​Network Committees are seeking interested members for appointment. Applications to serve on Network committees will be accepted through tomorrow, Thursday, March 31, 2022. 

The Network Board Chair will appoint Committee members to serve for one year – from their appointment through the following year’s Annual Business Meeting, taking place during the ACCELERATE conference in April.​ 

​Awards Committee: facilitates statewide and national awards programs and judges other states’ award program entries. On the national level, the committee coordinates Minnesota’s entries for CUNA’s Dora Maxwell and Louise Herring Awards and the Desjardins Award for Financial Education. On the state level, the committee recognizes individuals through the Professional and Director of the Year Awards. Network Staff Liaison: Julia Miller

Political Involvement Committee (PIC): provides input and recommendations on legislative efforts at the state and federal level. Policy suggestions and regulatory roadblocks are brought to the attention of PIC to collectively formulate the Network’s positions on legislation. PIC is also responsible for political fundraising, and oversees the distribution of political contributions made to credit union-friendly candidates. Network Staff Liaison: Ryan Smith

Regulatory Review Committee: provides input and recommendations on proposed rules from various federal agencies that have the potential to impact credit unions. The committee meets regularly to review proposed rules that are out for comment and determines whether or not a response is necessary. Network Staff Liaison: Tim Tacheny

CREW Advisory Group: credit union staff, 40 and under, help brainstorm, plan and facilitate programming geared toward young professionals throughout the year. The group meets quarterly and is encouraged to participate in CREW-related programming, major MnCUN events and industry initiatives. Network Staff Liaison: Ben Hering

Any specific questions can be directed to the Network Staff Liaison listed for each committee. ​

The Minnesota Credit Union Network’s mission is to serve credit unions by supporting growth in market share through advocacy, awareness, leadership, regulatory relief, professional development and strategic partnerships. As we look back on 2021, your feedback and input guide the service extended back to you as your state trade association. 

​​Please provide to the Network staff and Board of Directors your response to our 2021 annual performance by Thursday, March 31. This survey will take 5-10 minutes of your time and we welcome all comments. 

The Minnesota Credit Union Network will mark April as Financial Well-being Month, and will highlight the impact Minnesota’s credit unions make in millions of lives each day. 

​Traditionally termed Financial Literacy Month, the concept of financial well-being moves beyond “literacy” and “capability” to encompass the whole state of a person’s financial situation, their degree of control, and how they feel about their money. 

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau defines financial well-being as:

• Having control over day-to-day, month-to-month finances
• Having the capacity to absorb a financial shock
• Being on track to meet your financial goals
• Having the financial freedom to make the choices that allow you to enjoy life

“Improving financial well-being is at the heart of the mission and structure of credit unions,” said Mark Cummins, President and CEO of the Minnesota Credit Union Network. “We look forward to celebrating the difference these cooperatives make throughout the month of April and beyond.”

Log into the Member Portal for sample social media messages and images to support your credit union’s activities this month. The National Credit Union Foundation also provides several Financial Wellbeing for All resources for credit unions. 

The on-going conflict in Ukraine has raised concerns about potential cyberattacks in the U.S., including those against the financial services sector. All credit unions and vendors, regardless of size, are potential targets for cyberattacks, like social engineering and phishing attacks, and must remain vigilant. The NCUA recommends that credit unions should report any cyber incidents to the NCUA, your local FBI field office or the Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
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This Risk Alert reminds credit unions of the ongoing threat of social engineering and phishing attacks and reiterates the continued importance of educating your employees and members on how to avoid these threats.

2022 is an important election year with the entire Minnesota Legislature and Governor all on the ballot with new district boundaries formed after the 2020 census. 

​As a reminder, PZC is a user friendly, secure computer program that counts your members and matches them by congressional district, state legislative district and county. These counts are then uploaded to CUNA's Project Zip Code website and combined with data from other credit unions nationwide. There are no personally identifiable data points that are required and the PZC site is secure.

These numbers are important in advocating on behalf of credit unions at the State Capitol because they share exactly how many members are in their districts, helping to demonstrate the power and reach of credit unions. It is a valuable tool used regularly, as a part of in-person meetings, as well as in communications and targeted digital advertisements.

You can access the PZC website, including the instructions on how to upload your information, visiting pzconline.com.

​With questions, contact Ryan Smith, Director of Government Affairs at [email protected].

​​AI-based lending uses more data and better math to give credit unions a more accurate view of borrower risk than legacy scoring.

​In this session, you’ll hear how credit unions are yielding big gains in loan growth (20% to 30%) without adding risk. Jose Valentin, VP of Corporate Development at Zest AI, will talk about the key concerns and hurdles and how to find the right partner to develop an AI model and deploy it in your lending business without headaches or hassles.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the FREE webinar on April 7, from 10:30 to 11:30 AM.

Zest AI is a technology CUSO based in Los Angeles. They were founded in 2009 to make fair credit available to everyone. Zest's AI-driven lending software delivers better, faster, fairer loans across the credit spectrum, helping credit unions safely say "yes" to more members without increasing risk.

​The Enhanced Financial Counseling Certification Program (FiCEP) teaches credit union staff how to counsel members so they can budget better, smartly save, pay down debt and plan for the future. Obtaining the training and associated credentials allows your credit union to differentiate itself from other financial institutions and be more confident in helping members emerge from the challenges of the pandemic and build a stronger financial future.

The cohort-style training consists of 8 tutorial webinars, exam preparation, proctored exam, and program development training - taking place between June through October. Upon completion, participants will receive the Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor (CCUFC) designation.

​As a central part of its mission to provide resources for credit unions and communities to prosper and thrive, the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation (MnCUF) has generously committed funding to help support the cost of the program for another year. The program is provided in partnership between CUNA's Center for Professional Development (CUNA CPD), CU Difference, and a collaboration with the Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Montana Credit Union Foundations.

“The Enhanced Financial Counseling Certification Program exemplifies the Foundation’s mission of providing professional development for credit unions and supporting the financial well-being of members and communities, ” said MnCUF Executive Director Andrea Molnau.

Registration for the 2022 cohort is now open with a deadline of Friday, May 6th.

Those who have obtained the Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor (CCUFC) designation are required to recertify every three years to ensure that knowledge about financial counseling is current. CCUFC professionals in Minnesota have the option to receive re-certification with the MnCUF. This opportunity includes a half-day virtual refresher training provided by CU Difference, and a copy of the CUNA Financial Counseling Certification Program Update Book, 5th Edition. Registration for the re-certification option will be opening in the coming weeks.

For more information on FiCEP certification or re-certification programs, visit mncun.org/enhanced-ficep-program or contact Andrea Molnau, MnCU Foundation Executive Director.  

​The National Credit Union Foundation recently announced they are returning to in person Credit Union Development Educator Training in 2022. As a result, the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation has opened its 2022 CUDE scholarship opportunity.

​Credit Union Development Educator Training brings renewed relevance to the philosophy of "People Helping People." This unique and transformative program provides critical lessons in cooperative principles, credit union philosophy, and development issues, while incorporating challenges credit unions face today. 

The 2022 CUDE training programs will be held in Madison, WI on the following dates: 

• May 2 – 6, 2022
• September 26 – 30, 2022
• November 14 – 18, 2022

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The MnCU Foundation scholarship will cover the full registration fee for in person training, which includes lodging and meals. Travel to and from Madison is at the expense of the attendee.
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The Minnesota Credit Union Foundation 2022 CUDE scholarship winner will have a spot held for the dates of their choice. 

​If the preferred training date is May 2-6; please apply by April 15th. If a winner is not selected for the May training dates, applications will remain open until July 31st.