Press
Leading CDFI Firm, CU Strategic Planning, Launches Native Division
Kamuela, HI – CU Strategic Planning, the leading provider of US Treasury CDFI grant writing services to credit unions, launched a new division to focus on credit unions that serve Native American populations, including Native American, Native Alaskan and Native Hawaiian populations.
Alycia Juvik will lead the division as Director of Native Initiatives. Juvik, who also sits on the Advisory Board for the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund for Office for Hawaiian Affairs, came to CU Strategic Planning from her position as Community Development Director for Hawai‘i First Federal Credit Union. Hawai’i First FCU is a pioneer for credit unions serving both low income and Native populations.
“It was very difficult to leave my position at Hawai’i First, where my CEO, Laura Aguirre, was a great mentor, and our team created remarkable services that have become best practices,” Juvik said. “I chose to join CU Strategic Planning in establishing this Native Division because it is needed by credit unions nationwide serving indigenous populations. I knew CU Strategic Planning was the right place, because they were already focusing on this work.”
CU Strategic Planning was the only firm to author Native American Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Assistance Awards (NACA) in 2010 and 2011, and last year won a record $5.9 million in grants for credit unions serving low-income populations. Juvik’s work in the native grant writing field has garnered over $3.13 million in grants for credit unions.
“Alycia’s work will be divided between outreach to credit unions serving Native populations, and coordination of an effort with the National Federation of Credit Unions to continue to increase the number of CDFI Awards and developmental services that credit unions provide to distressed communities and members in need,” said Chuck Cockburn, CEO of CU Strategic Planning.
Two weeks ago during a speech at the Eighth Annual Native Gathering, Opportunity Finance Network Conference, CDFI Fund Director Donna J. Gambrell praised Hawai’i First as one of only three Native CDFI’s, and the first and only credit union to make the transition from the NACA Program to the larger dollar CDFI Program.
“The bottom line is that there has never been a better time to be a Native CDFI. The CDFI Fund’s support for you is strong and growing,” Gambrell said, as she announced the opening of the NACA Program on Nov. 14.
CU Strategic Planning’s Native Division office will be supported by the company headquarters in Tacoma, WA, and a satellite office in Boston. The firm has a waiting list for its grant writing services and is not accepting new CDFI or NACA clients until January 19, 2012.
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CONTACT:
Phone: Jamie Chase
Email: Jamie@creditunionstrategicplanning.com
www.creditunionstrategicplanning.com
CU Strategic Planning is the leading provider of US Treasury CDFI grant writing services to credit unions. This success is in part, because it is the only strategic planning facilitator in the United States with the mission to help credit unions realize their potential through the International Credit Union Operating Principles.