News & Information
Foundation Initiatives
Education Grants
- The Minnesota Credit Union Foundation provides education grants for credit union professionals and volunteers to continue their education and sustain the credit union movement. In addition to standard grants, MnCUF also promotes its Small Credit Union Grant Program, which provides expedited grants to those organizations meeting certain criteria.
Financial Education Initiatives
- In 2011, the Foundation launched a partnership with University of Minnesota Extension, funding the development of a series of online webinars to increase teachers’ knowledge and competency in financial topics. The goal of these trainings is to equip educators to teach personal finance courses and improve the financial management skills of young adults. While the live sessions have already passed, archived versions are available. ► more
- MnCUF is a proud supporter of Biz Kid$, a public TV series where kids teach kids how to make and manage their money. This series teaches the basics of economics and entrepreneurship, plus a complete curriculum helps get students and credit union professionals involved in the concepts from each episode. ► more
- In 2011, the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) and its REAL Solutions® program conducted a comprehensive national study on the financial education efforts of credit unions through the nation. This survey includes information from Minnesota credit, spotlighting their efforts to help their members improve their financial knowledge, increase personal savings, decrease debt, and live within a budget. ► more
- To help Minnesota credit unions establish or improve existing financial counseling programs, the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation has made available a new Financial Counseling Best Practices guide, published by the Michigan Financial Education Council in 2011. ► more
Disaster Relief Support
- In recent years, the Foundation has provided disaster relief support in Minnesota and beyond, giving local flood relief grants as well as providing earthquake and tornado disaster relief MnCUF supports the National Credit Union Foundation in its various CUAid efforts, which is a national online giving center that identifies disaster situations and channels contributions within the credit union system to assist with relief efforts.Most recently, CUAid was activated in late August 2011 to raise money for credit union people along the East Coast affected by Hurricane Irene.
Education on Cooperatives
- For the past several years, the MnCUF has supported the Cooperative Network’s “Co-ops YES!” Youth Leadership Conference. Through this dynamic annual event, young people from Minnesota and Wisconsin learn to understand and appreciate the purpose, operation and scope of cooperative business. The conference also helps to build leadership skills that will offer opportunities to become tomorrow’s cooperative leaders. Nearly 100 students attended in 2011, and Foundation grant funds helped sponsor students’ attendance at the event.
Annual Report
Despite the difficult economy and amidst a variety of challenges for credit unions, the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation had a very positive 2010. As the charitable arm of the Minnesota credit union movement, the Foundation continually works to extend the credit union philosophy of “people helping people” beyond our individual fields of membership and into the greater community.
Minnesota Credit Union Foundation Annual Report 2010