Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva

What Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva does

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva (UUSG) is a non-profit religious congregation founded in 1842 and located at 110 S. 2nd Street in Geneva, Illinois. The organization is affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association, a 200-year-old American faith tradition that draws wisdom from world religions alongside modern science, and explicitly affirms diversity across sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, ability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The congregation is served by a small staff of approximately six, including a minister (Rev. Alan Taylor), a Congregational Administrator, a Director of Religious Education for Children and Youth, a Music Director, custodians, and childcare/music personnel, and is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors.

UUSG's core offerings center on weekly Sunday worship services delivered both in-person and via Zoom at 10am, a Religious Education program for children and youth in grades K-12 (including nursery care), the Our Whole Lives (OWL) comprehensive sexuality education curriculum offered on alternating years, and an annual Habitat for Humanity youth mission trip. The congregation runs over 20 ministry teams and community groups covering music, mental health support, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ affirmation, social justice, environmental sustainability (Green Sanctuary), and adult education. Outreach channels include a website, weekly Mini Pioneer bulletin, monthly Pioneer newsletter, Facebook page, YouTube sermon archive, and a structured Welcome Orientation Team that guides visitors toward Pathways to Membership.

The business model is donation-based rather than commercial: approximately 85% of annual operating income comes from member and friend pledges, with the remainder from weekly in-service cash donations, the 42-year-running Cookie Walk fundraiser ($20/box), a Swedish Days Pizza Booth, and targeted donations to a Memorial Capital Endowment Fund invested under socially responsible investing principles. Donation infrastructure is enabled through Tithe.ly, PayPal, text-to-give, stock gifts, and traditional envelope mail. The organization does not charge for core religious services and has no proprietary technology or AI/ML capabilities.

Name

Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva

Legal name

Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva

Website

https://uusg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1842

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva is a 1842-founded UU congregation in Geneva, Illinois offering weekly worship, K-12 religious education, and social justice programming to its members and the surrounding community. Operations are funded primarily by member pledges with supplementary fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Congregation Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Religious congregation
• Worship services
• Religious education
• Social justice ministry
• Community ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Pledges and Donations: Pledges from members and friends provide approximately 85% of annual operating income. Operating budget covers people (salaries and benefits), programs (educational, community service, pastoral care), and place (facility expenses).
2. Weekly In-Service Cash Donations: Weekly in-service cash donations supplement pledge income.
3. Fundraising Projects: Fundraising projects including Cookie Walk (42nd annual event with cookies sold at $20/box) and Swedish Days Pizza Booth. Proceeds fund church operations and social justice programs.
4. Endowment Fund: Memorial Capital Endowment Fund invested in mutual funds using socially responsible investing (SRI) principles. Receives targeted donations, bequests, and investment appreciation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva is a liberal religious congregation that provides weekly Sunday worship services (in-person and online), religious education programs for children and youth (K-12), adult spiritual growth programming, social justice volunteer initiatives, and community support groups. The organization operates as a nonprofit congregation affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and serves the Geneva, Illinois tri-cities area.

