2024 Minnesota Dora Maxwell, Louise Herring, Desjardins Awards

The Minnesota Credit Union Network is accepting submissions for the state-level Dora Maxwell, Louise Herring, and Desjardins awards. Submissions are open through 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Winners will be announced by mid-December 2024. 

As a reminder, America’s Credit Unions has announced plans to temporarily suspend the awards program in 2024. This means that the Dora Maxwell, Louise Herring, and Desjardins awards have been paused for this year. American's Credit Unions is enthusiastic about establishing fresh recognition opportunities in 2025 and will keep you informed as more details unfold. 

​​For questions on the state-level programs, contact Julia Miller, MnCUN Director of Communications.
  • Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award– recognizes credit unions that promote social responsibility. In particular, the focus of the award is to draw attention to external credit union projects and activities that benefit the community.
  • Louise Herring Award for Philosophy-in-Action – focuses on the internal programs and services of a credit union. Credit unions who received the award have demonstrated the practical application of the credit union philosophy within the actual operations of the credit union.
  • Desjardins Youth and Adult Financial Education Awards – recognizes the leadership of individual credit unions and chapters on behalf of youth and adult financial education. Activities eligible for consideration include those that raise awareness and marshal resources on behalf of financial literacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

As you work on your submission you will see varying formats in which questions need to be answered.  Some require only numbers, while others require much more time and thought.  You are able to save and come back at any time (until you submit).  
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Things to Remember
  • Many boxes do not have word or character limits for the text boxes. 
  • You are able to format as you wish (bolding, italics, underlining, bullets...).
  • You are able to skip questions that are required, but you will need to go back and answer them before you submit your project.
  • Please include any documentation and promotional material you wish.  (Videos, audio, Facebook, Twitter, news articles...)

Can a credit union compete in all of the competitions?
Yes - a credit union may submit one entry for each of the awards (Dora Maxwell, Louise Herring, Desjardins Adult, & Desjardins Youth)

Can a credit union enter the same entry in multiple programs?
No - each program has different objectives and requirements.  Entries should be tailored to match the defined goals of the particular competition.

What time period do the award entries cover?
Projects must have taken place between primarily during 2023.

How do each of the awards differ?
  • The Dora Maxwell Award is given to a credit union or chapter for its social responsibility projects within the community.  (The award is given for external activities)
  • The Louise Herring Award is given to a credit union for its practical application of the credit union philosophy within the actual operation of the credit union.  (The award is given for internal programs and services that benefit membership.)
  • The Desjardins Youth Award includes all activities to teach personal finance to youth (under 18).
  • The Desjardins Adult Award includes all activities to teach personal finance to adults (over 18).