Who we are.

The Catholic Schools Endowment Foundation (CSEF) is an independent 501(c) 3 public charity established in 2017 to expand access to Catholic education. We raise funds for tuition assistance for families throughout Western Oregon who want a Catholic school experience for their children.

CSEF operates independently from the Archdiocese of Portland and from scholarship or other tuition assistance programs at individual schools. We provide tuition assistance directly to families and students. All families who wish to send their children to Catholic schools in Western Oregon and can demonstrate financial need are eligible for CSEF tuition assistance.

Your donations to CSEF are tax-deductible. Our federal tax ID number is 81-4541803.

We have all heard it said, "Your faith and core values begin at home."  We choose Catholic education because we know that our faith and family values are further strengthened by our children attending Catholic schools, creating a very solid foundation for them. Isn't that what we are called to do as the adults responsible for their formation and because we love them and care about their future? We can work together and make this happen.

ANN HUMBERSTON, FORMER MEMBER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board of Directors

  • Ted Grigsby, CIMA

    Board Chair

    Financial Consultant, HYAS Group

  • Ed Astorga

    FP&A Manager, Teledyne

  • Elise Brown

    President, Ebi Public Affairs

  • Brian Doherty

    Partner, Miller Nash (Retired)

  • Patrick Gabrish

    Director of Sales, Kite Hill Foods

  • Delbert Haener

    Haener and Sons Farms, LLC

  • Mike Haglund

    Partner, Haglund Kelly LLP

  • Diza Hilles

    Registered Nurse (retired)

  • Robert D. Kelly, PhD

    President, University of Portland

  • Charlie Kimball

    CFO, Murphy Company

  • Paul Leavy

    CFO and Treasurer, Reser's Foods

  • Msgr. Tim Murphy

    President Emeritus, Central Catholic High School

  • Brendan O’Scannlain

    Partner, Stoel Rives LLP

  • Sara Salvi

    Educator, St. Mary's Academy, retired

  • George Smith

    President & CEO (retired), NORPAC Foods

  • Alex Nelson

    Stewardship and Development Officer, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon

  • Bishop Peter Smith

    Vicar General / Moderator of the Curia
    Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon

  • Jo Willhite

    Ex-Officio

    Chief Administrative Officer, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

The Catholic School Endowment Foundation of Oregon (CSEF) is committed to equity and inclusion across race, gender, age, identity and economic factors. We believe this commitment is critical to achieving a future where any family who wants to access Catholic school education can have that opportunity. To achieve this, we will:

  • Strive to ensure that our tuition award distributions are equitable regardless of a student or family’s race, ethnicity, faith, culture, language, disability, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
  • Operate with the knowledge that certain communities are significantly under-represented in the Catholic school system and there are disparities for those communities that make Catholic school education more difficult to access.
  • Pursue effective strategies and devote dedicated time and resources to address these disparities.
  • Implement diversity and inclusion policies within our own office.

These efforts are performed in the knowledge Catholic school teachers and staff, students, and their families and communities have unique experiences rooted in and affected by race, culture, gender and gender identity, age, belief systems, social class and income, sexual orientation, physical ability, and other aspects of individual identity. We believe that the more we can embrace this diversity and work towards inclusiveness, the stronger, more vibrant, and more effective learning institutions of learning our Catholic schools will become.

Elsie Franz Finley

March 31, 1921 – August 14, 2018 The Catholic Schools Endowment Foundation of Oregon is so very grateful for a $1 million gift from Elsie Franz Finley. Her gift is the first major gift to the nascent CSEF and reflects her commitment to Catholic school education and supporting families who wish to attend. Mrs. Franz Finley, a business woman, philanthropist and lifelong resident of Portland and Vancouver, has had a profound impact on many local charitable organizations, most notably the University of Portland and Providence Health & Services. We are truly blessed to be the beneficiary of her incredible generosity. Per her wishes, the Elsie Franz Finley Endowment Fund for tuition assistance will be directed to support families at those schools which demonstrate the greatest need. Thank you Elsie and God bless you.

Get in touch.

If you have questions or would like to talk about making a gift to CSEF, please contact us:

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