Get recognized for your credit union's efforts to give back to the community, demonstrate the people helping philosophy, and provide financial education.

Submissions for the annual Dora Maxwell, Louise Herring and Desjardins Financial Education recognition programs are due next Friday, June 25. While last year's awards programs encouraged submissions through the first half of 2020, submitted projects for this year should have primarily taken place during 2021. 

​​Links to the individual award applications are below. Those who enter will compete with other credit unions in the same asset category.

• 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.
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Award entries are judged by the Dakotas Credit Union Association Awards Committee to ensure unbiased results. The winners in each award category will advance to CUNA’s national contest where they will compete with credit unions across the country, with judging to take place this fall. Full program details and FAQs are available on the MnCUN Awards Page.
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Contact Julia Miller, MnCUN Director of Communications with questions by email at jmiller@mncun.org.

​We can't wait to share kindness once again for CU Forward Day® 2021 on Oct. 11! We have ideas and tools to help your credit union get started with planning.

​​​​Coordinators of CU Forward Day, please confirm your credit union's participation in CU Forward Day 2021 via the event registration page. Coordinators will receive communications regarding kick-off, scheduled activities, and planning meetings. CU Forward Day coordinators, credit union leadership and staff are all welcome to join as planning gets started. 

With questions, please reach out to MnCUN Director of Engagement, Ben Hering, via email.

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

​​Got news of your own? Send stories, pitches, press releases and published articles to MnCUN Director of Communications Julia Miller.
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•  Royal Credit Union Receives $1.8 Million CDFI Rapid Response Grant. Royal Credit Union has been awarded more than $1.8 million from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Rapid Response Program.  
• Tackling the Problem of Fraud Targeting Seniors (Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union): June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, which is an international call to action to recognize the threat posed by elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
• Topline Credit Union Members And Employees Help Our Neighbors In Need. TopLine Federal Credit Union’s annual Personal Care Drive held during the month of May benefited three local non-profits, Avenues for Youth, Keystone Community Services and Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities. 
• ​City & County Credit Union Hosts Shred Days & Donates 3,000 Pounds of Food.  To help the community safely and securely shred their sensitive documents, City & County Credit Union hosted a Shred Day event at the Maplewood and Minnetonka Branch
• Will Offices In The Twin Cities Ever Return To The Way They Were? (Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union)​. Fourteen months ago, every desk on the third floor of the Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union in St. Paul was occupied.

MnCUN members are invited to a two-part virtual educational series that the FHLB Des Moines is hosting exclusive for credit unions. There is no cost to attend.  

• “Reinvigorating Your Liquidity Planning Process” will be held today, June 16th from 3-4pm.
• “The Balance Sheet Within Your Credit Union Balance Sheet: Hidden Risk Lurking” will be held on June 23rd from 3-4:30pm.

 
More information and the links to register for both events are available on the FHLB Des Moines site.  

Despite sweltering heat, the 26th Annual CU 4 Kids Golf Tournament raised $27,172 - the highest recorded amount. 110 golfers representing credit unions and partners participated in the tournament at the Refuge Golf Club in Oak Grove, Minn.

​​100% of the proceeds from the Minnesota CU4Kids Golf Tournament supports Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul. Founded in 1995 and one of the longest running Minnesota credit union golf tournaments, the event has raised over a half-million dollars for the credit union-sponsored cause. The Minnesota CU4KIds committee would like to thank the event's Titanium level sponsors: Enterprise Car Sales, Wings Financial CU, Affinity Plus Federal CU.

​If you didn’t get a chance to join us on the links but still want to support the cause, you can donate online: https://web.mncun.org/webinput/cu4kidsdonation.aspx

The 13th Annual Bowl-O-Rama will be held on October 20th at Splitrocks in Wyoming, Minn.

For more information, visit the CU4Kids webpage: https://www.mncun.org/cu4kids.html

MnCUN is pleased to announce two new leadership development opportunities for Minnesota Credit Union professionals looking to further their careers in the movement. The Tristate Mentorship Match and Trailblazers Executive Readiness Training are now accepting applications. 

​Tristate Mentorship Match: The Tristate Mentor Match is a 12-month program designed to build, grow, support, and inspire credit union professionals at any stage in their career. It is a one-to-one relationship based upon commitment, common goals and expectations, and mutual trust and respect, in which both the mentee and mentor grow in the process. This program is a partnership among the Minnesota Credit Union Network, Montana’s Credit Unions and the Wisconsin Credit Union League to expand our reach and bring our collective members a rich and diverse opportunity to network and grow. Applications for both mentors and mentees are now open, and will be accepted through August 6th. 

MnCUN Trailblazers Executive Readiness Training: The Trailblazers Executive Readiness Training is a 12-month cohort program designed to accelerate executive level leadership skills and build credit union specific knowledge needed to succeed in our industry. Having high-potential leaders in the pipeline is critical for credit unions and the movement. Designed by Minnesota Credit Union professionals – the program is intended to prepare emerging leaders for executive level positions. Topics include Leadership Skills, Credit Union Financials, Credit Union Operations, and Strategic Planning & Growth. Upon completion participants will receive a Minnesota Credit Union Executive Leadership Certification. Space is limited. Applications will be accepted until July 23rd. 

With questions, contact Mara Humphrey , Andrea Molnau or Ben Hering.

Bureau Issues FAQ on Regulation E 
​The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) recently issued  Electronic Fund Transfers Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). 

NCUA Renews PCA Relief 
​The NCUA announced the renewal of “the temporary modification and relief of NCUA’s prompt corrective (PCA) regulation.”