JetStream FCU Turns CDFI Funding Into Lifelines After Hurricane Maria
A pair of CDFI grants allowed the Florida-based credit union to help members restart their lives on the island or relocate to the United States.
Impact/Purpose
Our Purpose page is your central resource to explore strategies that elevate products and services from run-of-the-mill commodities to powerful tools that support members and communities and set credit unions apart from competitors.
Top Impact/Purpose Articles
Wright-Patt Turns Purpose Into Property For First-Time Homebuyers
The Ohio credit union’s Sunshine Community Fund is backing new homes in Dayton, combining financial support, education, and cross-team collaboration to empower first-time buyers.
First Alliance Debuts Mission-Driven Deposits
The Minnesota-based cooperative invites high-dollar depositors to turn private prosperity into shared possibility through a savings product designed around social impact.
Small Loans Could Be Big Business
June 3, 2015
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Zillow mortgage research shows that many small borrowers will pay 10% more for every dollar borrowed than a borrower with a $400,000 loan.
Understanding The Value Of Early Adopters
May 28, 2015
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Members who more readily accept new self-service options are a market segment worth cultivating.
4 Ways To Staff Tomorrow’s Credit Union Today
May 18, 2015
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Millennials and new organizational structures are shaping the credit union industry for today and tomorrow.
Susan Makris On Leadership
May 15, 2015
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Susan Makris, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Patelco Credit Union, explains the importance of leadership style and culture within a growing credit union.
How Back-End Cooperation Will Help 6 Credit Unions Cut Compliance Costs By $200K
May 5, 2015
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Six small credit unions have projected more than $200,000 in compliance costs savings over the next two years with their new CUSO — and they say that’s just the beginning.
It’s Better To Be Real Than Perfect
May 5, 2015
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Presenters at the Financial Brand Forum explain why sharing shortfalls is just as important as touting strengths.
Enterprise Risk Overview Shows Progress, Way Forward
May 4, 2015
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Your risk management processes may be fine today, but are they sufficient to lead you tomorrow?
Exploding Opportunity In Exploding Diversity
April 30, 2015
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The growth of the millennial immigrant population has handed the credit union movement a great opportunity and obligation.
Test Your Boundaries Without Losing Your Bearings
April 27, 2015
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In a sky full of glittering opportunities, maintaining the industry’s guiding principles becomes more crucial, not less.
What Are Credit Unions Saying About RBC2?
April 27, 2015
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More than 1,000 credit union advocates from across the industry have made their voices heard. This selection of comments about NCUA’s revised risk-based capital proposal highlights drawbacks of the rule and underscores the importance of feedback.
Understanding The Value Of Early Adopters
Members who more readily accept new self-service options are a market segment worth cultivating.
4 Ways To Staff Tomorrow’s Credit Union Today
Millennials and new organizational structures are shaping the credit union industry for today and tomorrow.
Susan Makris On Leadership
Susan Makris, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Patelco Credit Union, explains the importance of leadership style and culture within a growing ...
How Back-End Cooperation Will Help 6 Credit Unions Cut Compliance Costs By $200K
Six small credit unions have projected more than $200,000 in compliance costs savings over the next two years with their new CUSO — and they ...
It’s Better To Be Real Than Perfect
Presenters at the Financial Brand Forum explain why sharing shortfalls is just as important as touting strengths.
Enterprise Risk Overview Shows Progress, Way Forward
Your risk management processes may be fine today, but are they sufficient to lead you tomorrow?
Exploding Opportunity In Exploding Diversity
The growth of the millennial immigrant population has handed the credit union movement a great opportunity and obligation.
Test Your Boundaries Without Losing Your Bearings
In a sky full of glittering opportunities, maintaining the industry’s guiding principles becomes more crucial, not less.
What Are Credit Unions Saying About RBC2?
More than 1,000 credit union advocates from across the industry have made their voices heard. This selection of comments about NCUA’s revised risk-based capital proposal ...
Browse Topics
Why Financial Empowerment Matters More Than Financial Literacy
Savana Morie
Alltru FCU stopped treating education as the end goal. Now, financial empowerment guides product design, access, and risk decisions.
42% Of U.S. Households Experience Financial Hardship
Tony Waltrich
More than 50 million U.S. households earn less than the minimum average income needed to cover basic costs of living.
Excite Foundation Breaks Down Barriers For Children’s Savings
Savana Morie
Automatic enrollment and community partnerships help the credit union foundation expand access to early savings for underserved families.
Credit Human Redefines ‘Green’ In The Heart Of Texas
Savana Morie
The credit union completed a three acre headquarters campus in 2021 that offers 52% more space while consuming a fraction of the resources. It’s a model of how cooperatives can lead on sustainability without sacrificing performance.
CDFIs By The Numbers
Omar Shalabi
CDFI credit unions might be fewer in number, but their impact reaches millions of members, and their footprint highlights how targeted mission can translate into broad, measurable reach.
Serving The Underserved Without Accepting Preventable Fraud Losses
Callahan & Associates
Preventable fraud losses quietly erode credit union margins. The difference between a 25% and 6% loss rate isn’t risk. It’s execution.
Inside An In-School Model That Links Classrooms With College And Careers
Savana Morie
Holy Rosary Credit Union has embedded itself into a local high school’s career and technical education program, offering scholarships, internships, and courses eligible for college credit.
6 Credit Union Executive Priorities For 2026
Jay Johnson
Credit union leaders want to know where peers are placing their focus. These six priorities reflect how leadership teams are responding to change with intention and clarity.
What’s Next For Credit Union Earnings?
Omar Shalabi
As margin support begins to fade, earnings performance is becoming more sensitive to revenue mix and harder to interpret through public reporting alone.
The Great Wealth Transfer Is Also A Relationship Transfer
Savana Morie
Harvard FCU combines digital estate planning with human financial guidance to support positive, proactive wealth transfer across generations.
Small Loans Could Be Big Business