The St. Columbkille Educational Trust is an endowment fund created and operated exclusively for the benefit of the Parish. Contributions received by the Trust become part of the “principal” and remain in the Trust. The principal generates annual earnings which are used to support worthy projects. In this way, donations received today continue to serve the educational needs of St. Columbkille Parish in the future.

Investment earnings benefit St. Columbkille School, Religious Formation, Adult Education, and Youth Ministry. Examples of grants approved for 2003 include a large area rug for the St. Columbkille Sacred Heart Preschool, a scholarship for an eighth grade student going on to a Catholic high school, financial assistance applied toward school fees for families with financial difficulties, catechist formation training, adult registration fees for the National Catholic Youth Conference, Godparent materials, and more. Total grants allocated in 2003 amounted to $10,112. Additional examples of expenditures in recent years include a system upgrade of school computers, staff development, teacher workshops, retreats, conventions, student textbooks, teacher manuals, resource materials, the Echoes of Faith Program for catechist training and certification, RCIA, Small Christian Communities, and Ministry of Mothers sharing.

The Trustees of the St. Columbkille Educational Trust greatly appreciate the contributions parishioners have given to support education in our Parish. Many parishioners have used the contribution envelopes to make gifts to the Trust. Donations to the Educational Trust may be unrestricted or designated for one specific program. If a donor works for a company that matches contributions, please remember to take advantage of this additional funding.

St. Columbkille Educational Trust funds are handled primarily through the Omaha Archdiocesan Education Foundation (OAEF) and managed by the firm of Dain Rauscher. Our parish investment account amounts to approximately $380,000. The amount varies as new contributions are added to it, earnings are generated, the market alters the valuation, and earnings are disbursed once a year for worthy projects.

Any interested parishioners may attend the Educational Trust Board meetings. Please watch for future meetings as announced in the parish bulletin. Further information in regard to the Educational Trust is available by calling Board President Jack Stannard, 331-4293.