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.
Organizational Structures And Today’s Credit Union: A View From The Top
February 28, 2022
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Org charts reflect key responsibilities, but what do variations in top-level structures say about business strategies, compliance goals, CEO priorities, and more?
Kellogg Community Balances Loan Growth With Member Impact
February 28, 2022
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Substantial loan growth is helping propel Kellogg Community Credit Union ($818.1M, Battle Creek, MI) toward the $1 billion-asset mark. But rather than concentrating on asset milestones, it remains focused on the impact it can deliver to the members and communities it serves. Year-over-year loan growth during the third quarter of 2021 was 18.5%, nearly three
Inside CAP COM’s Focus On Infrastructure
February 21, 2022
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Top-Level Takeaways CAP COM provides infrastructure grants that fund needs that don’t normally appeal to gifting. The credit union’s foundation is in its second year of granting $100,000 to a diverse array of service providers. Infrastructure is an essential need that doesn’t easily attract funding, especially in the non-profit world. Its costs underly the ability
Langley Members Help Other Homebuyers
February 14, 2022
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A new program for first-time mortgage applicants intends to substantially reduce burdens around closing costs.
The CDFI Landscape for Credit Unions in 2022
February 2, 2022
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CU Strategic Planning’s Chief Strategy and Advocacy Officer Mike Beall, along with John McKechnie, Senior Partner of Total Spectrum, discuss the current environment for CDFI certification.
How To Reduce Financial Stress And Boost Productivity
January 19, 2022
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A Massachusetts cooperative shows what financial coaching looks like when it’s done the Workers way.
VSECU: The Budding Cannabis Market
January 12, 2022
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VSECU is one of a few financial institutions that serves the needs of cannabis businesses in Vermont. By doing so, the credit union addresses an area of financial exclusion within its field of membership.
VSECU: Community Impact
January 12, 2022
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As a values-based organization, VSECU takes seriously the cooperative principle of concern for community. This is evident in the community programs it supports, which range from securing better fuel prices to fighting food insecurity.
VSECU: A Green Future In Vermont
January 12, 2022
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Leaders at VSECU discuss culture, environmental impact, the growth of green lending, and cooperative finance at the Vermont cooperative.
Looking For More In The New Year
January 11, 2022
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The same motions will offer the same results in 2022. For results rooted in purpose and impact, try thinking and acting in a whole new way.
Organizational Structures And Today’s Credit Union: A View From The Top
Org charts reflect key responsibilities, but what do variations in top-level structures say about business strategies, compliance goals, CEO priorities, and more?
Kellogg Community Balances Loan Growth With Member Impact
Substantial loan growth is helping propel Kellogg Community Credit Union ($818.1M, Battle Creek, MI) toward the $1 billion-asset mark. But rather than concentrating on asset ...
Inside CAP COM’s Focus On Infrastructure
Top-Level Takeaways CAP COM provides infrastructure grants that fund needs that don’t normally appeal to gifting. The credit union’s foundation is in its second year ...
Langley Members Help Other Homebuyers
A new program for first-time mortgage applicants intends to substantially reduce burdens around closing costs.
The CDFI Landscape for Credit Unions in 2022
CU Strategic Planning’s Chief Strategy and Advocacy Officer Mike Beall, along with John McKechnie, Senior Partner of Total Spectrum, discuss the current environment for CDFI ...
How To Reduce Financial Stress And Boost Productivity
A Massachusetts cooperative shows what financial coaching looks like when it’s done the Workers way.
VSECU: The Budding Cannabis Market
VSECU is one of a few financial institutions that serves the needs of cannabis businesses in Vermont. By doing so, the credit union addresses an ...
VSECU: Community Impact
As a values-based organization, VSECU takes seriously the cooperative principle of concern for community. This is evident in the community programs it supports, which range ...
VSECU: A Green Future In Vermont
Leaders at VSECU discuss culture, environmental impact, the growth of green lending, and cooperative finance at the Vermont cooperative.
Browse Topics
AI Adoption Is Growing. Are Credit Unions Keeping Pace?
Andrew Lepczyk
New data from Gallup shows half of all employees who work for companies that pay for AI tools use them. Credit unions are building their own momentum.
A Credit Union Bond Beyond Bloodlines
Aaron Passman
For Mike and Dave Valentine, the family business just happens to be credit unions. The father-son duo talk leadership styles, cooperative values, and the lessons they’ve learned from each other along the way.
Connection And Caring Matter As Much As Knowledge And Resources
Chris Howard
People who are truly financially thriving have both means and a sense of security that comes from confidence about the future. Building that kind of emotional engagement requires a deliberate design of everyday interactions.
Markets Flip From Pricing Cuts To 50% Chance Of Hikes
Jason Haley
Look beyond the headlines to better understand what is driving current market trends and how they could impact credit union investment portfolios.
Keep The Mortgage. Ditch The Fees.
Savana Morie
A rethink of closing costs, rate relief, and employer partnerships helped 7 17 Credit Union build an affordable housing mortgage program that works.
Home Is Where The Heart (And More) Is
Aaron Passman
Where is mortgage growth coming from right now? This week, CreditUnions.com covers a mix of home equity campaigns, targeted affordability programs, and niche lending strategies that are bringing borrowers back into the market.
3 Ways To Market For HELOC Success
Aaron Passman
Home equity lending is a winning option for credit unions in today’s mortgage environment. Learn how three different shops meet members’ needs.
Small House, Big Opportunity: 2 Takes On Manufactured Home Loans
Aaron Passman
Manufactured home loans can provide members access to affordable housing, including those in rural areas. Two credit unions share how they approach the niche product.
Mortgage Lending Is Back, But It Looks Different
Tony Waltrich
After a prolonged slowdown, signs of life are returning to mortgage lending. Growth is uneven, with first-time buyers and shifting rate dynamics driving activity in select segments.
MSUFCU Turns A Break In Payments Into A Member Experience Moment
Aaron Passman
The Michigan cooperative keeps everyday payments working and members happy by using a common friction point to build brand loyalty.
Looking For More In The New Year