How to Protect CDFI Funding for Credit Unions by Playing Offense, Not Defense
The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast
Release Date: 05/27/2025
Feel Shaken Up by the NCUA Shakeup? Insights From an Insider
The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast
In the midst of what has already been a tumultuous year, the credit union movement was rattled in April by the unexpected firings of NCUA Board Chairs, Todd Harper and Tanya Otsuka. There has been a lot of speculation about what this could mean for the future of credit unions and the broader financial services industry. Elizabeth Eurgubian, a current Partner at Atlas Advocacy and the former NCUA Director of External Affairs and Communications and Policy Adviser, joins us on this month’s episode of The Remarkable Credit Union podcast to offer both perspective and levity. We discuss some of...
info_outline
How to Protect CDFI Funding for Credit Unions by Playing Offense, Not Defense
The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast
To say there is uncertainty in the credit union movement right now is an understatement. The NCUA shake-up has left many feeling… well, a bit shaken up. And though tax exemption and funding for CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions) are protected for now, it’s hard to say when “for now” might abruptly end. When compared to concerns about the NCUA and credit union tax status, there has not been as much outcry over the precarious future of the CDFI fund. Considering that only about 12% of credit unions are CDFIs, this makes sense, but the loss of funding could have...
info_outline
Beyond Tech Innovation: How BECU is Reimagining Philanthropy
The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast
These days, most people automatically think of technology when they think of innovation, but innovation doesn’t require fancy digital bells and whistles. In fact, sometimes the most impactful innovations aren’t about dramatic invention, but rather incremental iteration. Philanthropy is a field that’s rife with opportunities for iteration, and Gloria Dixon, BECU’s Director of Philanthropy and the Executive Director of the BECU Foundation, isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo. As one of the top five largest credit unions in the United States, Washington-based BECU is known for its...
info_outline
Beyond Crisis Response: How One Credit Union Proactively Cultivates Joy
The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast
Between natural disasters, economic volatility, and political chaos, there is a lot to respond to these days. It’s important for credit unions to create contingency plans and prepare for crisis. It’s equally important to escape the reactivity trap by proactively creating opportunities for joy and connection. That’s precisely what Abilene Teachers Federal Credit Union has done with 325 Day, an event with a name that refers both to its date and the credit union’s local area code. The idea is to celebrate local businesses, gather community members, and most importantly, have fun! This...
info_outline
Why Cooperative Ownership Matters — And How Credit Unions Can Lead the Way
The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast
The listeners of this podcast are likely to know that credit unions are financial cooperatives — an identity that some credit unions lean into and others don't talk about much. Amongst the general U.S. population, our understanding of cooperatives is limited, at best. Most people are ill-equipped to distinguish between, say, a consumer co-op, like a credit union, and a worker co-op, like ! We'd like to change that, and we think that credit unions can play a crucial role, not only in expanding our general understanding of what co-ops are and why they matter, but also in supporting the...
info_outline
Micro-Interactions: The Key to Credit Union Growth in 2025
The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast
What is a micro-interaction, and why should credit unions care? Fintech growth and business transformation strategist Samantha Paxson joins us on The Remarkable Credit Union podcast to discuss how credit unions could benefit from focusing less on big loans and focusing more on daily financial activities. We talk about how frequently used financial tools and services, like debit cards and P2P payments, not only help keep your credit union top of mind for members but also help keep member financial wellness front and center for your credit union. We also unpack this month’s BIG question:...
info_outline
How to Grow Your Credit Union From the Inside Out
The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast
Many of us have been trained to look outward when it comes to growing companies, whether that means looking to new target markets, potential investors, or evolving trends. But according to Ronaldo Hardy, President & CEO of The National Association of Credit Union Service Organizations (NACUSO), we are missing a crucial step. In episode 106 of The Remarkable Credit Union, Ronaldo talks about why we actually need to start by looking inward as he tackles this month's BIG question: How can credit unions shape their brands from the inside out, starting with their people, culture, and impact?
info_outline
How to Create a Game-Changing Financial Product
The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast
In a heavily regulated industry like financial services, innovation can seem daunting. There are so many regulatory hoops to contend with, not to mention a fierce aversion to risk. But as Jerome Emanuel, Chief Lending Officer at Alternatives Federal Credit Union has discovered, if you focus on solving a proven problem and finding ways to say yes, the doors that end up opening just might surprise you. Jerome joins us for this month's episode of The Remarkable Credit Union podcast to discuss Alternative FCU's game-changing FAIR Mortgage product, including what inspired it, how they got it off...
info_outline
What Black Cooperatives Can Teach All Credit Unions
The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast
In this age of multibillion-dollar credit unions, it can be easy to forget that most started with a small group of people looking to pool their resources. Well, Jessica Gordon Nembhard is here to remind us. Professor of Community Justice & Social Economic Development in Africana Studies at John Jay College, CUNY and author of Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice, she believes that wonderful things can happen when communities come together for mutual aid. Among other things, we talk about the proliferation of Black...
info_outline
How Your Credit Union Can Reap the Rewards of Green Lending
The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast
Demand for clean energy products is on the rise, and not just from well-to-do Tesla owners. There is also widespread interest and demonstrated need in lower-income and disadvantaged communities. But how can credit unions meet that need? Enter the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator program (CCIA), which is currently offering funding to credit unions and other community lenders to deliver green products, with a focus on the underserved. We’re joined by two leaders in the credit union movement, Cathie Mahon, President and CEO of Inclusiv, and Blake Jones, a founding board member of Clean...
info_outlineTo say there is uncertainty in the credit union movement right now is an understatement. The NCUA shake-up has left many feeling… well, a bit shaken up. And though tax exemption and funding for CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions) are protected for now, it’s hard to say when “for now” might abruptly end.
When compared to concerns about the NCUA and credit union tax status, there has not been as much outcry over the precarious future of the CDFI fund. Considering that only about 12% of credit unions are CDFIs, this makes sense, but the loss of funding could have significant ripple effects across the movement as a whole. In this episode, we talk to Armand Parvazi, Strategic Adviser at CUCollaborate and former Chief Administrative & Development Officer at New Orleans Firemen’s Federal Credit Union, to get his take on this month’s BIG question:
Why does the CDFI fund matter and how can we engage the credit union movement in protecting it?