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.
Eric Givens On Leadership
May 3, 2016
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Eric Givens, senior director of digital banking at Arizona Federal Credit Union, talks technology and understanding what makes millennials tick.
Cybersecurity Starts At The Top
May 2, 2016
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A new study shows how little personal responsibility executives feel toward cybersecurity. Here’s why that’s wrong.
Tips To Reduce Regulatory Burden
May 2, 2016
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Improving processes and building relationships with regulators are two ways credit unions can ease compliance pain.
Return Of The Member (4Q 2015)
April 30, 2016
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Which credit unions topped the charts in returning value to members?
Buying a Pre-Exisiting Business
April 29, 2016
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Citadel Federal Credit Union in Thorndale, PA, recently took a novel approach to starting our credit union service organization (CUSO), Citadel Financial Services – buying a pre-existing business. We at Citadel have already had experience with CUSOs. We have long had a 60% ownership of a check processing organization and 100% ownership of an indirect lending CUSO that works through 165 auto dealer
A New Employee Benefit: Long Term Care Insurance
April 29, 2016
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Why long-term care insurance was added to Wright-Patt’s benefit package. Wright-Patt Credit Union reviewed its employee benefits package during 2000 to increase the perceived value of the package among employees, while strengthening cost controls for the Credit Union. The aim was to offer a benefits package that strengthens Wright-Patt’s ability to recruit and retain quality employees while managi
Using the Internet to Enhance Member Services
April 29, 2016
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Pennsylvania State Employees launches Internet-based credit report service.
Plain Vanilla Hands Down
April 29, 2016
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Whitefish Credit Union will soon have $600 million in assets and 22% of credit union assets in Montana, although it is confined to a small corner of the state. It is plain vanilla, taking deposits and making loans and little else. It relies on word of mouth. Its notable success owes to its above-market dividend rate, good loan rates and a reputation for reliability.
LIFE AFTER INDIRECT LENDING
April 29, 2016
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Indirect lending was good to Affinity Plus FCU, but it did not allow for the kind of trust-based relationship building with members that the credit union’s mission calls for. So it dropped indirect lending, and discovered that member-centric product innovations, such as an alternative mortgage product, not only made up for the financial loss but resulted in stronger member relationships.
Appropriate Reaction to the DFCU Decisions: Outrage
April 29, 2016
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The NCUA and the federal district court for Eastern Michigan have both erred in not making DFCU Financial live up to the credit union’s bylaws. Fundamental freedoms are at stake. DFCU members acquired three times more signatures for a special meeting than the bylaws required. But management refused to call a special meeting. NCUA and the court are allowing this democratic ownership right of the me
Eric Givens On Leadership
Eric Givens, senior director of digital banking at Arizona Federal Credit Union, talks technology and understanding what makes millennials tick.
Tips To Reduce Regulatory Burden
Improving processes and building relationships with regulators are two ways credit unions can ease compliance pain.
Return Of The Member (4Q 2015)
Which credit unions topped the charts in returning value to members?
Buying a Pre-Exisiting Business
Citadel Federal Credit Union in Thorndale, PA, recently took a novel approach to starting our credit union service organization (CUSO), Citadel Financial Services - buying ...
A New Employee Benefit: Long Term Care Insurance
Why long-term care insurance was added to Wright-Patt’s benefit package. Wright-Patt Credit Union reviewed its employee benefits package during 2000 to increase the perceived value ...
Using the Internet to Enhance Member Services
Pennsylvania State Employees launches Internet-based credit report service.
Plain Vanilla Hands Down
Whitefish Credit Union will soon have $600 million in assets and 22% of credit union assets in Montana, although it is confined to a small ...
LIFE AFTER INDIRECT LENDING
Indirect lending was good to Affinity Plus FCU, but it did not allow for the kind of trust-based relationship building with members that the credit ...
Appropriate Reaction to the DFCU Decisions: Outrage
The NCUA and the federal district court for Eastern Michigan have both erred in not making DFCU Financial live up to the credit union’s bylaws. ...
Browse Topics
Fintech Grounded In Mission As Much As Market Opportunity
Marc Rapport
Suncoast Credit Union balances near-term needs with longer-term bets, applying discipline to timing, valuation, and fit to decide when to invest and when to walk away.
Industry Intelligence For Credit Union Leaders
Callahan & Associates
Looking for quarterly data coverage, expert analysis, lessons from leading credit unions, and more? Callahan has it covered. Comparing top-level performance and digging into the details has never been easier.
Cost Pressures Are Changing Member Behavior
Savana Morie
First quarter data shows how rising costs are pushing consumers toward flexibility and reshaping borrowing and saving habits.
WSECU Invests In Innovation To Solve Pain Points
Marc Rapport
A dedicated CUSO holding company allows WSECU to move beyond building and back fintech partners it helps shape and scale.
When Employees Own Culture, Service Follows
Savana Morie
Advancial FCU links internal service standards, employee feedback, and peer recognition to create a more consistent experience for both staff and members.
How MSUFCU Builds And Backs Fintech Solutions
Marc Rapport
MSUFCU takes a hands-on approach to fintech, piloting solutions through its in-house lab before scaling and backing them through a wholly owned CUSO.
Members Demand Digital, But They Want Branches, Too
Savana Morie
Affinity Plus FCU has a clear member service mantra: digital for daily, human when it’s hard. Its CEO and CFO share what that looks like in practice.
How A Holding Company Helps Service Credit Union Win At Fintech
Marc Rapport
The New Hampshire cooperative shares how its fintech arm, Service Ventures, evaluates investments, balances risk, and defines success.
Future Bets From Today’s Credit Unions
Marc Rapport
Industry leaders share how they approach fintech investment, balancing immediate needs with longer-term bets while keeping member value and mission at the center.
AI Adoption Is Growing. Are Credit Unions Keeping Pace?
Andrew Lepczyk
New data from Gallup shows half of all employees who work for companies that pay for AI tools use them. Credit unions are building their own momentum.
Cybersecurity Starts At The Top