2026 GRANTS FOR UU MINISTERS AND RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS
The Isles of Shoals Association Unitarian Universalist (ISAUU) Religious Professionals Grant Program provides funding support for UU religious professionals (Ministers and professional religious educators) and their families who have not yet attended a conference on Star Island to experience the island and its conferences. We aim to support personal and professional relaxation and rejuvenation, and hope that grant recipients discover Star Island as a place of spiritual renewal and connection with people, nature, and shared UU values - a place worth sharing with other religious professionals and the parishioners they serve.
The original Unitarian Summer Meetings Association was founded in 1896 to host conferences at Star Island with the belief that gatherings of Unitarian laypeople and clergy would set the stage for personal renewal and inspiration and help to strengthen the Unitarian movement. The Religious Professionals Grant Program seeks to be a modern embodiment of that century-old vision.
Eligibility: These grants are open to members of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (UUMA) or the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) who are Parish or Community Ministers, Ministers of Religious Education, or Religious Educators serving congregations for at least 20 hours per week, and who have not yet been to Star Island and are not associated with official conference programming. Accompanying spouses/partners and minor children can also be supported, if needed.
Star Island conference information can be found at https://starisland.org/programs/. Conference registration opens in mid-January. Some conferences fill quickly, so we strongly encourage you to register as soon as possible. Registration information is available at https://starisland.org/programs/registration/.
Applying: In one application, you can apply for aid from Star Island, from a conference, and from ISAUU religious professionals grants. Information and the application form are available here.
Application Deadline: The application deadline is April 15, 2026 for conferences that are held before August 30. Decisions will be communicated by May 15, 2026. At that point, grantees will see how much funding they have been awarded from the ISAUU Religious Professional grants, from Star Island financial aid, and the conference financial aid.
If you are applying for support to attend a conference that occurs on or after August 30th, your application deadline will be July 1, 2026, and a decision will be communicated by July 15th.
Award amounts: Awards may not exceed the cost of room and board. In recent years, we have had more eligible applicants than our funds allowed us to fully support. As a result, we may offer awards that only partially cover the cost of room and board.
PLEASE NOTE: Grant recipients are responsible for other conference costs, including conference registration fees, parking at the dock in Portsmouth, and personal expenses incurred on island. We also ask that you keep us informed if your plans change and you are unable to attend the conference.
Costs/Fees: Information can be obtained at www.starisland.org. Each conference page has its own fee structure. Room and board prices depend on room type and the length of the conference. Youth room and board rates vary by age.