UHCA Officers Share 6-Month Progress and Growth Report

Last year, we ran as candidates because we saw that UHCA was in trouble and at risk of failure. When we took office, in addition to what we knew needed attention, we discovered the organization was delinquent in filing two years of required documents to the State of California DOJ, and our status as a charity was at risk of being terminated. UHCA had been functioning without a treasurer for several months. The previous president recently resigned, board meetings and decisions were not documented, membership records lacked organization, active memberships were declining, events decreased in frequency, volunteers were not being recruited, merchandise inventory significantly increased, advertising invoices were neither sent nor collected, and expenditures were rising. Cash reserves were diminishing at a rate that projected insolvency within the next nine months.

We commenced with open board meetings and recruited additional energetic and talented board members. Further details regarding the processes and controls implemented, as well as how the new board has addressed specific issues, can be found in our inaugural annual report published in February (www.uhsd.org/board-meetings). 

The collective efforts of the new board, volunteers, and members have over the last 6 months (as of May 15) show that we have turned around our organization’s position from being in a steep decline to one that is showing growth and signs of health. 

UHCA has recorded 185 new or renewed memberships, which includes:

• 42 business members (including 12 who haven’t renewed for more than two years, and 20 who are new to UHCA).

• 143 individual or household members (including 34 who haven’t renewed for more than two years, and 43 who are new to UHCA).

We have focused on members whose membership has recently expired (less than one year), have lapsed (1-2 years since expiration), and then inactive (>2 years). We have worked to enroll businesses who are not currently members and those who haven’t been active with a dedicated and energetic business outreach lead.

So far this year, UHCA has raised more money than it did in all of calendar year 2024, and on track to beat our highest fundraising year on record, 2022.

UHCA’s cash position, while still low in relation to our operating budget, is on a positive trajectory. This is the result of not just increased fundraising, but also greatly reducing expenses. We expect to be in a position to once again re-invest in more community projects – with member input through an upcoming survey.

Volunteers are vital to our organization, handling tasks like delivering UH News, setting up events, and supporting Beautification and Native Plant Initiative teams. We now have 103 active volunteers, who stay engaged through email and personal contact led by a dedicated volunteer leader. By the end of April, volunteers have recorded over 540 hours, valued at over $20,000 (a fraction of their total time).

Our technology systems have been updated for better management of memberships and renewals, volunteers, UH News production, and advertising pledge collection. Additionally, a new no-cost payment system has been implemented to facilitate automated renewals.

Our re-energized social media efforts have led to an increase in followers and engagement on Facebook and Instagram, with over 600 new followers and over 350,000 views of the posts- make sure to follow us @universityheights_sdcommunity! Our website www.uhsd.org is being prepared for a re-launch in June, featuring a new look, improved navigation, and additional information about community and organization events, along with a more user-friendly online edition of the UHNews.

We have made notable progress over the past six months beyond the finances. Elected officials are engaging more closely with the organization, neighborhood events are being successfully executed, and the newspaper is attracting new advertisers, writers, and expanding in both content and pages.

We thank all of our members for their investment in time, money, input, and most importantly trust. Together we are making a big difference!