Product overview

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva is a Unitarian Universalist church offering religious worship, education, and community programs. Core offerings include weekly worship services (in-person and online via Zoom), Religious Education programs for children and youth (K-12) using the Soul Matters curriculum, Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education, and Habitat for Humanity youth missions. The church provides various community groups (book clubs, support groups, social groups), Social Justice programs (food bank, soup kitchen, Lazarus House), Mental Health Ministry, and Blue Lotus Buddhist Meditation. Donation and pledge support is available through Tithe.ly, PayPal, text-to-give, and stock gifts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Worship Services Weekly in-person and online worship services held on Sundays at 10am, led by the minister with music from the choir, open to the broader community.
• Religious Education (RE) Program Sunday religious education classes for children and youth in grades K-12, including nursery care for infants and toddlers.
• Our Whole Lives (OWL) Sexuality Education Comprehensive sexuality education curriculum for children and youth at different ages (K-1, 5-6, 7-9 grades) offered on alternating years.
• Habitat for Humanity Youth Mission Trip Annual summer mission trip for high school youth to build homes with Habitat for Humanity in Redwing, MN.
• Community Groups Various adult and all-ages groups including Choir, Coffee & Conversation, Inclusion Book Club, Parents' Club, Neurodiversity Group, and social justice focused groups.
• Social Justice Programs Coordinated activities including Food Bank Group, Lazarus House volunteering, Soup Kitchen Group, and support for local organizations.
• Mental Health Ministry Support groups and educational presentations addressing mental health concerns including anxiety, grief, and dementia support.
• Blue Lotus Buddhist Meditation Group Monthly guided meditation sessions led by Buddhist monks from Blue Lotus Temple, held on second Tuesdays, with a suggested $10 donation.
• Online Giving and Donations Multiple donation methods including Tithe.ly app, PayPal, text-to-give, stock gifts, and traditional envelope mail to support the operating budget.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUSG is part of the Unitarian Universalist Association, a 200-year-old American faith tradition. The church follows UUA's purposes and principles, uses UUA curriculum resources (Soul Matters), and participates in UUA initiatives.
• Lazarus HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUSG supports Lazarus House, the only homeless shelter in the tri-cities area located in St. Charles. Members provide meals, overnight supervision, and laundry services one Saturday per month. Also makes lunches for Lazarus House monthly.
• Northern Illinois Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUSG organizes annual Day of Service volunteer shifts at NIFB. Members also participate in food sorting and distribution activities. 50 volunteer slots allocated for annual service day.
• Midwest Shelter for Homeless VeteranscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUSG collects personal care items and household supplies for homeless veterans at the shelter in Wheaton. Veterans from the congregation help deliver and process donations.
• Humanitarian Service ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUSG collects food and essential items for HSP Seniors including non-perishable foods, cleaning supplies, and personal care items.
• Trinity Soup KitchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUSG partners with St. Charles Episcopal Church to provide sack lunches to those in need in Aurora on the 4th Thursday of specific months.
• Habitat for HumanitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUSG high school youth participate in annual Habitat for Humanity homebuilding trips to Redwing, MN. Church also sells hot cocoa at events to fundraise for the trip.
• St. Charles Episcopal ChurchminorOthersUUSG partners with St. Charles Episcopal Church to supply lunches at the Trinity Soup Kitchen.
• Blue Lotus Buddhist TemplecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonks from Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple lead monthly meditation and mindfulness sessions at UUSG Sanctuary on 2nd Tuesdays. Sessions include guided meditation, themed talks, and Q&A. Suggested $10 donation.
• Kane County Sheriff's OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKane County Sheriff's Office partnered with UUSG for Be SMART gun safety presentation to educate on secure firearm storage and child safety.
• Be SMART ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBe SMART is a program developed by Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund. UUSG hosted their presentation on secure gun storage and child safety education.
• DuPage Unitarian Universalist ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUSG collaborates with DuPage UU to collect donations for The People's Resource Center (PRC) which serves 3,000 DuPage families monthly.
• Geneva Park DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneva Park District co-sponsored an Evening of Folk Music event with February Sky at UUSG.
• Fox Valley Electric Auto AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen Sanctuary Committee and Fox Valley Electric Auto Association co-hosted presentation on the future of clean energy.
• Soul Matters Sharing CirclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUSG participates in Soul Matters Sharing Circle, a network of UU congregations sharing monthly themes and resources for religious education programming.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• First Unitarian Church of Chicago: A larger Unitarian Universalist congregation in Chicago that shares UUSG's faith tradition, worship structure, and progressive values. Direct comparable for UU member-congregation model, religious education programs, and social justice engagement, though operating at a substantially larger scale and urban footprint.
• Unity Temple (Oak Park, IL): Historic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Unitarian Universalist congregation in suburban Illinois. Direct comparable for UU faith tradition, congregational governance, and historic church building model; serves as a regional anchor for UU membership in the Chicago suburbs.
• Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington (IL): Central Illinois UU congregation sharing UU worship structure, progressive values, and small-staff operating model. Direct comparable for member-congregation economics and programming approach in a similar-sized Midwestern community.
• DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church: A nearby Illinois UU congregation that UUSG already partners with for joint fundraising (People's Resource Center). Shares UU theology, RE program structure, and progressive social justice focus, making it the closest geographic and demographic comparable.

Regional players

• First Universalist Church of Minneapolis: Upper Midwest UU congregation with similar liberal religious stance, social justice programming, and community engagement model. Comparable in faith tradition and congregational offerings, but operates in a different metropolitan market.
• First Unitarian Society of Madison: Midwest UU congregation in Madison, WI with comparable Liberal religious tradition, RE programming (K-12), and social justice mission. Comparable on programming breadth and member-congregation model though operating in a different state.

Others

• Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA): The national association of which UUSG is a member congregation. Not a competitor but the governing body that provides shared curriculum (Soul Matters), ministerial resources, and brand visibility that UUSG leverages. Relevant as the ecosystem enabler for UUSG's offerings.

Emerging players

• Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) — various meetings: Progressive faith communities sharing UU's emphasis on social justice, inclusivity, and absence of creedal tests. Comparable as a parallel liberal religious tradition appealing to similar seekers, though structurally distinct (unprogrammed meetings vs. congregational worship).
• Unity Church (progressive Christian movement): Progressive Christian denomination emphasizing inclusive spirituality, personal growth, and community service. Comparable in progressive values and community-oriented programming, though with distinct theological underpinnings and a more individual/spiritual growth focus.

Broad incumbents

• All Souls Church Unitarian (Washington, DC): A larger, well-established UU congregation with comparable progressive faith mission, comprehensive RE programming, and social justice emphasis. Direct comparable for UU member services and faith tradition, but operates at significantly greater scale and urban reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9oupYz5jh08iZ3u1m-J-kw
• Facebookfacebook.com/uusg1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unitarian-universalist-socieity-of-geneva

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva