 |
News |
Read the latest news from credit unions around the Northwest.
Bite of Reality, a popular app used during Financial Reality Fairs to help young adults learn real-world budgeting skills, has gone virtual for the 2020-2021 school year. Credit unions interested in hosting the fairs won’t want to miss a virtual walk-through of the program to learn more. The Northwest Credit Union Foundation will host a […]
Posted September 8, 2020 in Asset Building, Financial Reality Fairs
When Oregon legislative leadership established a $35 million fund to help people bearing the brunt of COVID-19’s financial impact, they turned to financial institutions – 80% of them credit unions – to get the job done. Credit unions delivered. Within two-and-a-half days of the program’s launch on Aug. 19, the state informed participating financial institutions […]
Posted August 25, 2020 in Disaster Relief
Like so many regions across the Northwest, Bend, Oregon is experiencing inflated housing costs, which has driven the workforce further and further away from their places of employment. Mid Oregon Credit Union knew they had a role to play to address this urgent housing problem, and in June of 2019, the credit union partnered with the Northwest Credit […]
Posted August 19, 2020 in Economic Empowerment, Workforce Housing
The economic impact of COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of financial education and financial management skills in our communities. To help address that need, the Northwest Credit Union Foundation is offering tools for credit unions to support engagement with young people about financial literacy, money management, and business planning to prepare them in building a […]
Posted August 19, 2020 in Asset Building
Since its inception, the Northwest Credit Union Foundation has been a consistent resource for credit union employees, ensuring they have access to the training they need to successfully serve their credit unions and communities. At a time when credit unions may be tightening their training budget belts, a scholarship from NWCUF can be a valuable […]
Posted August 13, 2020 in Cooperative Development
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Northwest credit unions helped thousands of small businesses obtain Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster loans. Credit Union Movement leaders have been frustrated, however, that so many truly small businesses — those with fewer than 25 employees and sole proprietorships — were left behind. Minorities, women, and […]
Posted July 17, 2020 in Credit Union Response
Getting a great haircut can feel life-changing, but for Liz and Anthony Madrid, giving other people haircuts is what actually changed their lives. In 2017, the husband-and-wife duo left their corporate careers to start Madrid Barber — a one-chair, luxury barbershop in downtown Boise. Though both are certified professional barbers, Anthony handles most of the […]
Posted July 16, 2020 in Community Impact
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed personal finance and business skills at the forefront of our minds, and has illuminated the importance of emergency savings, budgeting, and building small businesses that can weather financial storms. The national financial literacy initiative, Biz Kid$, is a great answer to that need. The program’s free resources are widely supported by credit […]
Posted July 16, 2020 in Biz Kid$
In 2019, the Northwest Credit Union Foundation awarded a Workforce Housing Planning grant to Canopy Credit Union. The credit union partnered with Strategic Research Associates to use the grant dollars for community focus groups, which examined renters’ needs and the needs of affordable housing agencies. After assessing opportunities for innovative financial services, Canopy, based in Spokane, Washington, launched a rental assistance loan to help members in low-income and underserved communities in […]
Posted June 24, 2020 in Workforce Housing
Last week, the Northwest Credit Union Foundation launched the new Emergency Loan Program, which combines philanthropic funds with credit union contributions, allowing dollars to get immediately into the hands of those who need help now. NWCUF launched the program in the Yakima Valley, and soon plans to reach out to credit unions in southwest Idaho […]
Posted May 26, 2020 in Community Impact, Credit Union Response