Donating to PUC

Donating to Pacific Unitarian Universalist Church (PUC) is Easy

PUC is a 501(c)(3) charity—all donations are fully tax deductible!

Below we list the main ways that you can donate and explain what funds you can donate to. If you’d like to make sure your donation goes to a specific fund, please include a memo (Pledge, Operating, Endowment, Split Plate, etc).

How to Donate

We appreciate ALL donations! Using an electronic transfer method (where the money goes directly into PUC’s bank account) is preferred. It saves volunteer time and increases the accuracy of transactions. Donations can be either one-time or recurring. No matter what method you choose, if you’d like to make sure your donation goes where it is intended to go please make sure to note where the donation should be directed (see “Where Does My Donation Go” below).

(electronic transfer)

Zelle (Available to most large-bank customers–see list here):

THIS METHOD IS FREE AND IS A DIRECT TRANSFER.
You can sign up with Zelle at your bank to make transfers directly to PUC’s Chase bank account. Set up is quick and it is easy to use. You control the amount and timing. You can even send from your mobile device.
pucadmin@pacificunitarian.org is the email used to send money.
It is free for you and for PUC!

Your Bank’s Bill-Pay:

You can go to your bank’s website and set up monthly automatic payments to PUC through your bank’s “Bill-Pay” feature. Generally, this method will generate a check that is mailed to PUC.
This saves you the cost of a stamp and the time each month to write out and deliver a check.

Credit/Debit Card through PayPal:

You can on our webpage; PUC is charged ~2.5% in fees to PayPal, or FREE if your bank account is linked to your PayPal account.
You can pay from your credit/debit card or your bank account through PayPal.
OR you can step into the office and we can swipe your card to take one-time donations
If using PayPal, please consider adding an extra 2.5% to your donation to cover our PayPal processing costs.
Click here for a step-by-step guide or here to donate now.

Checks:

You can write a check to PUC–make sure say where to direct the money in the memo line
You can deliver in multiple ways:
- Place your check in the Sunday morning offering plate.
- Mail or deliver your check to the PUC Office

Transferring Securities (Stocks, bonds, etc.):

You can gift appreciated stock and it’s a win-win! PUC gets the full value of the stock and you don’t pay taxes on any appreciation (you would pay capital gains tax if you sold the stock first)
Contact your financial institution or investment advisor to fill out the required forms to transfer the stock to PUC.
Contact Treasurer@pacificunitarian.org or Stewardship@pacificunitarian.org for additional information and assistance

Bequests:

You can leave a gift to Pacific Unitarian Church in your Will or Trust
Please consult your Estate Planning attorney to support the church and its ministry beyond your lifetime

If you need assistance, call 310-378-5449 or email PUCadmin@pacificunitarian.org or stewardship@pacificunitarian.org and we will be happy to talk you through the steps.

Where Does My Donation Go?

All donations received by PUC are assumed to be for general operations (Operating Fund) unless otherwise specified as one of the below items. If you have something else in mind for your donation you need to communicate that to PUC. The easiest way is to fill out the Memo Field if one is available. If there is no memo field available, please contact PUCAdmin@pacificunitarian.org to provide your instructions, we’ll annotate it in our record system.

There are currently 4 places to send your donations:

Operating Fund:
- This is our general fund that pays for church operations, staff salary, maintenance, ministry, operating reserves, etc.
- If you can only donate to one, this is the one to choose.
- Donations to the Operating Fund count towards your annual pledge
Growth and Reinvestment Campaign Fund:
- This is our capital improvement fund that pays for campus improvements, deferred maintenance, and efforts to increase membership.
- This fund repaved the parking lot and will be renovating the classrooms and Audio-Visual system.
Endowment Fund:
- This fund provides the church with a long-term investment for financial security, an annual income stream, and funds in an emergency.
- Members often leave a donation to the Endowment in their wills.
Split Plate or Restricted:
- These funds may only be used for specific purposes
- Split Plate funds are split between the charity of the week and the Operating Fund
- Restricted Accounts are for specific purposes like the Minister’s Discretionary Fund, the Memorial Wall, etc and can only be spent on the designated item. These are very limited in nature and include:
  - Camp Scholarships
  - General Assembly Scholarships
  - General Memorial
  - Memorial Wall
  - Minister’s Discretionary Account
  - YRUU Funds

Automatic Recurring Donations

This is an EXCELLENT choice for the church, as it keeps our costs in administration extremely low! Its also helps ensures you don’t forget a payment and keeps you in control.

In order to set up auto payments, you need a Chase QuickPay account or a PayPal account. Chase QuickPay is free to use and payment is made from your bank account. PayPal costs the church approximately 2.5% of the total donation but does allow you to use your credit or debit card.

You can also use your bank’s Bill Pay feature and contribute to PUC directly from your bank account by setting up a one-time or periodic payment to PUC just as you make your other online banking payments.

Other Ways to Contribute

Earn $$ For PUC When You Shop

If you shop at Ralphs, Sprouts Market, Whole Foods Market, Vons, or shop online, you can earn money for PUC. Ralphs and Vons (eScrip program) send quarterly contribution checks to PUC based on member purchases.

- Ralphs – login to www.ralphs.com and, if new, “Create an Account”. Once completed, go back to this site, and click on “edit my community contribution” to link your card to Pacific Unitarian Church; or get a scan bar letter to give to the checker with your rewards card & they’ll sign you up. (Scan bar letters available Sundays on the Patio and in the PUC Office.) Click here for more details.

- Sprouts Market – $25 cards available for purchase on the Patio or in the PUC Office. 5% goes to PUC.

- Smile at Amazon – when shopping at Amazon, use smile.amazon.com instead and select PUC as your charity. A small percent of all your purchases will benefit PUC

Purchase PUC Merchandise or Make Custom Gifts at Zazzle

Donate Your Time!

If you have questions please contact PUCadmin@pacificunitarian.org or Treasurer@pacificunitarian.org.