an unsolicited challenge grant, we completed a special campaign to replenish key reserve funds. Pledges and gifts: $596,650, challenge grant: $250,000 = $846,650 total from 112 pledge units.

We celebrate a successful pledge drive that yielded the highest pledge total to date for ERUUF (for the third year in a row). For FY 2025-26 the congregation responded in a generous way to the pledge drive (“Planting Seeds Now”) in order to support the vision and mission of the Fellowship: 395 pledging households for a total of $960,000.

A growing membership with ongoing pledge commitments and generosity will support the budget in the near term as a sustainable long-term financial plan is developed over the next year. A task force has been established to develop this long-term financial plan, which will include member development work, membership growth, building Foundation and reserve funds, legacy giving, possible capital campaign, and more. We will be working with the Board, BFAC, Coordinating Team and key ERUUF leaders to prepare for a sustainable financial future.

Highlights for FY 2024-25:

• Rental income increased for the year ($76,595 for 24-25 versus $63,703 for 23-24).

• Generous gifts for outside organizations (Over $45,000 donated beyond our walls!)
  • Generosity Sundays:
    • Slice 325 ($2,385)
    • Equity Before Birth ($2,985)
    • CWS Immigration Solidarity Fund ($4,165)
    • Transplanting Traditions Community Farm ($ 1,906)
    • Church World Service ($ 5,728)
    • Reality Ministries ($ 2,071)

• Special Collections (Total = $4,843)
  • UUSC ($2,561)
  • Jazz Vespers ($926, plus amount from Minister’s Discretionary Fund = $1,000 to local non-profit, Village of Wisdom)
  • Meadville Theological Seminary ($1356)
• November Justice month, Hurricane Helene Relief ($21,592)

• Most budget lines are at budget, though some are slightly above budget. This is a sign of growth and the return of program activity, full staffing, and engaged participation. Examples:
  1. Music and worship -- higher due to special services and programs.
  2. Membership - higher due to coffee and influx of new members.
  3. Information Technology - higher as our tech needs continue to grow as our systems become more complex (livestream, multiplatform, remote access, AV upgrades, and full staffing).
  4. Administration/Other Supplies/Facilities – higher due to inflation, cost of doing business (like bank fees with increased giving); new outdoor furniture, etc.
  5. Property Insurance increase. This pattern is showing up at churches across the US. The UUA is gathering data and working directly with Church Mutual to address hardships placed on local congregations with significant cost hikes or loss of insurance coverage altogether.

Key Balances (as of June 30, 2025)

**In June some funds were cashed out of the Treasury bills investment in order ensure sufficient cash flow for the summer.

As noted on the Balance sheet, our cash position is over $130K at the end of June, which will only increase as the program year begins.

Inside the Numbers

The planned reserve transfer is included as a line item in the Rev/Exp to balance the budget. The transfer is a bookkeeping adjustment and only occurs at the end of the fiscal year to cover the final YTD net -$94,868 which will not show on the June Rev/Exp report. There will be a transfer of $94,8681 from the Strategic Initiative Fund to balance the budget (versus $129,000 planned transfer). The variance from budget is mainly due to income from increased contributions and pledge gifts.

The Strategic Initiatives Fund balance is not static, especially at the turn of the fiscal year. The July balance sheet will record the new balance after the transfer to balance FY 2024-25, and the annual adjustment to General Reserve Fund (per policy).

The upcoming 2025-26 budget includes a planned transfer of $150,000.

Gifts for the Special Campaign are temporarily held in a fund, pending final confirmation from BFAC on the allocation recommendation amounts to Strategic Initiatives Fund and Campus Needs Fund going forward. 

Loan for AV to help extend Strategic Initiatives Fund:

Amount of Loan: $114K.              Term: 5 years, 3.2%.                     Monthly payment: $2,060.

This is listed as a liability on the Balance Sheet with only the interest expense posting to the monthly Revenue/Expense report. Current loan balance (6.30.25): $34,195

Facilities

As our buildings age, things need to be replaced or repaired. This year’s major projects:

New ice maker in Fellowship Hall             HVAC repair in multiple locations

Roof repair in Care Bldg.                            Parking lot gravel                                       

Boards on deck walkway                            Accessible door repair

Roof repairs                                                 Ceiling/wall repair (Fellowship Hall kitchen)

Floors refinished (Care bldg. & Sanctuary)

Annual costs for scheduled maintenance generally run about $70-75,000 per year.