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.
A Solution To Educate Members During A Pandemic
August 17, 2020
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Nearly 30,000 attendees have attended virtual financial education webinars since the pandemic halted in-person sessions at VACU.
Rebuild, Repair, Recover: Affinity Plus Helps The Twin Cities Heal
August 10, 2020
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Listening, then acting, has helped the big Minnesota credit union respond to the protests in its hometown.
Dupaco’s MoneyMatch Program Gives Iowans A Leg Up On Financial Independence
July 28, 2020
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How Dupaco’s individual development account and broader network of support helps those in need build a solid financial foundation.
A Credit Union Career Isn’t For Me. Change My Mind. (Part 4)
July 27, 2020
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Industry leaders talk about how they cultivated a career in credit unions and how credit unions across the United States can recruit enthusiastic employees to fill tomorrow’s leadership bench.
Credit Unions Help Save More Than 1.1 Million Jobs Through PPP
July 8, 2020
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PPP data from the Treasury Department indicates credit unions played a larger role in lending to smaller companies, underscoring the movement’s commitment to Main Street business borrowers.
Widespread Pandemic: Learnings And Implications Evident In First Quarter Data
June 22, 2020
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In the current environment, member circumstances and behaviors are changing. It is incumbent upon credit union leadership to monitor these changes and respond accordingly.
Strategy During A Crisis
May 18, 2020
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Focusing on products and service won’t build lasting, sustainable success; mission-based strategy helps separate real opportunity from feel-good initiatives.
Best Of April 2020
May 6, 2020
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Based on April traffic (and our editorial instincts), here are the top articles and blogs that appeared on CreditUnions.com.
How CDFI Can Help Credit Unions Weather This Storm
May 6, 2020
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In these unprecedented times, credit unions are stepping up to the challenge by lending to their members (often low to moderate income workers). This increased lending is valuable and necessary, but it also generates risk and a need for increased loan loss reserves.
Suffering Members Need More Than Help. They Need To Know You Care.
April 23, 2020
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Emotion, not rational assessment, drives decision-making, and members who report their credit union cares about their financial wellbeing put greater trust in the value of its guidance.
A Solution To Educate Members During A Pandemic
Nearly 30,000 attendees have attended virtual financial education webinars since the pandemic halted in-person sessions at VACU.
Rebuild, Repair, Recover: Affinity Plus Helps The Twin Cities Heal
Listening, then acting, has helped the big Minnesota credit union respond to the protests in its hometown.
Dupaco’s MoneyMatch Program Gives Iowans A Leg Up On Financial Independence
How Dupaco’s individual development account and broader network of support helps those in need build a solid financial foundation.
A Credit Union Career Isn’t For Me. Change My Mind. (Part 4)
Industry leaders talk about how they cultivated a career in credit unions and how credit unions across the United States can recruit enthusiastic employees to ...
Credit Unions Help Save More Than 1.1 Million Jobs Through PPP
PPP data from the Treasury Department indicates credit unions played a larger role in lending to smaller companies, underscoring the movement’s commitment to Main Street ...
Widespread Pandemic: Learnings And Implications Evident In First Quarter Data
In the current environment, member circumstances and behaviors are changing. It is incumbent upon credit union leadership to monitor these changes and respond accordingly.
Strategy During A Crisis
Focusing on products and service won’t build lasting, sustainable success; mission-based strategy helps separate real opportunity from feel-good initiatives.
Best Of April 2020
Based on April traffic (and our editorial instincts), here are the top articles and blogs that appeared on CreditUnions.com.
How CDFI Can Help Credit Unions Weather This Storm
In these unprecedented times, credit unions are stepping up to the challenge by lending to their members (often low to moderate income workers). This increased ...
Suffering Members Need More Than Help. They Need To Know You Care.
Emotion, not rational assessment, drives decision-making, and members who report their credit union cares about their financial wellbeing put greater trust in the value of ...
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.