First UU Church of Youngstown

What First UU Church of Youngstown does

First Unitarian Universalist Church of Youngstown (UUYO), founded in 1892, is a nonprofit religious congregation located at 1105 Elm St., Youngstown, Ohio. The church operates as part of the Unitarian Universalist Association and serves approximately 25-35 active members along with a broader community of friends, seekers, and program participants. Its core offerings include weekly hybrid worship services (in-person and via Zoom, Facebook Live, and YouTube), religious education for children and youth (in collaboration with Kent UU Church using the 'Soul Matters' curriculum), pastoral care, lifecycle ceremonies (child dedications, weddings), and an active social justice ministry spanning racial justice, LGBTQ advocacy, environmental action (Green Sanctuary program), and opioid ministry with Ohio CAN. The church is designated an LGBTQ Welcoming Congregation by the UUA.

The organization is supported by a small paid staff of approximately 9 employees, including a settled minister (Rev. Joseph Boyd), an Office Administrator, and a Director of Religious Education, alongside a volunteer Board of Trustees. Revenue is generated primarily through an annual member stewardship pledge campaign (targeting approximately $140,000 in 2020), supplemented by facility rentals to community groups such as the Youngstown Zen Center, RSVP food-packing program, and Ohio CAN; ad hoc fundraisers (benefit concerts, trivia nights, auctions); and investment income from an endowment fund valued at approximately $350,000 as of mid-2020. The church's technology infrastructure consists of standard off-the-shelf SaaS tools — WordPress for its website, Zoom for virtual services, OBS for video production, Icon Church Management Systems for member data, Mailchimp for the 'Steel Chalice' newsletter, and Vanco for online giving — with no proprietary technology development or AI/ML capabilities. UUYO markets to the community through organic social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube), email newsletters, public programming (meditation retreats, film discussions, book studies), WYSU radio sponsorships, and word of mouth.

Name

First UU Church of Youngstown

Legal name

First Unitarian Universalist Church of Youngstown

Website

https://uuyo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1892

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Youngstown is a 1892-founded Unitarian Universalist congregation in Youngstown, Ohio offering hybrid worship services, religious education, social justice programming, pastoral care, and facility rentals to approximately 25-35 active members and the broader community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Youngstown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Pledges and Donations: Primary revenue source through annual stewardship campaigns where members commit to regular financial contributions. Pledges are tracked and collected throughout the year via online forms, mail, or in-person.
2. Space Rental: The church rents its facilities (Channing Hall, sanctuary, etc.) to community groups and organizations for meetings, events, and programs.
3. Special Fundraisers and Events: Occasional fundraising events including benefit concerts, auction catalogs, trivia nights, and other creative fundraising activities to support church programs and initiatives.
4. Endowment Fund: The church maintains an endowment fund (approximately $350,000 as of 2020) that generates investment income and can be used to fund special projects, equipment, and operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

First UU Church of Youngstown (UUYO) is a historic Unitarian Universalist congregation founded in 1892 that delivers weekly hybrid worship services, religious education for children and adults, pastoral care, social justice programming, and lifecycle ceremonies. The church also rents its facilities to community organizations and streams services virtually via Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube.

Product overview

First UU Church of Youngstown (UUYO) is a Unitarian Universalist congregation established in 1892 offering a diverse portfolio of worship, educational, and community programs. The church provides hybrid worship services combining in-person gatherings with virtual Zoom streaming, Religious Education for children and youth using Soul Matters curriculum, music programs featuring hymns and special performances, Social Justice initiatives including racial justice and LGBTQ rights advocacy, pastoral care services, and seasonal celebrations. Specialized offerings include the Youngstown Zen Center for meditation practice, child dedication ceremonies, and space rentals for community use. Technology-enabled services include live streaming via Zoom/YouTube, online giving through Vanco, email newsletters via Mailchimp, and church data management through Icon Church Management Systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Worship Services Weekly Sunday worship services offered in hybrid format — in person at the church sanctuary or Channing Hall, and virtually via Zoom. Services include sermons, music, chalice lighting, and community reflection for congregants and visitors.
• Religious Education Programs Religious education for children and youth including Sunday classes, multigenerational services, and summer programs. Uses the 'Soul Matters' curriculum in collaboration with Kent UU congregation.
• Social Justice Initiatives Social justice programming including racial justice, LGBTQ rights, environmental action, and community outreach. Includes Ohio CAN opioid ministry and BLM sign distribution program.
• Pastoral Care Pastoral care services including counseling, hospital visits, police chaplaincy, and support for congregants in need. Minister serves as local police chaplain.
• Youngstown Zen Center Meditation Zen meditation practice hosted at the church including weekly meditation sessions, Zazenkai day-long retreats, and outreach to meditation groups in the Youngstown area.
• Music and Worship Program
• Child Dedications
• Space Rentals
• Green Sanctuary Program
• Steel Chalice Newsletter

