Columbia District Church Extension Society
Welcome to the Columbia District
Church Extension Society webpage!
The best way to contact the CDCES during the COVID-19 pandemic is to send an email to our Administrative Assistant. Mail can continue to be sent via the USPS to 1505 SW 18th Ave, Portland, OR 97201, but is only picked up once a week, so we recommend you contact us by email first to determine the best way to communicate about your issue. We do want to stay in touch with you!
Jump to CDCES contact information
Jump to grant/loan applications
Jump to CDCES meeting schedule and minutes
Jump to CDCES policies and bylaws
What is the Columbia District Church Extension Society? The CDCES is composed of the churches of the Columbia District working together to help those congregations that have special needs that they alone cannot (financially) meet. In other words, “churches helping churches.” These needs may be to the physical facility (church or parsonage), may involve strengthening current ministries, or may involve developing new ministries.
Columbia District congregations are eligible to apply for grants or loans to work on physical plant or start new ministries.
The goal of the CDCES is to partner with churches in the Columbia District to develop a shared vision so that “dreams may become reality.” As partners in ministry we each have our role to fulfill. In this partnership, the role of the CDCES and its Board of Directors is to:
- Provide grants and loans for purposes including emergencies, capital improvements, repairs & development of healthy congregations.
- Oversee and maximize investments to generate income for ministry.
- Share consultation resources with churches to support healthy and vital ministries.
Policies and By-Laws
Church Loan Investment Agreement
CDCES Articles of Incorporation (amended 2020)
Grant and Loan Applications
If you are applying for a grant: our application forms are online; please follow the instructions carefully. We recommend that you read through the form first, gather the documentation you'll need, and then complete the application. There is one form (link is below) to apply for any CDCES grant except for the Rose Balcomb music grant; that is a separate form (also linked below). After completing the application form, follow the instructions to submit it online.
If you are applying for a loan: you may choose to complete the form on your computer as a fillable PDF, or you can download and print a form to complete by hand. Both these forms are below. Loan applications should be emailed to ColumbiaDCES@umoi.org.
Please note that if an application is to be considered for possible funding at the next meeting of the CDCES Board of Directors, the submission deadline is two weeks prior to the meeting. The meeting schedule can be found below.
Grant or loan applications will not be considered at the Annual Meeting in February.
The application must be completed in its entirely, and must contain all required signatures in order to be considered for funding. Grant recipients will be required to submit reports indicating progress on meeting benchmarks. Please email our administrative assistant if additional information is needed.
Loan Application (fillable form; type out application then sign and submit; digital signatures are accepted)
Loan Application (print form and fill out by hand)
Grant Application (click here to complete online)
The Rose Balcomb Memorial Music grant application is now open. The deadline is Sept. 15. (click here to complete online)
Equipping Churches for the new normal Grant (fill out the Grant Application to apply)
CDCES Brochure
Columbia District Church Extension Society (CDCES) Brochure
CDCES Contacts/Board Officers
To contact any of our officers, please send an email to ColumbiaDCES@umoi.org.
President: Heather Riggs
Vice-President: Brett Stuvland
District Superintendent: Tim Overton-Harris
Chair, Grants/Loans Committee: Donna Ward
Chair, Investment Committee: Norm Dyer
Secretary & Administrative Assistant: Elizabeth Tuosto
You can find a list of the complete Board of Directors, along with their committee assignments, here.
2021 CDCES Meeting Schedule and Minutes
To view or download the minutes of a meeting, click on the highlighted date below.
Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings take place on the third Tuesday of the month at 12:00 noon in the Albright Room of the Oregon-Idaho Conference Office (1505 SW 18th Ave, Portland, Oregon). For further information about an upcoming meeting, please contact Elizabeth Tuosto (CDCES administrative assistant)
January 19 via videoconference
February 16--Annual Meeting: postponed due to power outages
March 16--Annual Meeting
March 16--Brief Board Meeting
April 20 via videoconference
May 18 via videoconference
June 15 via videoconference
July 20 NO MEETING
August 17 via videoconference
September 21 via videoconference
October 19 via videoconference
November 16
December 21
2021 CDCES Investment Committee Minutes
January 19 via videoconference
April 20 via videoconference
May 18 via videoconference
June 15 via videoconference
August 17 via videoconference
2021 CDCES Grants/Loans Committee Minutes
January 19 via videoconference
March 15 via videoconference
April 20 via videoconference
May 18 via videoconference
June 15 via videoconference
August 17 via videoconference
September 21 via videoconference
October 19 via videoconference
2020 CDCES Meeting Schedule and Minutes
To view or download the minutes of a meeting, click on the highlighted date below.
Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings take place on the third Tuesday of the month at 12:00 noon in the Albright Room of the Oregon-Idaho Conference Office (1505 SW 18th Ave, Portland, Oregon). For further information about an upcoming meeting, please contact Elizabeth Tuosto (CDCES administrative assistant)
February 11 Annual Meeting at Oak Grove United Methodist Church
March 17 Special Called Meeting via videoconference
April 21 via videoconference
May 19 via videoconference
June 30 via videoconference
July no meeting
August 18 via videoconference
September 15 via videoconference
October 20 via videoconference
November 17 via videoconference
December 15 via videoconference
2020 CDCES Investment Committee Minutes
January 14
March 10
April 21 via videoconference
May 19 via videoconference
June 30 via videoconference
August 18 via videoconference
September 15 via videoconference
October 20 via videoconference
November 17 via videoconference
December 15 via videoconference
2020 CDCES Grants/Loans Committee Minutes
April 21 via videoconference
May 19 via videoconference
June 30 via videoconference
August 18 via videoconference
Sept 15 via videoconference
October 20 via videoconference
November 17 via videoconference
December 15 via videoconference