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.
Great Leaders’ Quest For Elegance
May 27, 2014
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Successful executives will seek to simplify processes and rid their organizations of inefficiencies.
How Can YOU Support The TOMS Model
August 8, 2013
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By building a business model around helping others, TOMS sets an example for cooperatives to follow.
Your Vision For Regulatory Leadership
July 3, 2013
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Here are four different ways you can join the conversation about the need for an understanding of cooperative principles in regulatory leadership.
Highlight The Cooperative Business Model
September 24, 2012
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To strengthen the credit union marketplace, institutions have to walk the talk.
Credit Unions Can Benefit From The Cooperative Model
July 26, 2012
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The benefits of corporate membership become evident as third-party partners edge out credit unions from their customer base.
Shop Your Cooperative Message
July 26, 2012
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As the Occupy Wall Street movement spreads across the country, credit unions can leverage it as a time to promote the cooperative model for banking.
Great Leaders’ Quest For Elegance
May 24, 2012
No Comments
Successful executives will seek to simplify processes and rid their organizations of inefficiencies.
Credit Unions Creating The Next Economy
March 26, 2012
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As America continues to transform itself economically, credit unions are becoming more involved in their communities.
Any NCUA Board Appointment Is An Opportunity
March 19, 2012
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Credit unions should seek to ensure that the appointment process restores confidence in the political process.
There’s No Such Thing As A Free Lunch
March 12, 2012
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An article in the Los Angeles Times provides a cautionary lesson for credit unions.
Great Leaders’ Quest For Elegance
Successful executives will seek to simplify processes and rid their organizations of inefficiencies.
How Can YOU Support The TOMS Model
By building a business model around helping others, TOMS sets an example for cooperatives to follow.
Your Vision For Regulatory Leadership
Here are four different ways you can join the conversation about the need for an understanding of cooperative principles in regulatory leadership.
Highlight The Cooperative Business Model
To strengthen the credit union marketplace, institutions have to walk the talk.
Credit Unions Can Benefit From The Cooperative Model
The benefits of corporate membership become evident as third-party partners edge out credit unions from their customer base.
Shop Your Cooperative Message
As the Occupy Wall Street movement spreads across the country, credit unions can leverage it as a time to promote the cooperative model for banking.
Great Leaders’ Quest For Elegance
Successful executives will seek to simplify processes and rid their organizations of inefficiencies.
Credit Unions Creating The Next Economy
As America continues to transform itself economically, credit unions are becoming more involved in their communities.
Any NCUA Board Appointment Is An Opportunity
Credit unions should seek to ensure that the appointment process restores confidence in the political process.
There’s No Such Thing As A Free Lunch
An article in the Los Angeles Times provides a cautionary lesson for credit unions.
Browse Topics
The Numbers That Matter Most To Credit Unions
Aaron Passman
A look at year-end performance trends reveals how earnings, affordability pressures, and asset quality are redefining the operating environment heading into 2026.
The Affordability Crisis Is Reshaping Credit Union Balance Sheets
Sherry Virden
Members are struggling with an affordability crisis that is changing how they manage debt, and new behaviors are showing up across the credit union loan portfolio.
Meet The Finalists For The 2026 Innovation Series: Employee Enablement
Callahan & Associates
This year’s Innovation Series returns with bigger impact and broader horizons. Since 2018, this annual showcase has spotlighted forward-thinking solutions by giving innovators a stage to share ideas, demonstrate solutions, and spark meaningful change.
Asset Quality Takes An Uncomfortable Turn In 2025
Andrew Lepczyk
Credit union asset quality didn’t collapse in 2025 — but it didn’t cooperate, either. What’s going on, and are credit unions prepared to respond in 2026?
Meet The Finalists For The 2026 Innovation Series: Fraud Prevention And Resolution
Callahan & Associates
This year’s Innovation Series returns with bigger impact and broader horizons. Since 2018, this annual showcase has spotlighted forward-thinking solutions by giving innovators a stage to share ideas, demonstrate solutions, and spark meaningful change.
Meet The Finalists For The 2026 Innovation Series: Digital Member Engagement
Callahan & Associates
This year’s Innovation Series returns with bigger impact and broader horizons. Since 2018, this annual showcase has spotlighted forward-thinking solutions by giving innovators a stage to share ideas, demonstrate solutions, and spark meaningful change.
The American Budget Squeeze
Tony Waltrich
The affordability crisis extends far beyond big-ticket expenses. As the rising cost of basic necessities outpaces income growth, household budgets are under strain and long-term financial stability is increasingly at risk.
Flexibility In The Earnings Model Matters More As Rates Turn
Omar Shalabi
As credit unions move deeper into 2026, the earnings conversation is shifting. Elevated interest rates have boosted margins and strengthened earnings flexibility, but that advantage won’t persist indefinitely.
Credit Unions At A Crossroads: Shifts, Risks, And Opportunities
Callahan & Associates
A radical shift is taking place in the way consumers move money and engage with their financial institution.
Building A ‘Culture’ Of Confidence At MSUFCU
Aaron Passman
How the Michigan-based cooperative’s “Culture of Finance” curriculum is reframing financial education.