Unitarian Universalist FaithAction New Jersey

Organizational Structure

UU FaithAction NJ is loosely connected to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and the local Central East Region by voluntary membership agreements in exchange for support, although they are not administratively linked. ^{3  4  5}

UU FaithAction NJ’s organizational structure is divided into two components to address IRS restrictions on lobbying. One arm, incorporated as the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey Inc., is a 501(c)(3) public charity focused on education and research and handles non-lobbying activities such as congregational outreach, issue briefings, and resource development. The other, the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey Public, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, manages grassroots advocacy, direct lobbying, and policy coordination to “establish public policy consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles and purposes.” Both entities share the same address in Summit, New Jersey, and were established in 2011. ³

Advocacy

Unitarian Universalist FaithAction New Jersey mobilizes its 21 member congregations for left-of-center advocacy on criminal justice, environmental policy, immigration, abortion access, and gun control. It organizes legislative testimony, letter-writing campaigns, rallies, and coalition partnerships in Trenton. Early work under its prior name focused on same-sex marriage laws. The group supported bail reform hearings in 2014; advocated for paid sick day mandates, in-state tuition for illegal-immigrant students, and a fracking waste ban in 2015; and backed the Rehabilitative Release Act more recently. ^{3  6}

The organization has participated in climate marches, produced educational videos on climate change, and promoted “climate justice” campaigns. It formed an Ending the New Jim Crow Task Force in 2015 and issued statements calling on congregations to “dismantle racism.” Additional activities involve amicus briefs through its former Legal Advocacy Project on Medicaid access and religious funding, plus demonstrations on immigration detention and birth control access. Congregational Action Teams facilitate local involvement, while the group provides issue briefings, action alerts, and resources aligned with Unitarian Universalist principles. ^{5  7}

UU FaithAction NJ joined over 500 nonprofits in a July 16, 2025 open letter opposing U.S. Congressional inquiries into groups receiving federal grants, calling them attempts to “weaponize” power against organizations advancing disagreed-upon policies. ^{8  9  10}

Financials

In 2024, Unitarian Universalist FaithAction New Jersey reported total revenues of $216,140, total expenses of $209,019, and net assets of $371,237. Contributions provided $208,879 (96.6 percent of revenue), with investment income contributing $7,261 (3.4 percent). Executive compensation totaled $136,565 (65.3 percent of expenses). ¹¹

People

As of November 2025, Charles Loflin works as executive director of Unitarian Universalist FaithAction New Jersey, a position he has held since 2021. He previously joined the staff in 2020 and participated in the organization under its prior name. A member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, he earned a Master of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological Seminary in 2021 and interned at the Morristown Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Earlier, he worked as a web application developer. ^{12  7}