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.
Are Credit Unions Having A Meaningful Impact On Employees?
November 8, 2021
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Focusing on front-line employees helps credit unions better serve their members and communities.
Student Internships In The Age Of Virtual Staffing
October 29, 2021
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After adopting a virtual model for its college internship program, UFCU continued to build out financial wellness counseling, networking, and scholarship components.
Rebuilding Community One Mortgage At A Time
October 29, 2021
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How a loan consortium in La Crosse, WI, aims to rebuild downtown and keep college students in state.
Helping St. Louis Help Itself
October 29, 2021
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1st Financial combines the right products with direct engagement to help underbanked residents build credit and financial security.
Financial Health Underpins A Broader Social Purpose At A Texas Credit Union
October 29, 2021
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University FCU considers community needs and institutional strengths to identify high-impact areas of service.
A Cooperative Spin On Local Marketing
October 28, 2021
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A California credit union partners with local businesses and earns positive guilt by association.
What Has More Value: Quantitative Data Or Qualitative Conversation?
October 25, 2021
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An impact benchmark is a worthwhile endeavor, but community impact doesn’t stop — or even start — with a number.
Fellows Step Into Local Leadership Roles
October 25, 2021
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A three-year partnership between SECU Foundation and a North Carolina nonprofit places high-achieving college graduates into community government roles to curb the state’s brain drain.
How To Use Culture And Perks To Achieve Hiring Happiness
October 18, 2021
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Employees asked, and Horizon FCU made Black Friday a paid holiday. The Pennsylvania cooperative has made other decisions by following its mission, vision, and values, too.
4 Reasons Credit Unions Need To Train Front-Line Staff As Financial Counselors
October 13, 2021
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When all staff can recognize members’ financial challenges and make timely recommendations, you can improve your members’ financial lives and your credit union’s bottom line.
Student Internships In The Age Of Virtual Staffing
After adopting a virtual model for its college internship program, UFCU continued to build out financial wellness counseling, networking, and scholarship components.
Rebuilding Community One Mortgage At A Time
How a loan consortium in La Crosse, WI, aims to rebuild downtown and keep college students in state.
Helping St. Louis Help Itself
1st Financial combines the right products with direct engagement to help underbanked residents build credit and financial security.
Financial Health Underpins A Broader Social Purpose At A Texas Credit Union
University FCU considers community needs and institutional strengths to identify high-impact areas of service.
A Cooperative Spin On Local Marketing
A California credit union partners with local businesses and earns positive guilt by association.
What Has More Value: Quantitative Data Or Qualitative Conversation?
An impact benchmark is a worthwhile endeavor, but community impact doesn’t stop — or even start — with a number.
Fellows Step Into Local Leadership Roles
A three-year partnership between SECU Foundation and a North Carolina nonprofit places high-achieving college graduates into community government roles to curb the state’s brain drain.
How To Use Culture And Perks To Achieve Hiring Happiness
Employees asked, and Horizon FCU made Black Friday a paid holiday. The Pennsylvania cooperative has made other decisions by following its mission, vision, and values, ...
4 Reasons Credit Unions Need To Train Front-Line Staff As Financial Counselors
When all staff can recognize members’ financial challenges and make timely recommendations, you can improve your members’ financial lives and your credit union’s bottom line.
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.
Are Credit Unions Having A Meaningful Impact On Employees?