Real Solutions - A National Credit Union Foundation Program

Self-Help Federal Credit Union is delivering “in-line” financial education to help lead low-income people on the path to economic opportunity and security.

The credit union received a National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) Financial Education Grant this year to implement, analyze and refine their in-line education model, which is innovative delivery of “bite-size” financial management concepts at the teller line when consumers are focused on their financial decision-making. This new education model is being piloted in Self-Help FCU’s Micro Branch, a unique check casher credit union hybrid designed specifically to meet the needs of unbanked families.

From CUNA News Now – More than 12,000 free tax preparation sites will be open nationwide this tax season with an army of volunteers to help low- and moderate-income households with their tax preparation, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Credit unions will be among them.

The National Community Tax Coalition recently recognized Montana Credit Unions for Community Development for its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, naming MCUCD as its most innovative affiliate.

What is I-CAN!® E-File? It helps people prepare and E-File their taxes and is a service of a non-profit with a mission of providing services to low-income persons and seniors. In a recent e-newsletter, I-CAN!® E-File highlighted their top 20 partners…and many of them (unsurprisingly) are credit unions! Also, note that in the top spot, Montana Free File is a Montana Credit Unions for Community Development initiative.

If you’ve ever met someone who’s gone through Development Education (DE) training, you know it’s an experience no one ever forgets. “Life-changing” is a descriptor that’s come up more than once in conversation. If you haven’t, or have never heard of DE, let’s talk for a second…

The U.S. Department of Education has recently released its application for a new grant program called Promise Neighborhoods. It aims to invest in programs that offer social, educational, and health-related support to the youth in low income and rural areas all over America.

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to stumble upon a free, downloadable resource that I want to share with REAL Solutions leagues and credit unions. It’s called the Assets & Opportunity Scorecard, and it’s published by the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED), a pioneer in asset-building.

Do you know any REAL Solutions credit unions that have delayed confirming their eligibility for NCUA low-income designation or CFDI certification?

Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner announced the Community Development Capital Initiative (CDCI), and our expectation is that it will make hundreds of millions of dollars available to qualifying credit unions…(read more)

Community Development Financial Institutions (let’s call them CDFIs) were created to provide financial services like checking, savings, and loans to people who might otherwise go overlooked.

» Click through to learn why we’re in the ‘golden era’ for CDFI funding.