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.
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
Transparency: Keeping Integrity When Market Participants Play Outside the Lines
April 29, 2016
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University FCU is the major student loan lender at the University of Texas because of the value of its product, not for its relationship with the financial aid office. Transparency will reveal its work of putting students first.
Our Salaries are Made Public, and With Little Comment
April 29, 2016
No Comments
At BECU we file executive compensation on the IRS Form 990, which is available to the public. We believe we it’s the right thing to do, and we have not suffered any backlash from the public or members.
Not Playing It Safe
April 29, 2016
No Comments
At ABNB FCU we empower employees to do the right thing. Our culture of extraordinary service is a function of our military heritage, hiring the right people, giving employees the right training, and keeping focus on our tradition of helping our members.
First-Time Home Buyers Benefit from Community First Stimulus Mortgage Package
April 29, 2016
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At Community First Credit Union, one brief phrase captures our commitment to our members: “We’ll find a way.” Our new outreach specifically targeting first-time home buyers reflects this mind set. The housing market in Wisconsin has not escaped the national home purchase slump, with homeowners unable to sell their homes and potential first-time home-buyers unable to get into the market.
Meeting Challenges in Indiana
April 29, 2016
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Amy Sink, CFO at Teachers CU in Indiana, shares her thoughts on the challenges and opportunities running the largest credit union in her state during these troubling times.
One of the Nation’s Best Credit Card Programs
April 29, 2016
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Pennsylvania State Employees CU has one of the best credit card programs in the nation. With penetration at 40% and growth in balances last year at 23%, members are demonstrating they see the value in PSECU’s program above the programs of banks and other institutions.
Refinancing Is a Win-Win Situation
April 29, 2016
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Wright-Patt Credit Union has seen members affected firsthand by the economy, but the credit union has helped members, improved credit union revenue, and shown how America can get growth started.
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. ...
Transparency: Keeping Integrity When Market Participants Play Outside the Lines
University FCU is the major student loan lender at the University of Texas because of the value of its product, not for its relationship with ...
Our Salaries are Made Public, and With Little Comment
At BECU we file executive compensation on the IRS Form 990, which is available to the public. We believe we it’s the right thing to ...
Not Playing It Safe
At ABNB FCU we empower employees to do the right thing. Our culture of extraordinary service is a function of our military heritage, hiring the ...
First-Time Home Buyers Benefit from Community First Stimulus Mortgage Package
At Community First Credit Union, one brief phrase captures our commitment to our members: "We'll find a way." Our new outreach specifically targeting first-time home ...
Meeting Challenges in Indiana
Amy Sink, CFO at Teachers CU in Indiana, shares her thoughts on the challenges and opportunities running the largest credit union in her state during ...
One of the Nation’s Best Credit Card Programs
Pennsylvania State Employees CU has one of the best credit card programs in the nation. With penetration at 40% and growth in balances last year ...
Refinancing Is a Win-Win Situation
Wright-Patt Credit Union has seen members affected firsthand by the economy, but the credit union has helped members, improved credit union revenue, and shown how ...
Browse Topics
Competing For Gen Z, SMBs, And The Future Of Money
Callahan & Associates
Credit unions that enable seamless movement between fiat and digital assets position themselves as a trusted on- and off-ramp.
The Financial Readiness Gap: Credit Unions Evaluate It Every Day. But Who Builds It?
Callahan & Associates
The credit unions that win the next generation will be the ones that showed up early, when young members were forming habits and deciding whom to trust.
Defending Your Credit Union Against Fraud Means Fighting Fire With Smarter Fire
Callahan & Associates
The challenge is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to adopt it responsibly with the right governance, the right partners, and the right balance between technology and human oversight.
Digital Assets Are Coming For Payments. Are Credit Unions Ready?
Andrew Lepczyk
McKinsey projects trillions of dollars in growth across digital assets, with money movement emerging as one of the biggest opportunities.
The Long Game For Fintech At FORUM Credit Union
Marc Rapport
The Indiana cooperative blends internal development with selective partnerships to meet members’ needs today now while positioning for what’s next.
Mission Fed Weighs Fintech Returns Against Real-World Fit
Marc Rapport
The San Diego cooperative leans on its CUSO and the CURQL network to make fintech investments, but member needs still guide which solutions ultimately make it into the credit union’s operations.
AI Boot Camp Is More Than Basic Training At Clearview FCU
Aaron Passman
Hands-on work with artificial intelligence tools is future-proofing staff members, giving them the confidence to adopt new technology and embrace efficiencies.
Stable Economy. Strained Households.
Andrew Lepczyk
Wages briefly caught up with inflation, but rising costs have pushed them back into negative territory. Here’s what that shift means for member finances and credit union performance.
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.