As a part of our membership offerings for 2022, the Network will provide credit unions with $100 million in assets and under our benefits package for small credit unions. Below is are a few of the benefits small credit unions will gain access to this year, along with details on obtaining your complimentary webinar coupon code and the newly added complimentary P2P registration code!
 
Complimentary Webinar Code: 
The complimentary code for a MnCUN Webinar through CU Webinar Network is available to qualifying credit unions to participate in one webinar at no cost. Please contact MnCUN Director of Engagement Ben Hering via email to retrieve a code. Your code must be used before the expiration date of November 30, 2022. The coupon can be used for either a live or archived webinar.
 
A listing of eligible webinars can be found here: https://cuwebtraining.com/a/mncun/category/live
 
P2P Registration Code:
New in 2022, the Network is offering one complimentary P2P registration for small credit unions. The registration code is valid for one credit union staff member to join in a P2P session this year. To retrieve your complimentary P2P registration code, contact MnCUN Director of Engagement Ben Hering via email.
 
Small Credit Union Education Grant:
Small credit unions under $100 million may apply for grants to use for professional development through the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation. A maximum of $1,000/credit union is available through the Small Credit Union Grant Program on an annual basis.
 
Discounted Registration:
Credit unions with assets under $100 million receive discounts on Network events such as the ACCELERATE (formerly Annual Conference), IMPACT (Credit Union Day at the Capitol), and LEAD (formerly) Fall Leadership Conference registration fees.
 
Stay up to date with all Network programming, including the webinars and P2P events, via the events calendar on our website.

​In recognition of the support from the Minnesota Credit Union Community to launch Village Financial Credit Union, the Association for Black Economic Power (ABEP) is pleased to provide the following update on the status of the charter applications process. ABEP is a nonprofit organization created to establish a Black-led credit union to address systemic financial challenges impacting Minneapolis residents, particularly people of color. Project updates include: 

• ​A press release was sent to credit union trade press regarding the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation Capital Drive. Several articles were published and follow up interviews conducted.
• Sarah Tenney of Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union has joined the Charter Application Steering Committee as a project manager to support this process. A detailed timeline and plan have been developed for the review and completion of the Charter Application.  
• The Board of Directors search continues. With the support of TopLine FCU, ABEP has enlisted the expertise of Versique Executive Search Firm in the search and screening process. Information about this opportunity is posted on MnCUN’s Job Board; and all are encouraged to share with their networks.
• ABEP will conduct a Town Hall meeting on March 3 to reaffirm support and answer questions from the North Minneapolis community about Village Financial Credit Union.

 
A monthly call has been scheduled through MnCUN to provide additional updates and the opportunity to ask questions. Those interested in participating can reach out to Samantha Marks for the log in credentials.
 
The Minnesota Credit Union Foundation is seeking both Capital Contributions and Pledges of Deposit to help support this effort. To learn more about making a financial commitment, visit mncun.org/villagefinancial or contact Minnesota Credit Union Foundation President Mark Cummins or Executive Director Andrea Molnau.

​The Minnesota Commerce Department is hosting a Financial Capability Roundtable on March 2nd, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. The event will be via Webex. The discussion will focus on the unique challenges faced by the Latinx community related to banking and lending and innovative programs and solutions that are offered by organizations that serve the Latinx communities. Panelists include:

• David Soto - Economic Empowerment Manager - Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio   
• Enrique Blanco - Director of Operations at the Latin Economic Development Center

Panelists will discuss the work their organization does to support the Latinx community in financial empowerment and success and where financial institutions, regulators, civic leaders and agencies can support that success. The presentations will be followed by a Q&A moderated by Deputy Commissioner for Financial Institutions, Max Zappia.

Registration is required. Contact Minn. Dept. of Commerce Director of Outreach, Leah Wilkes at leah.wilkes@state.mn.us with any questions.

Thanks to the over 90 people who joined us last week for the IMPACT 22 webinar. Guests included Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller, Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, and Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold. MnCUN staff provided an overview of legislative priorities for this session and a high-level look at the most recent consumer survey. A recording of the webinar is available on the IMPACT 22 Members-only Portal Page.

If you haven't done so already, please share your credit union story with legislators: 

​Send a postcard
Each credit union was sent 2 postcards per employee to the attention of the CEO or Grassroots Coordinator.

The IMPACT 22 Member-only Portal Page has ideas for messages and how to find out who is your legislator.

Record a Video Testimonial
Tell your credit union story on the "Working for Minnesota" website. Record or upload a video at workingformn.org/send-us-your-video/ or reach out to MnCUN and we can assist.

Send a GREAT message to Legislators:
Last week, we sent out a GREAT alert to prompt you to send a message to your legislator.

If you haven't already done so, sign up for the GrassRoots Education Action Team to receive timely alerts and sample messages to send to elected officials about an issue of concern to credit unions.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Director of Government Affairs, Ryan Smith, at any time. 

​The history of the organization dates back to 1972 when the first executive committee was formed. At that time, credit unions were concerned about the perception and acceptance of credit unions among younger generations. By 1977, the focus for the group was on reducing the average age of credit union members and increasing membership for those under the age of 18. Over time, the group continued to grow and expanded its focus to student education, school branches and providing annual education statistics to credit union leagues and organizations across the country.

