Loans for Building & Facility Improvements

If your congregation would benefit by enlarging, improving, or modernizing facilities, we recommend you submit a “Let’s Talk” suggestion. Open a conversation to help get the creative juices flowing, both yours and ours. We may be able to help.

Cascadia’s ‘Rod Stewart Fund’ provides loans to congregations for many types of physical improvements, especially for accessibility. All interest paid is directed to funds that continue to support UU congregations in the Northwestern United States and British Columbia.

Sample projects:

  • Capacity improvements – Building renovations or expansions increasing occupancy, accessibility, or program capacity.
  • Environmental improvements – Projects improving energy efficiency and/or environmental quality e.g. ventilation.
  • Small scale aesthetic improvements – Micro loans for aesthetic improvements such as soft furnishings, art work or worship accoutrements.

“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 has a variety of loan and grant programs to help you enhance your physical facilities as well as program options.

For more information, contact our Treasurer through the Contact Us page.