[5]
By Portland Archdiocese [6],
Press Release,
Ascend, formerly the Catholic Schools Endowment Foundation (CSEF), provided $971,000 in tuition assistance and hardship funding for the 2025-26 school year, helping more than 500 students attend Archdiocese of Portland elementary schools across western Oregon.
For many families, the desire to provide a Catholic education for their children is strong, but tuition costs can place that goal out of reach. Through donor-supported tuition assistance, Ascend helps make a Catholic education more accessible by reducing the financial burden on families.
The funding supports students from a wide range of economic and cultural backgrounds while strengthening enrollment and the long-term vitality of Catholic schools throughout western Oregon.
Building on this year’s impact, Ascend plans to award more than $1.1 million in tuition assistance during the 2026-27 school year, benefiting more than 700 students in our Archdiocesan elementary schools.
To learn more about Ascend and how you can support Catholic education across western Oregon, visit ascend-cseforegon.org [7].