About the Growth Fund

“Enabled us to offer multi-platform meetings and gatherings”

As a small congregation that serves folks spread out over a rather large island, the Cascadia Growth Fund’s grant enabled us to offer multi-platform meetings and gatherings for the first time, ensuring that our more far-flung members and friends can participate while decreasing our carbon footprint. Thank you!

Rev. Dr. Emily Melcher, Minister

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island, Washington

“Allowed us to provide consistent high-quality services online”

The grant allowed us to provide consistent high-quality services online throughout the pandemic. We maintained strong weekly attendance, attracted visitors from near and far, and met our annual pledge goal. The technologies are here to stay and can be further harnessed to help us provide services and programs in ways we would not have contemplated before the pandemic. Thank you!

Ruth Anderson, Board Chair

First Unitarian Fellowship of Nanaimo, British Columbia

“Thankful for your help and vision”

We are so thankful for your help and vision in jump starting Alaska’s inaugural Ministerial Internship, a partnership between Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fairbanks! We hope it will expand our UU presence in the “Last Frontier” where congregations are separated by hundreds of miles and UU ministers are few and far between. Our message is needed here.

Sid McCausland, President

Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Alaska

“Opening up new doors of opportunities”

With the Fund’s support, the program helped us to understand and strengthen each other in creating appropriate, multicultural, beloved communities and to increase our capacity for and effectiveness in enhancing existing BIPOC partnerships and opening up new doors of opportunities with others. A hearty “Thank You!” to the Cascadia Growth Fund for Unitarian Universalism!

Rev. Paul Beckel, Minister

Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship

“Thank you for educating us and stretching our awareness.”

The expense for the training is a significant contribution to combating racism. The grant allowed me to attend the training. Thank you for educating us and stretching our awareness. We will all do better to fight racism now and in the future.

Brenda Cook

Member

Skagit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Washington

“This generous gift gives wings to our ideas.”

Thanks to the Cascadia Growth Fund grant, we will be able to use multi-platform technology for events outdoors, with small groups, and committees, increasing accessibility for people to participate in different ways. We will also be able to maintain and expand on the connections we have made with people who can only access our community virtually. This generous gift gives wings to our ideas. Thank you!

Kiersten E Moore

Director of Lifespan Faith Development

Unitarian Church of Vancouver, British Columbia

Cascadia Growth Fund

Cascadia Growth Fund for Unitarian Universalism raises money that it grants and loans directly to UU congregations through the ‘Growth Funds.’

The Growth Funds are aimed at four general areas of congregational life:

Building Improvements and accessibility
Mission-based initiatives related to ministry, purpose and vitality
Technology and communications equipment and training
Initiatives among congregations such as collaborations, clusters, conferences and workshops

Grants are available to all UUA recognized congregations. Funds are managed and awarded by the Board of the Cascadia Growth Fund for Unitarian Universalism.

Learn about Growth Funds

Granting Strategies

The Board’s granting strategies are informed by surveys of congregational leaders, ongoing direct experience in local congregations, information from UUA Staff, and other denominational sources.

As an independent entity that is close to the congregations it serves, Cascadia can be flexible and responsive to evident need. Cascadia can:

provide small grants
allot money for a specific goal and share it among many congregations
provide emergency funding on short notice
provide building loans

In March 2020, $75,000 was made available for congregations to equip for steaming services when the pandemic suddenly closed their doors. All 40 congregations who applied received help.

In May 2021, another $80,000 was granted to 30 congregations to help cope with the challenges of the day. Grants went to supporting technology purchases and training, antiracism workshops, and a ministerial internship.

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