The OUUC Share the Plate Program was started in 2004, with the intent to share half of the weekly church service collections with six different nonprofit organizations each calendar year, with each
organization assigned a two-month (8 services) period (the other 50% goes to the operating budget). Any ninth Sundays or services in the two-month period were given to the OUUC operating budget, Ministers Benevolence Fund, or other assigned charity such as OUUC’s partner church in Kissolymos, Romania.
How the Share the Plate Recipients are Chosen
While the six recipients per year format has not changed since inception, the STP application is updated on a regular basis as the Congregation goals and focus evolves. The members of the STP Committee (typically 4-8 OUUC Congregants) also change on an annual basis, with some members choosing to serve a year or two, and others with a longer-term commitment.
Methods of choosing the six organizations have changed over time depending on the application and Committee’s decisions. The current method consists of applicants completing an online application due between mid-September and October 31 with general organizational information, budget and focus areas and the following seven questions:
1. What is your organization’s mission statement?
2. Please give a brief history (ideally one to three paragraphs) of your organization including success and/or obstacles in carrying out work similar to those proposed in this application.
3. How is the proposed activity consistent with the Unitarian Universalist core values, and economic, climate and/or racial justice?
4. Toward helping OUUC understand what you value, please describe how you envision spending the funds, if selected.
5. What will change and how many people will be impacted as a result of this activity? How will you determine if the change occurred?
6. How are those impacted by the project involved in the design and/or evaluation of the proposed activity at a level consistent with their experience and knowledge?
7. How are you working with similar organizations or coalitions to address systemic change related to this topic?
Each question has a point value assigned, and all applications are read, evaluated and scored by each STP Committee member. The scores for each application are then summarized and ranked. The final six choices are made after reviewing the scores, as well as Racial Justice, Economic Justice, Climate Justice or Other focus areas (a mix is targeted), budget size (less than $750K is given more weight), past OUUC funding (no previous funding is given more weight), and direct/systemic activity focus (a mix is targeted). Due to the varied criteria, the top six scores are not necessarily the final six choices.
Recipients are eligible for funding every four years, and non-recipients are encouraged to apply the following year due to the ever-changing applicant pool. Organizations that have received over $1,000 from OUUC in another capacity are also not eligible for four years for STP funding.
In 2021, in an effort to help more urgent financial needs for individuals or organizations, STP started allocating 1/8 of the 50% of collections they typically receive to the Ministers Benevolence Fund. Coaching for any organization that would like to best portray their organization in their application is also available from non-STP Committee OUUC members.
During COVID, two minutes pre-recorded video presentations replaced in person visits from recipients to introduce their organization to OUUC during services. The videos have been well received and continue to be used currently. Some recipient organizations have made visits to introduce themselves after Sunday services.
How Share the Plate Funding is Determined
Most church service collections from two-month, 8-week periods are assigned as followed:
50.00% – OUUC General Operating Funds
43.75% – Share the Plate Recipients (7/8’s of 50%)
6.25% – Ministers Benevolence Funds (1/8 of 50%)
100.00% – Total
Since there are 52-53 Sundays a year (there is also a Christmas Eve service), there are typically 4-5 “extra” weeks in addition to the 6 STP recipients x 8 weeks = 48 weeks allocated as above. For these extra weeks, the funds are allocated between the Operating Fund, Ministers Benevolence Fund and other long-term partnerships or ad hoc needs. The approximate annual allocation is shown below:
Past Share the Plate Recipients Since 2004
| Two-Month Period | Recipient Organization Name |
| Sep-Oct 2004 | SafePlace |
| Nov-Dec 2004 | Stonewall Youth |
| Jan-Feb 2005 | Fellowship of Reconciliation |
| Mar-Apr 2005 | Climate Solutions |
| May-Jun 2005 | Media Island International |
| Jul-Aug 2005 | GRUB |
| Sep-Oct 2005 | Capitol Land Trust |
| Nov-Dec 2005 | Bread and Roses |
| Jan-Feb 2006 | Olympia-Rafah Sister City Project |
| Mar-Apr 2006 | SPS Environmental Clearinghouse |
| May-Jun 2006 | Turning Pointe |
| Jul-Aug 2006 | Choice Regional Health Network’s Assist. |
| Sep-Oct 2006 | Monarch Children’s Justice & Advocacy |
| Nov-Dec 2006 | Nisqually Land Trust |
| Jan-Feb 2007 | TCTV |
| Mar-Apr 2007 | Camp Quixote |
| May-Jun 2007 | Dispute Resolution Center |
| Jul-Aug 2007 | Neighborhood Free Medical Clinic |
| Sep-Oct 2007 | Rosie’s Place |
| Nov-Dec 2007 | CIELO Project/Radio Ranch |
| Jan-Feb 2008 | Left Foot Organics |
| Mar-Apr 2008 | Thurston County Food Bank |
| May-Jun 2008 | Family Education and Support Services |
| Jul-Aug 2008 | Sustainable South Sound |
| Sep-Oct 2008 | Mason County Literacy |
| Nov-Dec 2008 | Partners in Prevention Education |
| Jan-Feb 2009 | Coffee Strong |
| Mar-Apr 2009 | Thurston County Food Bank |
| May-Jun 2009 | Enterprise for Equity |
| Jul-Aug 2009 | Birth Attendants Prison Doula Project |
| Sep-Oct 2009 | United Communities AIDS Network |
| Nov-Dec 2009 | Iraqi Student Solidarity Committee |
| Jan-Feb 2010 | CIELO Project/Radio Ranch |
| Mar-Apr 2010 | South Sound Family Services |
| May-Jun 2010 | Entertainment Explosion |
| Jul-Aug 2010 | GRUB |
| Sep-Oct 2010 | UU Voices |
| Nov-Dec 2010 | Associated Ministries Camp |
| Jan-Feb 2011 | Family Support Center |
| Mar-Apr 2011 | Northwest Eco Building Guild |
| May-Jun 2011 | Haven House |
| Jul-Aug 2011 | Out of the Woods |
| Sep-Oct 2011 | Olympia Free Clinic |
| Nov-Dec 2011 | Dispute Resolution Center |
| Jan-Feb 2012 | Pizza Klatch |
| Mar-Apr 2012 | Union Gospel Mission Dental Clinic |
| May -Jun 2012 | Children’s Advocacy Center of Grays Harbor |
| Jul-Aug 2012 | Homes First! |
| Sep-Oct 2012 | Turning Pointe |
| Nov-Dec 2012 | Capital Clubhouse |
| Jan-Feb 2013 | Sidewalk Advocacy and Support |
| Mar-Apr 2013 | POWER |
| May-Jun 2013 | CIELO Project/Radio Ranch |
| Jul-Aug 2013 | YWCA of Olympia |
| Sep-Oct 2013 | South Sound Family Services |
| Nov-Dec 2013 | Veterans for Peace |
| Jan-Feb 2014 | The People’s House |
| Mar-Apr 2014 | Rebuilding Together Thurston County |
| May-Jun 2014 | GRUB |
| Jul-Aug 2014 | Olympia Free Clinic |
| Sep-Oct 2014 | Amahoro House |
| Nov-Dec 2014 | Thurston County Food Bank |
| Jan-Feb 2015 | Senior Services for South Sound |
| Mar-Apr 2015 | Crisis Clinic of Thurston and Mason Counties |
| May-Jun 2015 | The Community Kitchen |
| Jul-Aug 2015 | STARS Adult Day Program |
| Sep-Oct 2015 | South Sound Parent to Parent |
| Nov-Dec 2015 | Pizza Klatch |
