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.
Cybersecurity Starts At The Top
May 2, 2016
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A new study shows how little personal responsibility executives feel toward cybersecurity. Here’s why that’s wrong.
Tips To Reduce Regulatory Burden
May 2, 2016
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Improving processes and building relationships with regulators are two ways credit unions can ease compliance pain.
Buying a Pre-Exisiting Business
April 29, 2016
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Citadel Federal Credit Union in Thorndale, PA, recently took a novel approach to starting our credit union service organization (CUSO), Citadel Financial Services – buying a pre-existing business. We at Citadel have already had experience with CUSOs. We have long had a 60% ownership of a check processing organization and 100% ownership of an indirect lending CUSO that works through 165 auto dealer
A New Employee Benefit: Long Term Care Insurance
April 29, 2016
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Why long-term care insurance was added to Wright-Patt’s benefit package. Wright-Patt Credit Union reviewed its employee benefits package during 2000 to increase the perceived value of the package among employees, while strengthening cost controls for the Credit Union. The aim was to offer a benefits package that strengthens Wright-Patt’s ability to recruit and retain quality employees while managi
Using the Internet to Enhance Member Services
April 29, 2016
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Pennsylvania State Employees launches Internet-based credit report service.
Plain Vanilla Hands Down
April 29, 2016
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Whitefish Credit Union will soon have $600 million in assets and 22% of credit union assets in Montana, although it is confined to a small corner of the state. It is plain vanilla, taking deposits and making loans and little else. It relies on word of mouth. Its notable success owes to its above-market dividend rate, good loan rates and a reputation for reliability.
LIFE AFTER INDIRECT LENDING
April 29, 2016
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Indirect lending was good to Affinity Plus FCU, but it did not allow for the kind of trust-based relationship building with members that the credit union’s mission calls for. So it dropped indirect lending, and discovered that member-centric product innovations, such as an alternative mortgage product, not only made up for the financial loss but resulted in stronger member relationships.
Appropriate Reaction to the DFCU Decisions: Outrage
April 29, 2016
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The NCUA and the federal district court for Eastern Michigan have both erred in not making DFCU Financial live up to the credit union’s bylaws. Fundamental freedoms are at stake. DFCU members acquired three times more signatures for a special meeting than the bylaws required. But management refused to call a special meeting. NCUA and the court are allowing this democratic ownership right of the me
Transparency: Keeping Integrity When Market Participants Play Outside the Lines
April 29, 2016
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University FCU is the major student loan lender at the University of Texas because of the value of its product, not for its relationship with the financial aid office. Transparency will reveal its work of putting students first.
Our Salaries are Made Public, and With Little Comment
April 29, 2016
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At BECU we file executive compensation on the IRS Form 990, which is available to the public. We believe we it’s the right thing to do, and we have not suffered any backlash from the public or members.
Tips To Reduce Regulatory Burden
Improving processes and building relationships with regulators are two ways credit unions can ease compliance pain.
Buying a Pre-Exisiting Business
Citadel Federal Credit Union in Thorndale, PA, recently took a novel approach to starting our credit union service organization (CUSO), Citadel Financial Services - buying ...
A New Employee Benefit: Long Term Care Insurance
Why long-term care insurance was added to Wright-Patt’s benefit package. Wright-Patt Credit Union reviewed its employee benefits package during 2000 to increase the perceived value ...
Using the Internet to Enhance Member Services
Pennsylvania State Employees launches Internet-based credit report service.
Plain Vanilla Hands Down
Whitefish Credit Union will soon have $600 million in assets and 22% of credit union assets in Montana, although it is confined to a small ...
LIFE AFTER INDIRECT LENDING
Indirect lending was good to Affinity Plus FCU, but it did not allow for the kind of trust-based relationship building with members that the credit ...
Appropriate Reaction to the DFCU Decisions: Outrage
The NCUA and the federal district court for Eastern Michigan have both erred in not making DFCU Financial live up to the credit union’s bylaws. ...
Transparency: Keeping Integrity When Market Participants Play Outside the Lines
University FCU is the major student loan lender at the University of Texas because of the value of its product, not for its relationship with ...
Our Salaries are Made Public, and With Little Comment
At BECU we file executive compensation on the IRS Form 990, which is available to the public. We believe we it’s the right thing to ...
Browse Topics
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.
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.
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.
The Great Wealth Transfer Is Also A Relationship Transfer
Savana Morie
Harvard FCU combines digital estate planning with human financial guidance to support positive, proactive wealth transfer across generations.
The Lending Lag Is Real, And Here’s What Smaller Credit Unions Can Do About It
Callahan & Associates
Discover how small to midsize credit unions can weather the economic headwinds hitting their communities right now.
Fresh Risks For Financial Markets
Jason Haley
Look beyond the headlines to better understand what is driving current market trends and how they could impact credit union investment portfolios.
What’s In A Name: AVP Of Member Insights
Aaron Passman
At Service Credit Union, Dave Widener connects data, strategy, and culture to shape better outcomes for members.
Cybersecurity Starts At The Top