CUFEN’s mission is to equip the credit union industry to provide financial education opportunities for all ages. Membership for CUFEN is free and open to all credit unions in the US. As a nonprofit organization, CUFEN is dedicated to being a financial education resource while remaining devoted to helping share the credit union difference.
“As the current chair for CUFEN and someone who has been involved in the credit union industry for over 28 years, I am proud to be involved with such a great group of credit union educators. This organization allows credit unions to network, collaborate and be champions for financial education.

"After all, we are people helping people," said Trysh Olson, Education and Youth Programs Manager of Wings Financial Credit Union and CUFEN Chair.

CUFEN will be hosting its annual conference in Salt Lake City, UT from July 25 -27. Watch for early bird specials, registration and the agenda coming soon. www.cufen.org

In February, 10 staff from Minnesota Credit Union Network-affiliated credit unions became Certified Data Transformation Specialists as a part of the Data Education Program offered in partnership with the Wisconsin Credit Union League. The newly certified staff represent seven credit unions across the state.

​​​Facilitated by Anne Legg, Founder & CEO of Thrive Strategic Services, this data analytics certification program offers tools and a forum for knowledge exchange for credit union stakeholders to fill knowledge gaps and launch or continue their data journey. Topics and assignments included a current data assessment, enterprise data vision, member-centric use cases, building data maturity and adopting a data culture within credit unions. Participants were asked to complete a data analytics roadmap to complete the certification.

Congratulations to the following credit union staff:
Sarah Hom, Deposit Account & Rewards Specialist | Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union
Maggie Hayes, Marketing Coordinator | Expedition Credit Union
Jenna Taubel, Director of Brand & Digital Member Experience | First Alliance Credit Union
Timothy Quaye, Business Data Analyst | First Alliance Credit Union
Laura Honken, Chief Information Officer| Fulda Area Credit Union
Ellen Boyd, Business Intelligence & Reporting Manager | Ideal Credit Union
Winnie Koivisto, VP of Accounting & Finance | NorthRidge Community Credit Union
Liz Kallevig, VP of Operations | NorthRidge Community Credit Union
Marissa Leffel, Operations Manager| NorthRidge Community Credit Union
Logan Shurtz, Product Marketing Specialist | Wings Financial Credit Union

With questions, please contact Director of Engagement, Ben Hering, via email. 

Date: March 22, 2022
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $49.00

Stay tuned for further announcements and updates!

For a list of all P2P sessions, visit our Peer-to-Peer (P2P) webpage. With questions, please contact MnCUN Director of Engagement Ben Hering by email or by phone at 651-288-5519.

After reviewing over 650 applications, the Foundation Scholarship Council has named its scholarship recipients. A total of $16,000 in scholarships was awarded to 16 credit union members for the 2021-22 school year. The FSC considered each applicant’s essay answering the question, “How did the way you interact and communicate with businesses change during the pandemic and what would you like to see continue in the future? From these experiences what suggestions do you have for your credit union?"

“It’s always a delight to see the tremendous response we have for the scholarship program each year,” said Amanda Kissner, co-chair FSC. “The quality of applicants shows us that our members value their education and care about being a credit union member-owner.”


Congratulations to the following winners:
Traditional Students (seniors in high school)
Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union: Jadalyn Dehn
Dawson Co-op Credit Union: Natalie Beckendorf
Hiway Credit Union: Mia Middleton
Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union: Ava Brunn
Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union: Angela Eggers
Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union: Hans Xu
NorthRidge Community Credit Union: Hannah Ronning
TopLine Federal Credit Union: Sydney Heins
 
Non-Traditional Students (all others)
Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union: Kyra Dokken
First Community Credit Union: Anna Roaldson
Hiway Credit Union: Mikayla Nelson
Hiway Credit Union: Rhys O'Brien
Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union: Nadine Saliba
Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union: Michaela Hansen
Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union: Sinibaldo Romero Arocha
Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union: Sara Matter

Information about the 2022-23 scholarship program will be available in September.

​While we might not be in person at the Capitol this week, there are still ways to advocate for the CU Difference and share with legislators how credit unions put members and communities first. 

​Send a GREAT message to Legislators: 
​Yesterday, we sent out a GREAT alert to prompt you to send a message to your legislator. If you haven't already done so, sign up for the GrassRoots Education Action Team to receive timely alerts and sample messages to send to elected officials about an issue of concern to credit unions.

Share your credit union’s impact:

• Send a postcard: Each credit union was sent 2 postcards per employee to the attention of the CEO or Grassroots Coordinator.
• Share the impact of your credit union via social channels with sample messages and images.
• Record a video testimonial on the "Working for Minnesota" website.

Visit the IMPACT 22 Member-only Portal Page for talking points, sample social media posts and how to find your legislator.

Miss the IMPACT 22 Webinar?
A recording of the webinar will be available on IMPACT 22 Member-only Portal Page. Guests included Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller, Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, and Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold.

MnCUN staff provided an overview of legislative priorities for this session and a high-level look at the most recent consumer survey.

Contact Ryan Smith, MnCUN Director of Governmental Affairs, with questions.