PLANNED GIVING: Leaving a Legacy

If the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Charlottesville feels like family to you, Leaving a Legacy of love through your will creates a meaningful path of love and justice. Whether you’re drafting your first will or updating an existing one, your bequest to our congregation helps sustain our beloved community for generations to come. In a world where hate and oppression often make claim to religious truth, UUCville stands as a beacon of radical inclusivity, democracy, and collective liberation.

Estate Planning Toolkit

It’s never too early to begin your estate planning journey—a critical step in securing your legacy and providing for your loved ones. Our comprehensive Estate Planning toolkit offers some guidance to navigate this important process. Download this interactive resource today (or download and print it) to take the first step toward peace of mind.

UUCville Estate Planning Toolkit Interactive

Ways to Give

There are many ways you can make a planned gift to UUCville:

Bequests in your will or trust—perhaps the simplest form of planned giving! Just include UUCville as a beneficiary in your estate documents.

Beneficiary designations from retirement accounts or life insurance policies—an easy change that costs nothing during your lifetime.

Charitable gift annuities that provide income to you during your lifetime while ultimately supporting our congregation.

Donor-advised funds that offer immediate tax benefits while allowing you to recommend grants to our congregation over time.

The financial advantages can be significant—from income tax deductions to avoiding capital gains taxes—but the true joy comes from knowing your generosity will nurture our shared community home for generations to come!

As with any substantial gift, we recommend consulting your tax and legal professionals.

Where to direct your gifts?

Nurturing Our Greatest Needs – The UUCville Common Endowment

By directing your bequest to the UUCville Common Endowment Fund, you will ensure that it addresses the congregation’s greatest needs and provides flexibility to meet future challenges and opportunities.  Unrestricted or designated bequests are placed in the Endowment Fund. UUCville’s endowment is invested with the UUA Common Endowment. The Endowment Fund truly is a gift that keeps giving while growing! The Board of Trustees may thoughtfully distribute a percentage of interest annually to support our mission as community needs evolve. What a generous way for your values to create ripples of positive change for generations to come.

Sustaining Our Sacred Gathering Place – The Bristol Fund

The Bristol Fund provides dedicated support for the essential improvements, repairs, and maintenance of our buildings. Your gift ensures a vibrant, inclusive campus where people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs find belonging and connection in our beloved community!

Lifting Spirits Through Music – The Abrahamse Fund

The Abrahamse Fund enriches our worship experience by supporting the music program. From revered melodies and harmonies to inspirational choir performances and moving instrumental pieces, your gift helps music continue to unite and inspire our beloved community.

Growing Our Spiritual Leaders – The Cheetham Fund

The Cheetham Fund provides essential support and training for those dedicated volunteers who nurture our children’s, youth’s, and adult’s spiritual growth. Your generosity ensures our religious education programs remain vibrant and meaningful, led by well-prepared volunteers who guide our lifelong quest for truth and meaning.

As you consider a bequest through Planned Giving, speaking with the ministry or a member of the Planned Giving Committee ensures that your gift can be accepted and used in a way that honors your wishes.

Suggested Bequest  Language

Please share the following suggested bequest language with your attorney to assist in drafting a will or codicil or to designate UUCville as a beneficiary of your estate. The UUCville tax-exempt federal identification number is (EIN) #54-06788643.

Unrestricted Gift

I give to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Charlottesville, located in Charlottesville, Virginia, _________% of my estate or the sum of $____________________ for its general purposes.

Restricted Gift

I give to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Charlottesville, located in Charlottesville, Virginia,  _________% of my estate or the sum of $____________________ to be used for [stated purpose]. If at any time in the judgment of the congregation’s board of trustees, it is deemed impossible or impracticable to carry out the above purpose, said trustees shall determine a purpose as near as possible to that description above.

Beneficiary Designation

Consider naming the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Charlottesville as a beneficiary of your existing account in a donor-advised fund, a retirement plan, IRA account, or a life insurance policy.

Already included UUCville in your estate plan? Let us know.

Fill out the Confidential Planned Giving Intent Form!

UUCville Planned Giving Intent Form 2025

Your thoughtful planning brings comfort and assurance while ensuring that UUCville continues its vital work of building beloved community well into the future. What a perfect way for you to affirm the interconnected web that binds us together!

For further information, please contact:

The Planned Giving Team of the UUCville’s Stewardship Steering Committee at: SSC@uucharlottesville.org