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.
GreenState Foundation Invests In Data To Improve Its Community
July 1, 2024
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A partnership with United Ways of Iowa is uncovering insights about employed community members who struggle under limited assets and constrained income.
Community Financial Flips The Script On Junk Fees
June 24, 2024
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The Michigan credit union has dropped punitive overdraft fees in favor of a checking account feature that helps members save money when their spending outstrips their budget.
Is Growth The Goal Or The Result?
June 17, 2024
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Credit unions that want to remain relevant might need to rethink how they approach the “G” word.
Innovative Card Solutions Enhance Member Engagement And Deliver Exceptional Value
June 10, 2024
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A Q&A with the credit card manufacturing company reveals skills and best practices that set it apart.
True Sky’s Blueprint For Internal And External Change Management
May 13, 2024
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The Oklahoma credit union is deploying new tools that change the game for its staff and its mission-based membership strategies.
Vantage West Works A Side HUSTL
May 6, 2024
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The Arizona-based credit union’s new fintech venture is part of a broader segmentation trend across the financial services industry.
Mega Bank Skips Town, Premier America Steps In
April 29, 2024
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The cooperative boosts its standing with Southern California’s Hispanic community as part of a bid to expand financial inclusion.
Hyperlocal Help In The Golden State
April 29, 2024
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After conducting in-depth research on income disparity and wealth gaps throughout California, Golden 1 made a five-year, $10 million investment in a local community.
Where Are The Gaps In Financial Inclusion?
April 29, 2024
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Marginalized communities are largely unbanked or underserved, but credit unions can bolster inclusivity and enhance the financial wellbeing of these groups.
Earth Day Is Every Day For Green Lenders
April 22, 2024
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New stores of federal funding are now available to help credit unions cultivate a growing business in solar and more.
GreenState Foundation Invests In Data To Improve Its Community
A partnership with United Ways of Iowa is uncovering insights about employed community members who struggle under limited assets and constrained income.
Community Financial Flips The Script On Junk Fees
The Michigan credit union has dropped punitive overdraft fees in favor of a checking account feature that helps members save money when their spending outstrips ...
Innovative Card Solutions Enhance Member Engagement And Deliver Exceptional Value
A Q&A with the credit card manufacturing company reveals skills and best practices that set it apart.
True Sky’s Blueprint For Internal And External Change Management
The Oklahoma credit union is deploying new tools that change the game for its staff and its mission-based membership strategies.
Vantage West Works A Side HUSTL
The Arizona-based credit union’s new fintech venture is part of a broader segmentation trend across the financial services industry.
Mega Bank Skips Town, Premier America Steps In
The cooperative boosts its standing with Southern California’s Hispanic community as part of a bid to expand financial inclusion.
Hyperlocal Help In The Golden State
After conducting in-depth research on income disparity and wealth gaps throughout California, Golden 1 made a five-year, $10 million investment in a local community.
Where Are The Gaps In Financial Inclusion?
Marginalized communities are largely unbanked or underserved, but credit unions can bolster inclusivity and enhance the financial wellbeing of these groups.
Earth Day Is Every Day For Green Lenders
New stores of federal funding are now available to help credit unions cultivate a growing business in solar and more.
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.
Is Growth The Goal Or The Result?