Innovations Financial Bets Big On Small Business Lending
CDFI grant funding helps the Florida cooperative offer microloans for small businesses after many banks pulled out of its market.
CDFI grant funding helps the Florida cooperative offer microloans for small businesses after many banks pulled out of its market.
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 finalists are reimagining how credit unions can use AI to combine cutting-edge technology with old-school member service.
This year’s finalists are uncovering new ways to harness the power of technology to improve and expand lending across the industry.
Consumers are adjusting their financing habits to the new economy, and as economic realities shift, members are rethinking how — and where — they access credit.
Ignoring the financial needs of small and medium-sized businesses could mean ignoring the needs of your communities
Check out 2025’s top innovators in lending
Lake Trust Credit Union is driving statewide entrepreneurial spirit with a loan program that has provided more than $22 million in funding.
Learn how innovative document-sharing solutions can streamline compliance and foster member trust.
A program at Abound Credit Union has helped hundreds of would-be small business owners since its launch eight years ago.

Look beyond the headlines to better understand what is driving current market trends and how they could impact credit union investment portfolios.

A rethink of closing costs, rate relief, and employer partnerships helped 7 17 Credit Union build an affordable housing mortgage program that works.

Where is mortgage growth coming from right now? This week, CreditUnions.com covers a mix of home equity campaigns, targeted affordability programs, and niche lending strategies that are bringing borrowers back into the market.

Home equity lending is a winning option for credit unions in today’s mortgage environment. Learn how three different shops meet members’ needs.

Manufactured home loans can provide members access to affordable housing, including those in rural areas. Two credit unions share how they approach the niche product.

After a prolonged slowdown, signs of life are returning to mortgage lending. Growth is uneven, with first-time buyers and shifting rate dynamics driving activity in select segments.

The Michigan cooperative keeps everyday payments working and members happy by using a common friction point to build brand loyalty.

How a former Sam’s Club finance leader adapted his member-first mindset to a not-for-profit credit union.

How a novel role instills SchoolsFirst FCU’s future leaders with an appreciation for its past.

Arriba Advisors co-founder Tom Russell explores how credit unions can bridge the gap between a growth mindset and their technical reality.