First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

Religious Congregation Servicesuusf.org

The First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco is a 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit founded in 1850 that delivers weekly worship, religious education, music programs, social justice ministries, and community groups to members and friends in the San Francisco Bay Area, funded primarily by voluntary member pledges and facility rentals.

Company typePrivate
Founded1850
HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
Headcount1–10
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco does

The First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco (UUSF) is an independent 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit founded in 1850, operating from a historic complex at 1187 Franklin Street in San Francisco. It is one of the oldest continuously operating Unitarian Universalist congregations in the Western United States, with a legacy tied to Thomas Starr King's Civil War-era ministry. The organization is governed by a member-elected Board of Trustees and is a chartered member of the Unitarian Universalist Association without ownership or control by that national body.

UUSF delivers a portfolio of community and spiritual programs centered on weekly Sunday worship services held in-person and livestreamed via YouTube, supported by a music ministry (adult choir, bell choir, organ), children's and youth religious education, adult spiritual growth programs (meditation, book groups, New UU classes), and identity-based affinity groups (20s & 30s, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Men's, Women's). Its technology stack is largely off-the-shelf: Wix-hosted website, Vanco for online donations, YouTube and Podbean/Apple Podcasts for content distribution, Zoom for hybrid programming, Google Forms for registrations, and WhatsApp for young-adult group chat. The organization also publishes a weekly newsletter (The Flame) and a magazine-style podcast (Pod and Country).

UUSF's revenue model combines voluntary annual member pledges (the 2026-27 pledge drive goal is $825,000), facility rentals of its sanctuary (475 seats), chapel (80 seats) and meeting rooms, fee-based wedding and memorial services, and minimum-donation flower dedications. Go-to-market is community-led — word-of-mouth referrals, newcomer orientations, and hybrid worship — rather than traditional sales or advertising. The entity serves a horizontally segmented base of individuals and families in the San Francisco Bay Area seeking a liberal, LGBTQ+-inclusive spiritual home, with digital channels extending its content reach globally.

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco firmographics

Firmographics

Name: First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco
Legal name: First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco
Website: https://uusf.org
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1850
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1–10 employees
Short description: The First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco is a 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit founded in 1850 that delivers weekly worship, religious education, music programs, social justice ministries, and community groups to members and friends in the San Francisco Bay Area, funded primarily by voluntary member pledges and facility rentals.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco industry classification

Industry

Product category: Religious Congregation Services
NAICS: Religious Organizations (8131)
SIC: Services-Educational Services (8200)
akta.pro primary industry: Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)
akta.pro secondary industries: Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Religious Music & Worship Broadcasting (MPABALAN)

Keywords

Religious congregation services
Worship and spiritual programs
Religious education
Social justice ministry
Facility rentals

Where First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

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

Offices1 record

Markets served

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco business model

Business model

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

Revenue model

Member Pledges and Donations: Annual pledge drive asks members to commit financial support for the fiscal year. Pledges can be paid online via Vanco platform, by check, or other means. The 2026-27 pledge drive goal was $825,000.
Facility Rentals: The church rents out various spaces including the Sanctuary (seating 475), Chapel (seating 80), Starr King Room (seating 250), and other meeting rooms to non-profit organizations, religious groups, and individuals for events, seminars, conferences, celebrations, and meetings.
Wedding and Memorial Services: Provides wedding ceremonies, commitment ceremonies, and memorial services for members and non-members. Includes options for musicians, clergy, and premarital counseling.
Flower Dedications: Weekly flower arrangements in the Sanctuary can be dedicated in memory or honor of loved ones with a minimum donation of $50.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Subscription	Annual	Membership pledge (voluntary)

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco product offering

Product offering

Core offering

UUSF provides weekly worship services (in-person and livestreamed via YouTube), religious education programs for children, youth, and adults, pastoral care through ordained ministers, music ministry featuring choir and organ, social justice programming, and life-event services including weddings, commitment ceremonies, and memorials. The congregation also rents its historic Sanctuary, Chapel, and meeting rooms to outside groups for events and gatherings.

