FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO

Religious Congregation Servicesfirstuusandiego.org

First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego, founded in 1873, operates two San Diego campuses providing progressive worship, lifespan religious education, social justice programs, arts programming, and a weekly food pantry, funded by member pledges, donations, and facility rentals.

Company typePrivate
Founded1873
HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO does

First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego is an independent, non-profit religious congregation established in 1873, affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and operating across two campuses in San Diego County. The Hillcrest Campus (4190 Front Street) houses the primary 436-seat Meeting House along with Clark Chapel, Bard Hall, and meeting rooms; the South Bay Campus operates out of Saint John's Episcopal Church in Chula Vista and hosts a 2 pm Sunday service plus a weekly food and diaper pantry serving approximately 500 households and over 1,700 individuals. The congregation offers Sunday worship services both in-person and via YouTube livestream with embedded ASL interpretation, alongside lifespan programming including Children's Religious Education (Pre-K through Grade 12), youth programs, Our Whole Lives sexuality education, Young Adult Ministry, adult faith formation, music ensembles (Chalice Choir, Women's Choir, Las Campanas Handbell Ensemble), Looking Glass Theatre, meditation groups, Wisdom Circles small-group ministry, and Caring Ministry pastoral support.

Social justice programming is a central organizing principle, encompassing Climate Justice, Reproductive Justice, Sanctuary, Palestine-Israel Justice, Generosity Offerings, Rainbow Action (LGBTQ+ advocacy), and partnerships with San Diego Organizing Project and the UU Service Committee. The church's revenue model is built on voluntary member pledges signed annually through a Bond of Union with no minimum, augmented by donations, planned giving (bequests, trusts, retirement beneficiary designations), vehicle donations, an annual Dining for Dollars auction program, and facility rentals to outside groups. Underlying technology is modest and operational rather than differentiated: a website with livestreaming, Realm/OnRealm for online donations, Zoom for virtual meetings, and Eventbrite for event registration. The organization is governed by elected congregational leadership with ministers and a board, supported by a staff of approximately 12 including a Director of Operations, Director of Spiritual Exploration and Worship Arts, Membership and Social Justice Coordinator, Youth and Young Adult Coordinator, and program-specific roles.

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO firmographics

Firmographics

Name: FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO
Legal name: First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego
Website: https://firstuusandiego.org
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1873
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego, founded in 1873, operates two San Diego campuses providing progressive worship, lifespan religious education, social justice programs, arts programming, and a weekly food pantry, funded by member pledges, donations, and facility rentals.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO industry classification

Industry

Product category: Religious Congregation Services
NAICS: Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110)
akta.pro primary industry: Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)
akta.pro secondary industry: Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

Religious congregation services
Faith community programs
Social justice ministry
Religious education programs
Worship services

Where FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: San Diego
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

Donations and Pledges: Primary revenue stream through voluntary donations and annual pledges from members. Members sign a Bond of Union and make a pledge of financial support in any amount. Pledges are made annually with payments flexibility.
Dining for Dollars: Auction-based fundraising program where members host events (dinners, tours, workshops) and others bid on spaces. Running for over 10 years with record of 147 events and over $60,000 contributed in 2015.
Planned Giving: Deferred giving options including bequests, trusts, securities, real estate, and beneficiary designations for IRAs, 401Ks, life insurance, and retirement plans.
Vehicle Donations: Accept donated vehicles as a stress-free giving option for supporters.
Facility Rentals: Rental income from Meeting House, Clark Chapel, Bard Hall, and other spaces to outside groups. Discounts offered to qualifying 501(c)(3) social justice organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO product offering

Product offering

Core offering

First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego is a religious congregation operating two campuses (Hillcrest and South Bay) that delivers weekly worship services, lifespan religious education from preschool through adult, music and performing arts programs, social justice initiatives, pastoral care, and community services including a weekly food pantry serving approximately 500 households. The congregation also generates income through facility rentals of meeting spaces.