Quantifiable outcome

• 5-10 average views per virtual worship service on YouTube
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Youngstown Zen CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZen meditation practice group that holds regular meditation sessions at the church facility. Represents interfaith and contemplative practice partnerships, allowing the church to offer meditation retreats and mindfulness programming to the community.
• Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal affiliation with the national UU denomination. Church participates in UUA programs, receives resources, guidance from regional liaisons (Central East Region), and contributes to UUA's annual fund. UUA provides access to curricula, training, and network support.
• Kent UU ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on religious education programming. Joint RE program using 'soul Matters' curriculum and antiracist curricula. Partnership enables shared resources and broader programming for children and families.
• WYSU (91.9 FM)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal public radio station where UUYO sponsors radio days focusing on First Amendment, truth in journalism, and honoring church members. Part of community visibility and outreach efforts.
• Third Space Action LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCleveland-based organization offering equity assessment training for institutions. Board members participated in discussions about anti-racism training and institutional assessment processes.
• RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization using church's Channing Hall weekly to pack food boxes for elderly residents. Church provides space while RSVP provides volunteer coordination for community nutrition program.
• Ohio CAN (Ohio Can Change Addiction Now)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpioid ministry using church steps for outdoor events and conducting multi-session indoor training programs. UUYO member serves as liaison for these community health initiatives.
• PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal PFLAG chapter collaborates on LGBTQ advocacy, donated reimbursement for rainbow flag installation, and participates in joint community visibility efforts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• First Unitarian Church of Chicago: Large historic UU congregation with deep social justice roots and extensive programming. Comparable denominational identity and progressive ministry model but at much larger scale.
• All Souls Church, Unitarian (Washington DC): A large, well-resourced UU congregation with a strong national profile in social justice and progressive ministry. Comparable programmatic breadth but materially larger scale than UUYO.

Direct peers

• First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh: Regional UU congregation in a similar Rust Belt / Midwestern city context. Offers hybrid worship, RE, social justice programming, and progressive values-based ministry comparable to UUYO's positioning.
• First Parish in Cambridge: Historic UU congregation offering hybrid worship, progressive social justice programming, LGBTQ inclusion, and interfaith partnerships. Comparable denominational identity and programming mix.
• East Shore Unitarian Church: Pacific Northwest UU congregation with hybrid worship, RE, and community partnership programming. Comparable operational profile to UUYO in terms of programmatic scope.
• First Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis: A larger established UU congregation with comparable programming (hybrid worship, RE, social justice, pastoral care) and the same denominational affiliation. Most directly comparable UU peer for benchmarking member programming and operational scale.
• Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church — Unitarian Universalist: Regional UU congregation with hybrid worship, RE, and active social justice ministry. Comparable size profile and community-based programming model.
• First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee: Mid-sized Midwest UU congregation with hybrid services, RE programming, and progressive social justice initiatives. Comparable regional UU operating profile.

Regional players

• Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta: Large Southern UU congregation with comparable programmatic offerings. Different geographic market but similar denominational mission, hybrid worship model, and progressive values positioning.

Others

• Youngstown Area Community Centers (e.g., YMCA of Youngstown): Local community organizations that, like UUYO, rent facilities, host programming, and serve as community gathering space in the Youngstown market. Relevant as competing/supplemental demand for community-program space and member time.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uuyo
• Facebookfacebook.com/UU.Youngstown
• Instagraminstagram.com/uuyoungstown
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-uu-church-of-youngstown

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about First UU Church of Youngstown