| Jan-Feb 2016 | Nature Nurtures Farm |
| Mar-Apr 2016 | Dispute Resolution Center |
| May-Jun 2016 | Raising a Reader |
| Jul-Aug 2016 | Ibsen Adoption Network |
| Sep-Oct 2016 | Providence St. Peter Sexual Assault Clinic |
| Nov-Dec 2016 | CIELO Project/Radio Ranch |
| Jan-Feb 2017 | Partners in Prevention Education |
| Mar-Apr 2017 | CARE Fund |
| May-Jun 2017 | Union Gospel Mission Dental Clinic |
| Jul-Aug 2017 | Morningside |
| Sep-Oct 2018 | South Sound Family Services |
| Nov-Dec 2017 | South Sound Estuary Association |
| Jan-Feb 2018 | Interfaith Works Emergency Shelter |
| Mar-Apr 2018 | GRUB |
| May-Jun 2018 | Thurston Climate Action Team |
| Jul-Aug 2018 | SafePlace |
| Sep-Oct 2018 | YWCA of Olympia |
| Nov-Dec 2018 | Olympia Free Clinic |
| Jan-Feb 2019 | Homeless Backpacks |
| Mar-Apr 2019 | Catholic Comm Services of Western WA Comm Kitchen |
| May-Jun 2019 | Pizza Klatch |
| Jul-Aug 2019 | Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services |
| Sep-Oct 2019 | Child Care Action Council |
| Nov-Dec 2019 | Dry Tikes and Wet Wipes |
| Jan-Feb 2020 | Help Us Move In |
| Mar-Apr 2020 | Sharing Teens & Elder Project (STEP) |
| May-Jun 2020 | Crisis Clinic of Thurston and Mason Counties |
| Jul-Aug 2020 | OSD Principal’s Emergency Fund |
| Sep-Oct 2020 | CIELO Mental Health program |
| Nov-Dec 2020 | Senior Services for South Sound (Focus: Trans Dept) |
| Jan-Feb 2021 | Wild Greif |
| Mar-Apr 2021 | Garden Raised Bounty (GRUB) |
| May-Jun 2021 | Quixote Communities |
| Jul-Aug 2021 | Family Support Center |
| Sep-Oct 2021 | Rebuilding Together Thurston County |
| Nov-Dec 2021 | The Mayday Foundation |
| Jan-Feb 2022 | Thurston Climate Action Team |
| Mar-Apr 2022 | Olympia Mutual Aid Partners (OlyMAP) |
| May-Jun 2022 | Homes First |
| Jul-Aug 2022 | SafePlace |
| Sep-Oct 2022 | The Olympia Free Clinic |
| Nov-Dec 2022 | Olympia Books for Prisoners |
| Jan-Feb 2023 | The Community Kitchen |
| Mar-Apr 2023 | HOPE Garden Project (Hands On Personal Empowerment) |
| May-Jun 2023 | Arrest and Jail Alternatives Program – CCS |
| Jul-Aug 2023 | Haki Farmers Collective |
| Sep-Oct 2023 | Black Power Pathways |
| Nov-Dec 2023 | Olympia Community Solar |
| Jan-Feb 2024 | Thurston County Medical Equipment Bank |
| Mar-Apr 2024 | The Hawk Foundation for Research and Education in African Culture |
| May-Jun 2024 | Crisis Clinic of Thurston & Mason Counties |
| Jul-Aug 2024 | South Sound Reading Foundation |
| Sep-Oct 2024 | All Kids Win |
| Nov-Dec 2024 | Collaborative Association for Reintegration & Education |
| Jan-Feb 2025 | Panza dba New Horizon Communities |
| Mar-Apr 2025 | Wild Grief |
| May-Jun 2025 | Multicultural Service Center of South Sound |
| Jul-Aug 2025 | GRuB (Garden-Raised Bounty) |
| Sep-Oct 2025 | South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity |
| Nov-Dec 2025 | Rebuilding Together Thurston County |
Share the Plate Historical Funding
Contributions have risen over time, with recent annual contributions 50% higher than prior to 2009. This has allowed STP to distribute $2,800-$3,200 in 2024.
Share the Plate Committee
The Share the Plate Committee consists of the following members:
We’re always looking for new members, so contact Bob Brennand if you are interested in serving on the STP Committee. The bulk of the work occurs between late August to November as we update the STP application, contact organizations to apply, then evaluate and score them in November each year. We also work with the recipients to prepare their introduction videos throughout the year. It’s a great way to learn more about the various nonprofit organizations helping to make the South Sound area a better community.
