Crowdsourcing For A Cause: How Blue FCU Plans To Ease The Down Payment Pinch
The Wyoming-based credit union is testing a program that rewards members for contributing to a fund to help other members more easily afford a down payment on a home.
The Wyoming-based credit union is testing a program that rewards members for contributing to a fund to help other members more easily afford a down payment on a home.
The industry closed out the first quarter with a higher percentage of the total mortgage market, although originations dropped amid decreasing inventories and a broader slowdown in home loan activity.
A program at Carolina Foothills FCU targets low-income borrowers with flexible underwriting practices, financial education, and partnerships with public, private, and nonprofit groups.
Lenders reported a record year for originations in 2021 despite rising asset prices and rates increases, both of which were substantively driven by inflationary pressures.
Larger average mortgage balances have offset the reduced pipeline, and credit unions are holding these loans on their balance sheets at greater rates.
Omnichannel scheduling provides the perfect bridge from intent to action.
First mortgage and used auto dominate the loan portfolio, but commercial lending is hitting an all-time high.
The reopening of local economies and the return of pre-pandemic consumer spending habits have mostly offset the role pandemic relief programs have played in recent growth. According to the New York Fed’s Center for Microeconomic Data, the number of credit inquiries have returned to 2019 levels. And thanks to additional post-CARES Act policies at federal
How a loan consortium in La Crosse, WI, aims to rebuild downtown and keep college students in state.
AdvantEdge Digital gains traction in crowded marketplace by helping ensure member-owned cooperatives can do the same.

A look at year-end performance trends reveals how earnings, affordability pressures, and asset quality are redefining the operating environment heading into 2026.

Members are struggling with an affordability crisis that is changing how they manage debt, and new behaviors are showing up across the credit union loan portfolio.

This year’s Innovation Series returns with bigger impact and broader horizons. Since 2018, this annual showcase has spotlighted forward-thinking solutions by giving innovators a stage to share ideas, demonstrate solutions, and spark meaningful change.
Credit union asset quality didn’t collapse in 2025 — but it didn’t cooperate, either. What’s going on, and are credit unions prepared to respond in 2026?

This year’s Innovation Series returns with bigger impact and broader horizons. Since 2018, this annual showcase has spotlighted forward-thinking solutions by giving innovators a stage to share ideas, demonstrate solutions, and spark meaningful change.

This year’s Innovation Series returns with bigger impact and broader horizons. Since 2018, this annual showcase has spotlighted forward-thinking solutions by giving innovators a stage to share ideas, demonstrate solutions, and spark meaningful change.
The affordability crisis extends far beyond big-ticket expenses. As the rising cost of basic necessities outpaces income growth, household budgets are under strain and long-term financial stability is increasingly at risk.
As credit unions move deeper into 2026, the earnings conversation is shifting. Elevated interest rates have boosted margins and strengthened earnings flexibility, but that advantage won’t persist indefinitely.
A radical shift is taking place in the way consumers move money and engage with their financial institution.

How the Michigan-based cooperative’s “Culture of Finance” curriculum is reframing financial education.