In conjunction with the debut of a new national creative platform to help move consumers from awareness to action, one of the easiest ways contributing credit unions can connect their marketing efforts to the Your Money Further™ program is by using the social media packs. These assets are available on Contributor HQ for all participants to use in their organic social media channels. Check out the social media packs, which include options for co-branding both graphics and videos.

Make sure to also customize your listing and continue the consumer journey from YourMoneyFurther.com to your credit union’s website. The new YourMoneyFurther.com includes an improved CU Finder and a brand-new CU Matcher to connect consumers.

MnCUN is also rolling out the new creative this quarter in our digital advertising channels; and watch for new Out of Home Marketing and events coming this summer. The ongoing investment Minnesota Credit Unions have made to boost consumer awareness is paying benefits in growth and knowledge of consumers across the state. Minnesota was the first state to launch the national Credit Union Consumer Awareness Initiative in 2019 and since then, has seen both increased average membership growth and consumer familiarity of credit unions.

With questions, please contact Andrea Molnau, VP Communications & Engagement, by email or 651-288-5527.

Learn more about the outstanding programs, new initiatives and well-deserved recognition received by your peers recently:  ​

• RCU Foundation Announces Support for Science and Technology Innovation Center at UW-River Falls,
•  SPIRE Welcomes Baseball Great Tony Oliva as Newest Partner,

• ​ St. Thomas Athletics enters multi-year partnership with Wings Financial Credit Union,

•  TopLine Credit Union Members and Employees Bring Comfort to Those in Need
•  Minnesota Credit Unions Band Together to Offer Commercial Lending, and
•  TruStone Financial Donates $9,000 to Aiding Ukraine.

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​Got news of your own? Send stories, pitches, press releases and published articles to MnCUN Director of Communications Julia Miller.

Join us Thursday, June 9th, for a presentation on digital assets. The session will feature NCUA Vice-Chairman Kyle Hauptman, who will talk about credit union opportunities and risks related to digital assets (cryptocurrency). This is a virtual event and will allow for questions and discussion with the Vice-Chairman.

​Date: Thursday, June 9,
​Time: 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM 

​There is no cost to attend. Space is limited, please register now to save your seat. Contact MnCUN General Counsel, Tim Tacheny, with any questions. ​

Federal Agencies Update Flood Insurance Q & A: On May 11, the NCUA, OCC, Federal Reserve, FDIC and FCA issued a joint rule updating the questions and answers regarding flood insurance. 

USAA Successful in Another Mobile Deposit Lawsuit: Last week, a federal jury in Texas awarded United Services Automobile Association (USAA) a judgment of more than $218 million against PNC Bank NA

​As we approach the end of the Minnesota legislative session, MnCUN would like to invite you to join us for our annual session wrap-up webinar. Network staff will offer an update on session priorities, as well as an overview of the big picture items. Webinar details available by logging into the Member Portal.

Join us for a virtual Data Governance Deep Dive workshop on Wednesday, June 15, facilitated by Anne Legg, Founder of THRIVE Strategic Services.

The mission of a data governance program is to give a formal structure to its data. Its primary focus is on the management of data access, quality, and security throughout its life cycle. It has been called a “must-have” by consulting firm McKinsey for enterprise data success. A formal data governance program is already appearing on many regulatory audits and will likely be a mandatory feature of a data program assessment in the next year. The challenge for many credit unions lies in the creation of a launch plan and having a template for success.  This 3-hour webinar will fill these knowledge gaps by providing the following: 1) a basic foundation to data governance, 2) a framework for success 3) a detailed launch road map.

Date: June 15
Time: 8:30-11:30 a.m. CT
Location: Webinar
Cost: $595

This event will only be made available via webinar.

Deliverables:

• 3-hour, Data Governance session
• Data Governance workbook  
• Foundational Data Governance
• Data Governance Charter Framework
• Launch Road Map 
• Actionable learning artifacts: (worksheets, assessment forms, templates)

The instructor:
Anne Legg is an award-winning industry expert, author, educator, member-centric data strategist who holds an MBA thesis on the credit union business model.

With questions, please contact MnCUN Director of Engagement Ben Hering by email or by phone at 651-288-5519. ​

Join us for the three-day Credit Union Sales Training Workshop starting on Tuesday, July 26 with Nick Brown, member services guru from SalesCU.

​​As a credit union, your goal is to help your members achieve all of their financial needs, wants, and dreams. To reach this goal you need a team that is consistently promoting the products and services that will help your members save time and money, make more money, and bring greater levels of financial security to their life. The only problem is the member service your team provides is best described as “Order Taking” rather than “Value Creating.”

