State Governmental Affairs
Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award Overview for State Lawmakers
Purpose
To formally recognize state lawmakers’ leadership on behalf of youth financial education.
Procedure
State Credit Union Leagues interested in nominating a state lawmaker should submit a completed entry form and evidentiary materials to CUNA State Governmental Affairs by December 19, 2011.
Timetable
December 19: League entries due to CUNA State Governmental Affairs.
In January: Judging by CUNA’s State Credit Union Subcommittee.
Questions & Answers about the State Lawmakers’ Desjardins Awards
Q: Is only the legislative activity that occurred in a current year eligible to qualify for the award?
A: No. Any legislative activity within a 3-year window of the current legislative session that raises awareness of youth financial education can qualify.
Q: What activities are eligible?
A: State lawmakers may receive an award for involvement in almost any kind of legislative activity that raises awareness and marshals resources on behalf of youth financial literacy.
Q: Does the legislation have to have to be enacted to be eligible?
A: No.
Q: Does a lawmaker have to be a state winner to be a candidate for the national award?
A: No. Whether the state credit union league decides to develop a state award is entirely up to each state and will have no effect on the national award.
Q: How does the national Desjardins judging work for state lawmakers’ entries?
A: Entries for the national state lawmaker award will be evaluated on the type of legislation that is introduced, as well as the commitment of the state lawmaker to youth financial education in his or her state.
Q: What is the judging fee for state lawmakers’ entries?
A: There is no fee for state lawmaker award entries in the Desjardins Award program.
Q: What are the procedures for leagues that wish to submit entries in the national Desjardins Award for state lawmakers program?
A: See the entry form.
Q: Who was Alphonse Desjardins?
A: Alphonse Desjardins (1854 – 1920) was a credit union pioneer who was instrumental in forming the Canadian and U.S. credit union movements. Besides helping to found the first credit unions in Canada and the U.S. Desjardins pioneered youth savings clubs and in- school "banks," known as caisses scolaires.
Please direct questions about the Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award for State Lawmakers to Nancy DeGrandi at (202) 638-5777 or ndegrandi@cuna.coop.
