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.
ELGA Fuels Growth For Areas In Need
January 5, 2022
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The Michigan cooperative is going against the grain of other FIs by serving moderate to low-income members, opening new branches, and tapping CDFI funds to lend to people in need.
Small Loans Make A Big Impact In New Mexico
January 5, 2022
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Nusenda Credit Union works with community partners to identify and support borrowers shut out of traditional lending.
Arlington Community Sets The PACE For Sustainability
January 5, 2022
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The Virginia cooperative leverages a government-guaranteed loans program to help local business owners make an environmental difference.
What’s In A Name: Vice President Of Strategic Initiatives And Impact
January 3, 2022
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At Together Credit Union, ensuring pillars aren’t silos is at the heart of creating a change culture based on data and collaboration.
What Is Community Impact? Callahan Has The Data.
January 3, 2022
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Collecting data for the Impact Framework, Callahan & Associates has learned impact varies depending on institution and community — and that’s OK.
Seattle Credit Unions Invest Together In Affordable Housing
November 22, 2021
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Five cooperatives provide the final piece of public-private funding needed to launch a 277-unit project in suburban King County.
When It Comes To Supporting Members, Education Is Key
November 22, 2021
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Financial literacy is a strong priority for credit unions, which offer general counseling in various areas of finance as well as a variety of topical education.
Mapping Your Members: Identifying The Underserved
November 9, 2021
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This session takes on how to use public data and combine it with internal data in Tableau to map underserved members.
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.
ELGA Fuels Growth For Areas In Need
The Michigan cooperative is going against the grain of other FIs by serving moderate to low-income members, opening new branches, and tapping CDFI funds to ...
Small Loans Make A Big Impact In New Mexico
Nusenda Credit Union works with community partners to identify and support borrowers shut out of traditional lending.
Arlington Community Sets The PACE For Sustainability
The Virginia cooperative leverages a government-guaranteed loans program to help local business owners make an environmental difference.
What’s In A Name: Vice President Of Strategic Initiatives And Impact
At Together Credit Union, ensuring pillars aren’t silos is at the heart of creating a change culture based on data and collaboration.
Seattle Credit Unions Invest Together In Affordable Housing
Five cooperatives provide the final piece of public-private funding needed to launch a 277-unit project in suburban King County.
When It Comes To Supporting Members, Education Is Key
Financial literacy is a strong priority for credit unions, which offer general counseling in various areas of finance as well as a variety of topical ...
Mapping Your Members: Identifying The Underserved
This session takes on how to use public data and combine it with internal data in Tableau to map underserved members.
Are Credit Unions Having A Meaningful Impact On Employees?
Focusing on front-line employees helps credit unions better serve their members and communities.
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.
Browse Topics
Innovation Only Goes So Far Without Internal Alignment
Marc Rapport
Coastal Credit Union evaluates fintech through the lens of member value, strategic growth, and organizational readiness to implement new ideas.
Future Bets For Fintech
Rebecca Wessler
Credit unions are making decisions about where to build, invest, and partner as they balance today’s priorities with tomorrow’s opportunities.
Future Bets From Today’s Credit Unions
Marc Rapport
Industry leaders share how they approach fintech investment, balancing immediate needs with longer-term bets while keeping member value and mission at the center.
Competing For Gen Z, SMBs, And The Future Of Money
Callahan & Associates
Credit unions that enable seamless movement between fiat and digital assets position themselves as a trusted on- and off-ramp.
The Financial Readiness Gap: Credit Unions Evaluate It Every Day. But Who Builds It?
Callahan & Associates
The credit unions that win the next generation will be the ones that showed up early, when young members were forming habits and deciding whom to trust.
Defending Your Credit Union Against Fraud Means Fighting Fire With Smarter Fire
Callahan & Associates
The challenge is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to adopt it responsibly with the right governance, the right partners, and the right balance between technology and human oversight.
Digital Assets Are Coming For Payments. Are Credit Unions Ready?
Andrew Lepczyk
McKinsey projects trillions of dollars in growth across digital assets, with money movement emerging as one of the biggest opportunities.
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.
What Is Community Impact? Callahan Has The Data.