The Credit Union Sales Training workshop is designed for a wide variety of credit union leaders and departments including branch, lending, and contact centers, regional and senior sales leaders, training and development professionals and even marketing staff. 

The Credit Union Sales Training workshop will be conducted over three days - Tuesday, July 26 through Thursday, July 28 - with four hours of curriculum each day. The daily schedule is:
Morning session: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT 
Lunch break: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CT
Afternoon Session: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. CT
Cost per attendee is $649 for the three-day workshop. 

Please see the event flyer for more information. With questions, please contact Director of Engagement, Ben Hering, via email.

​According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) the US economy grew by 5.7 percent in 2021. This represents the strongest calendar-year growth since 1984. GDP is a strong indicator of America’s overall economic health. With such strong growth, one might assume Americans are also benefiting from this economic revival. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

​In a recent media release from the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) about the newly created FinHealth Fund, it was shared that the financial health of more than 160-million Americans is fragile and uncertain. The FinHealth Fund aims to transform lives by helping people improve their financial health. To accomplish this goal the FinHealth Fund will focus on three interrelated efforts.

1. Creating a national resource library (e.g., current work, case studies, toolkits and other resources) to help credit unions embrace financial well-being for all as a strategic imperative.
2. Providing education and upskilling for credit union employees to establish a workforce ready to passionately serve people where they are in their financial lives.
3. Supporting industry-wide consumer research, data capture and analysis to prioritize efforts and quantify improvements to members’ financial health.

​The fund, which was created after a group of about 60 different CU industry leaders met in September of 2021, aims to raise $10 million over the next five years. Four-credit unions (BCU, Chicago, Ill.; Coastal FCU and Local Government FCU, Raleigh N.C.; Redwood CU, Santa Rosa, Calif.) have already committed a total of $1 million to the fund. And CUNA Mutual Group has contributed another $1 million.

CUNA Mutual decided to contribute to the FinHealth Fund for three reasons.

1. We are where you are: The first and possibly simplest reason being we want to be where our credit unions are. The need for this fund was identified by CUs last year. The strategy is being driven by CUs. And CUNA Mutual wants to be there to support our CUs on this journey 
2. Organizational Purpose: The second reason CUNA Mutual decided to participate goes back to the organization’s purpose. That purpose is to make a brighter financial future accessible to everyone. As I mentioned earlier, the fund’s collective goal is to transform lives by helping people improve their financial health. Contributing to the fund was a natural fit because it directly aligns with CUNA Mutual’s purpose and the mission of the credit union movement.
3. More than just a transactional relationship: The third reason we contributed to this fund is to be there to provide the consumer with more than just a transactional relationship. Consumers need more than an institution to cash their checks. They need financial advice and coaching. They need places to live and raise their families. They need transportation to work and school.

Why should your CU get involved with the FinHealth Fund? For a very long time, CUs have been leaders in improving the financial health of the consumers they serve. Although some economic indicators like 2021’s GDP may suggest we can take our foot off the gas, others, like the fact that there are more than 160 million Americans whose economic health is fragile at best, tell us now is not the time to let up.

How can you get involved? The answer is two-fold. First, you can donate. But more importantly, as these resources curated by the FinHealth Fund become available, use them. Use the resource library. Take advantage of the upskilling for your employees. Use the data and research made available. Taking these steps will help make brighter financial futures available to more than 160 million Americans whose financial health hangs in the balance.

This article is provided through the Minnesota Credit Union Network's strategic alliance with CUNA Mutual Group. For more details, contact MnCUN Chief Operating Office John Ferstl or visit the Solutions Directory.

Gerry Singleton is the Vice President of Credit Union System Relations for CUNA Mutual Group. He is responsible for establishing, strengthening and maintaining relations with credit union trade organizations and state leagues. Gerry can be reached at Gerry.Singleton@cunamutual.com.

Invest in the Community Investment Fund (CIF) or Charitable Donation Account (CDA) to support the improvement of member financial well-being. These unique investments provide credit unions the opportunity to donate a portion of the earnings to both the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation and the National Credit Union Foundation. Investment options are  available through several corporate credit union partners, and include Certificates of Deposit, Money Market accounts, or CIF Securities Options.

​These earnings help to fund grant programs that support initiatives designed to directly improve the lives of credit union members. Services include financial literacy education, professional training, and emergency assistance – on both the state and national levels.

For more information on how the CIF and CDA programs work, please visit the National Credit Union Foundation website or contact Andrea Molnau, Executive Director, Minnesota Credit Union Foundation by email or by phone at 651-288-5527.