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.
What’s In A Name: Director Of Social Impact
June 13, 2022
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Ivy Glover is one year into making sure DEI is more than just a buzzword at the Buckeye State’s biggest credit union.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Book Raises Questions For Credit Unions
June 13, 2022
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A recent study of one family’s struggles with poverty and social services should force our industry to examine how we can be a better resource for consumers who lack access to access basic services.
A Call For Cooperatives To Close The Racial Homeownership Gap
June 6, 2022
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GreenState Credit Union has committed $1 billion toward home loans for communities of color. CEO Jeff Disterhoft is rallying the entire industry to take similar steps.
Crowdsourcing For A Cause: How Blue FCU Plans To Ease The Down Payment Pinch
June 6, 2022
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The Wyoming-based credit union is testing a program that rewards members for contributing to a fund to help other members more easily afford a down payment on a home.
5 Ways Credit Unions Are Fighting The Affordable Housing Crisis
June 6, 2022
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Credit unions across the country have rolled out programs to create better days in their communities.
Inclusive Lending For First-Time Homebuyers Turns Dreams Into Reality
June 6, 2022
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A program at Carolina Foothills FCU targets low-income borrowers with flexible underwriting practices, financial education, and partnerships with public, private, and nonprofit groups.
Fees With Benefits? TCT FCU Makes It Work.
May 30, 2022
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The New York credit union has lowered punitive fees and added an array of benefits to spread the gain while easing the pain.
What’s In A Name: Chief Culture Officer
May 30, 2022
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Emma Hayes brings a career built on a commitment to inclusion and internal development for her new role at SECU.
How Data Analytics Helps Peoples Advantage Fulfill Its CDFI Mandate
May 23, 2022
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Top-Level Takeaways A better understanding of data trends has helped Peoples Advantage get buy-in from staff at all levels when it comes to meeting lending and membership goals. Credit unions with low-income and CDFI certification can use data to ensure they’re fulfilling the mission that goes along with those designations. Analytics isn’t just for large
Impact Strategies From May 2022
May 23, 2022
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CreditUnions.com has the inspiration leaders need to improve their credit union’s impact. Check out stories below featured recently that highlight strategies, initiatives, products, and services of credit unions making a positive impact for the members and communities they serve. Brother, Can You Spare A Dollar? In 2004, North Carolinians witnessed the birth of a philanthropic
What’s In A Name: Director Of Social Impact
Ivy Glover is one year into making sure DEI is more than just a buzzword at the Buckeye State’s biggest credit union.
A Call For Cooperatives To Close The Racial Homeownership Gap
GreenState Credit Union has committed $1 billion toward home loans for communities of color. CEO Jeff Disterhoft is rallying the entire industry to take similar ...
Crowdsourcing For A Cause: How Blue FCU Plans To Ease The Down Payment Pinch
The Wyoming-based credit union is testing a program that rewards members for contributing to a fund to help other members more easily afford a down ...
5 Ways Credit Unions Are Fighting The Affordable Housing Crisis
Credit unions across the country have rolled out programs to create better days in their communities.
Inclusive Lending For First-Time Homebuyers Turns Dreams Into Reality
A program at Carolina Foothills FCU targets low-income borrowers with flexible underwriting practices, financial education, and partnerships with public, private, and nonprofit groups.
Fees With Benefits? TCT FCU Makes It Work.
The New York credit union has lowered punitive fees and added an array of benefits to spread the gain while easing the pain.
What’s In A Name: Chief Culture Officer
Emma Hayes brings a career built on a commitment to inclusion and internal development for her new role at SECU.
How Data Analytics Helps Peoples Advantage Fulfill Its CDFI Mandate
Top-Level Takeaways A better understanding of data trends has helped Peoples Advantage get buy-in from staff at all levels when it comes to meeting lending ...
Impact Strategies From May 2022
CreditUnions.com has the inspiration leaders need to improve their credit union’s impact. Check out stories below featured recently that highlight strategies, initiatives, products, and services ...
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.
Consumers Are Financing The Future Any Way They Can
Aaron Passman
Studies show credit card debt and Buy Now, Pay Later usage continue to rise. Bigger increases could be around the corner.
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.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Book Raises Questions For Credit Unions