Product overview

The First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco offers a comprehensive suite of spiritual and community programs centered around weekly worship services, religious education across all ages, and social justice engagement. The organization provides in-person and digital access to worship via YouTube livestream, distributes content through The Flame weekly newsletter and the Pod and Country podcast, and operates a robust music program featuring choir, bell choir, and organ performances. Facility rentals of their historic sanctuary and meeting spaces provide additional community engagement. Youth and family programming includes Sunday school with Soul Matters curriculum, while adult spiritual growth encompasses meditation groups, book clubs, and workshops. Young adult ministry (ages 18-39) operates separately with its own newsletter (DYNAMITE) and programming calendar.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Weekly Worship Services In-person and livestreamed Sunday worship services held at 10:50 AM featuring sermons, music, and reflections. Services are accessible both physically at the 475-seat Sanctuary and via YouTube livestream. Open to the general community, members, and visitors.
Children and Youth Religious Education Sunday school programming for children from nursery through 12th grade, including the Soul Matters curriculum for all ages, Lego ValUUes for K-5th grades, and a youth group for 6th-12th graders. Aimed at families seeking structured religious education rooted in Unitarian Universalist values.
Adult Spiritual Growth Programs Lifelong learning opportunities including New UU classes, meditation groups (Morning Metta and Equanimity Practice), book groups, Elder Wisdom Group, and workshops on various spiritual and social justice topics. Targeted at adult members and seekers.
Music Program Comprehensive music ministry featuring the UUSF Choir (adult choir under Dr. Mark Sumner), Bell Choir conducted by Reiko Oda Lane, and performances on the Noehren Organ. Includes professional musician performances monthly. Open to congregation and concert attendees.
Pod and Country Podcast Magazine-style podcast featuring interviews with thinkers, artists, and activists interlaced with comedy sketches, music, and poetry. Distributed via Podbean and Apple Podcasts. Elevates Unitarian Universalist values of democracy, liberty, and justice.
Facility Rentals Historic sanctuary and meeting center rental services including the Sanctuary (475 capacity), Chapel (80 capacity), Starr King Room (250 capacity), and various smaller rooms ranging from 520 to 5,900 sq. ft. Available for weddings, concerts, conferences, seminars, and other events. Available to non-profit organizations, religious groups, and individuals.
Community Groups and Ministries Various affinity groups including 20s & 30s Community, BIPOC Group, LGBTQ+ Community, Men's Group, Women's Group, Small Group Ministry, Pagan Interest Circle, UU Animal Ministry, and Faithful Fools street ministry. Open to members and visitors seeking community connection.
Social Justice Programs Justice-focused initiatives including the Environmental Justice Working Group, Human Rights Working Group, Interfaith Food Pantry, Winter Shelter program, and Racial Justice initiatives. Engages volunteers in community advocacy and direct service.
Weddings and Memorials Rite of passage services for weddings, commitment ceremonies, and memorial services, with support from clergy including musicians, premarital counseling, and facility coordination. Available to members and non-members, including LGBTQ+ couples.
Young Adult Ministry Programs and community for adults ages 18-39 including the DYNAMITE newsletter, Spiritual Discussion Group, Young Adult Lunch, and hosting of the YARN (Young Adult Revival Network). Targeted at Bay Area young adults.
Soul Matters Program Monthly themed programming including Building Belonging, Cultivating Compassion, and other monthly themes with small groups, discussions, and spiritual practices that deepen engagement. Used across all ages including religious education.

Companies that use First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

Customer profile

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

Faithful FoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaithful Fools is one of the Tenderloin's most beloved street ministries, started in the 1980s by two UU Ministers. UUSF is proud to foster, support, and house this organization. Co-founded by UUSF Worship Associate Carmen Barsody, the ministry works with unhoused neighbors in the Tenderloin District.

Scale indicators4 records

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles: Large historic Unitarian Universalist congregation operating a full program of worship, religious education, music, and rentals in another major California metro; directly comparable operational model.
First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor: Mid-size historic UU congregation with comparable Sunday worship, RE programming, music, and rental revenue model, serving as a direct operational template.
First Unitarian Church of Berkeley: Direct Bay Area Unitarian Universalist congregation of comparable scale and historic vintage; serves overlapping inclusive, progressive demographic in adjacent geography and competes for similar members and donor support.
All Souls Church Unitarian, Washington DC: Prominent downtown UU congregation with comparable urban historic-building model, music programs, social justice brand, and rental revenue from prime real estate.
First Unitarian Church of Oakland: Established East Bay UU congregation with similar progressive, social-justice-oriented programming and overlapping membership catchment with UUSF's San Francisco base.
First Parish in Cambridge (Unitarian Universalist): One of the oldest continuously operating UU congregations in the country, broadly comparable in history, governance, and inclusive programming orientation.

Emerging players

Sunday Assembly: Secular congregation movement organized around community, music, and progressive values without traditional theology; competes for the same 'spiritual but not religious' audience that UUSF targets.

Broad incumbents

Grace Cathedral, San Francisco: Large historic San Francisco mainline (Episcopal) congregation operating comparable worship, music, and facility-rental economics from a different denominational base in the same city.
GLIDE Memorial Church, San Francisco: Major progressive San Francisco congregation with similarly explicit inclusivity and social-justice positioning; competes for overlapping values-aligned congregants and donors.

Others

Unitarian Universalist Association: National denominational umbrella of which UUSF is a chartered member; provides credentialing, resource pipelines, and governance framework that shape UUSF's operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco 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 Society of San Francisco

What does First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco do?

Is First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco a public or private company?

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco founded?

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco was founded in 1850. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco based?

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.

How does First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Member Pledges and Donations are the primary driver. The others are facility Rentals, wedding and Memorial Services and flower Dedications.

Who are First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles, First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, First Unitarian Church of Berkeley, All Souls Church Unitarian, Washington DC, First Unitarian Church of Oakland and First Parish in Cambridge (Unitarian Universalist). Sunday Assembly is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Grace Cathedral, San Francisco and GLIDE Memorial Church, San Francisco. Unitarian Universalist Association is listed as an others.

Does First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco have an API?

No public API is recorded for First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco.

What industry is First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco in?

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco's product category is Religious Congregation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAL, Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAD, Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 8200.