Product overview

First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego is a religious congregation offering spiritual, educational, and community programs through two campuses (Hillcrest and South Bay). The church's offerings center on Sunday worship services (in-person and online), religious education programs spanning children, youth, and adults, music and performing arts (choirs, handbell ensemble, theatre), and social justice initiatives including a food pantry. The church operates as a community ministry rather than a commercial product company, with programs organized into Ministry Teams for Social Justice, Worship Arts, Spiritual Exploration, Congregational Life, and Sustaining Community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Sunday Worship Services
Adult Faith Formation Program

Quantifiable outcome

Served over 1,700 individuals weekly through food pantry in 2025
+1 more outcomes

Companies that use FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO

Customer profile

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

Unitarian Church of Brassó (Romania)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991Partner Church relationship since 1991, connecting First UU San Diego with the Unitarian Church of Brassó in Romania. Part of the Larger UU Connections ministry team focused on denominational and international relationships.
UU Church at Malingin (Philippines)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner Church connection to UU congregation at Malingin in the Philippines. Supporting international UU community connections and shared ministry.
San Diego Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner organization providing food products and support for the South Bay Food Pantry operations serving food-insecure community members.
Feeding San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for free food assistance programs. Church collaborates with Feeding San Diego to provide hunger-relief services to the community through the South Bay Food Pantry.
UUA (Unitarian Universalist Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral UU organization connection providing denominational support, resources, and connection to the larger UU faith tradition across the United States.
Camp de Benneville PinesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForest retreat center in San Bernardino mountains supported by Friends of de Benneville Pines group. Church community uses camp for renewals and spiritual retreats.
UU Service Committee (UUSC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoluntary, non-sectarian organization working to advance justice throughout the world. Church connects members to UUSC programs and initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin: Progressive UU congregation with active social justice programming, lifespan RE, and arts programs — direct UU peer operating at comparable scale and demographic mix.
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston: Large UU congregation in a major Sunbelt metro, with comparable progressive programming and community outreach scale.
East Shore Unitarian Church: Mid-to-large UU congregation with progressive theology, strong lifespan programming, and social justice ministry — comparable UU peer.
All Souls Church Unitarian (Washington DC): Historic, large UU congregation (founded 1821) known for progressive theology, social justice activism, and comprehensive programming — a benchmark UU peer.
First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles: Large UU congregation in Los Angeles with similar progressive programming, social justice focus, lifespan RE, and arts programming — directly comparable UU peer in Southern California.

Regional players

Center for Spiritual Living San Diego: Progressive New Thought spiritual community in San Diego with similar inclusive theology and programming — competes for the same progressive religious-seeker demographic in the same metro.
Jewish Community Center of San Diego: Large faith-community organization in San Diego offering worship-equivalent programming, lifespan education, social services, and facility rentals — comparable community-building model.
Unity Church of San Diego: Progressive spiritual community in San Diego offering similar inclusive, seeker-friendly programming — regional competitor for the same target audience.
St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral (San Diego): Established mainline Christian congregation in San Diego operating comparable worship, education, and community-outreach programming in the same metro.

Others

San Diego Organizing Project: Faith-based community organizing nonprofit in San Diego; named partner of First UU San Diego and adjacent in mission and operating geography — comparable as a social-justice-oriented faith-rooted organization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO

What does FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO do?

Is FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO a public or private company?

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO founded?

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO was founded in 1873. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO based?

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.

How does FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO make money?

Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Pledges are the primary driver. The others are dining for Dollars, planned Giving, vehicle Donations and facility Rentals.

Who are FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, East Shore Unitarian Church, All Souls Church Unitarian (Washington DC) and First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles. Regional players are Center for Spiritual Living San Diego, Jewish Community Center of San Diego, Unity Church of San Diego and St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral (San Diego). San Diego Organizing Project is listed as an others.

Does FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO have an API?

No public API is recorded for FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO.

What industry is FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO in?

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO's product category is Religious Congregation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAA, Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues), with a secondary code of EDALAHAI, Campus Spiritual & Religious Life. Its NAICS code is 8131.