Press
New Resource Guide Available for NCUF Financial Education Report
Christopher Morris
608-231-4374
cmorris@ncuf.coop
Guide is Companion to NCUF’s Landmark Report that Highlights Impact of CU’s Financial Education Efforts
Madison, Wis. – The National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) through its REAL Solutions™ program has released a resource guide for its free online report entitled “Credit Unions: Focused on Financial Capability Across the Nation,” which was released earlier this year. Both the report and new companion piece are the result of an almost yearlong data collection effort by NCUF with the help of state credit union leagues to illustrate how the credit union movement is making a difference through financial education and counseling.
The new resource guide is designed to assist credit unions and others to access resources, information and curriculum already created to help them offer even more financial literacy programs.
“The report was the ‘what’ and the new resource guide is the ‘how’ and ‘where’ for credit unions,” said Lois Kitsch, NCUF National REAL Solutions Program Director. “When using this guide, think of how your credit union can move members to the next level. Financial education is the credit union output, but consumer behavior change that leads to financial security is the desired result.”
To download the new resource guide as well as the full report at no-cost, visit realsolutions.coop (all files are in .PDF format).
“Credit Unions: Focused on Financial Capability Across the Nation”
The National Credit Union Foundation through its signature program, REAL Solutions, issued a cumulative data report in early 2012, entitled “Credit Unions: Focused on Financial Capability Across the Nation.” Included in the report were a series of intervention techniques used by credit unions to provide financial counseling/education to their members. The report’s intent was to quantify the depth and breadth of opportunities credit unions offer members/consumers to help them gain financial decision-making skills.
This new resource guide is intended to broaden and extend the intervention techniques described in the original report. Each method of financial counseling/education gives examples, additional resources, and further information and tips to help credit unions expand their current education programs or introduce new ones.
REAL Solutions – Demonstrating Credit Unions’ Positive Impact
NCUF’s report, “Credit Unions: Focused on Financial Capability Across the Nation,” and this new resource guide are among several ongoing projects to assist credit unions with the development, measurement, and implementation of educational programs. NCUF and REAL Solutions plan to continue to gather and publish data about credit unions’ financial education provisions. This data collection and measurement will be used to demonstrate the positive impact credit unions are having on members, consumers and their communities.
Questions
For questions on either the resource guide or the report itself, please contact Lois Kitsch at lkitsch@ncuf.coop or (407) 616-2409.
About REAL Solutions®
REAL Solutions® is the signature program of the National Credit Union Foundation. REAL ― “Relevant, Effective, Asset-building, Loyalty-producing” — Solutions works to help credit unions offer a wide range of products and services that have proven successful in serving working families with low wealth and modest means. Using product/business models created and tested by credit unions, REAL Solutions disseminates information to credit unions through special meetings, an online impact center at www.realsolutions.coop, and state and national conferences. As NCUF’s signature program over the past four years, REAL Solutions has been adopted in 40 states and is saving members tens of millions of dollars. It has now become a documented business strategy for credit unions to grow their memberships by serving the underserved. Real people with real needs are finding REAL Solutions at credit unions.
About the National Credit Union Foundation (ncuf.coop):
The National Credit Union Foundation is the US credit union movement’s primary national philanthropic program provider, fundraiser and grant-maker. Through NCUF grants and programs, credit unions provide widespread financial education, create greater access to affordable financial services, and empower more consumers to save, build assets, and own homes.
NCUF is funded primarily by investments in the award-winning Community Investment Fund (CIF) and by generous Corporate Supporters led by the Credit Union National Association and CUNA Mutual. All NCUF donors provide support that empowers NCUF and state credit union foundations to make financial freedom achievable through credit unions.
The National Credit Union Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization. NCUF continues to earn the Better Business Bureau seal of approval as an “Accredited Charity” for meeting all 20 BBB Wise Giving Alliance Standards for national charities.