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.
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.
10 Ways VSECU Embraces Community Impact
January 10, 2022
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VSECU participates in a number of programs to improve the lives of the members and communities it serves. Serious support for a range of groups and projects should not be surprising coming from the second-largest credit union in Vermont one that prides itself on being a values-based organization that publicly focuses on member economic prosperity,
Credit Unions And Community Impact
January 10, 2022
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Three ways credit unions are delivering on a promise to support members, neighborhoods, communities, and more.
Credit Unions And Member Impact
January 10, 2022
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Three ways credit unions are creating engaged, loyal members.
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.
10 Ways VSECU Embraces Community Impact
VSECU participates in a number of programs to improve the lives of the members and communities it serves. Serious support for a range of groups ...
Credit Unions And Community Impact
Three ways credit unions are delivering on a promise to support members, neighborhoods, communities, and more.
Credit Unions And Member Impact
Three ways credit unions are creating engaged, loyal members.
Browse Topics
The Long Game For Fintech At FORUM Credit Union
Marc Rapport
The Indiana cooperative blends internal development with selective partnerships to meet members’ needs today now while positioning for what’s next.
Mission Fed Weighs Fintech Returns Against Real-World Fit
Marc Rapport
The San Diego cooperative leans on its CUSO and the CURQL network to make fintech investments, but member needs still guide which solutions ultimately make it into the credit union’s operations.
AI Boot Camp Is More Than Basic Training At Clearview FCU
Aaron Passman
Hands-on work with artificial intelligence tools is future-proofing staff members, giving them the confidence to adopt new technology and embrace efficiencies.
Stable Economy. Strained Households.
Andrew Lepczyk
Wages briefly caught up with inflation, but rising costs have pushed them back into negative territory. Here’s what that shift means for member finances and credit union performance.
Fintech Grounded In Mission As Much As Market Opportunity
Marc Rapport
Suncoast Credit Union balances near-term needs with longer-term bets, applying discipline to timing, valuation, and fit to decide when to invest and when to walk away.
Industry Intelligence For Credit Union Leaders
Callahan & Associates
Looking for quarterly data coverage, expert analysis, lessons from leading credit unions, and more? Callahan has it covered. Comparing top-level performance and digging into the details has never been easier.
Cost Pressures Are Changing Member Behavior
Savana Morie
First quarter data shows how rising costs are pushing consumers toward flexibility and reshaping borrowing and saving habits.
WSECU Invests In Innovation To Solve Pain Points
Marc Rapport
A dedicated CUSO holding company allows WSECU to move beyond building and back fintech partners it helps shape and scale.
When Employees Own Culture, Service Follows
Savana Morie
Advancial FCU links internal service standards, employee feedback, and peer recognition to create a more consistent experience for both staff and members.
How MSUFCU Builds And Backs Fintech Solutions
Marc Rapport
MSUFCU takes a hands-on approach to fintech, piloting solutions through its in-house lab before scaling and backing them through a wholly owned CUSO.
Looking For More In The New Year