Project Differentiation

Project Differentiation Activity Examples

Project Differentiation: Listing Your Current & Planned Activities

In the instructions for how to create a Project Differentiation "Statement of Commitment to Members" for your credit union, Step Three advises listing your current and planned activities in six key areas or sections. To help you brainstorm the possibilities, here are examples of programs and activities you can list in the six areas.

Section I: "Service to Members" Programs and Activities.

• "Rebuilder accounts" – portfolio of services designed to help members re-establish and rebuild damaged credit histories
• Financial counseling program for remedial and preventative situations
• Participate in bench-marking surveys on member satisfaction
• Set goals on percentage penetration of membership

• Develop partnerships with city or county government and dynamic, community-involved social agencies. These partners can provide access and insight into the community and can assist with funding and planning
• Develop affordable housing programs
• Survey members to ensure products and services are improving the financial well-being of your membership
• Lifeline checking accounts

• Small saver certificates (low minimum balance)
• Small business loans
• Experience-based pricing (risk-based)
• Student loans

• Small signature loans
• Total quality programs that measure improvements
• IDA programs
• Ginger Mae loans
• Used-to-Used Car Loans

Section II: "Member Education" Programs and Activities

• Home-buying seminars in conjunction with realtor week
• Budgeting seminars open to the general public
• Web-site information links
• Information booths at select employee group (SEG) locations

• Resource library in credit union lobby
• Financial counseling seminars
• Educational newsletters
• Provide periodic financial information on a variety of financial topics of concern to members

• Work with local press and media to educate public about the credit union difference
• Full and fair disclosure on pricing

• Education materials and programs teaching thrift, including:
• Homebuying
• Financial management
• Remedial counseling
• Small business development

Section III: "Involvement/Governance" Programs and Activities

• Establish advisory groups of members and SEGs to solicit feedback, discuss future directions, encourage involvement in board or other volunteer committees
• Make annual meetings more accessible to accommodate the majority of members
• Set Board and committee attendance standards
• Educate the members, staff, Board and the community about the uniqueness of credit unions, specifically the importance of volunteer leadership and democratic elections

• Instruct Nominating Committee to actively seek wider member representation on credit union boards and committees
• Establish "Advisory" board made up of SEG representatives
• Offer creative--and uncomplicated--alternatives to encourage voting (i.e. Internet voting)

• Involve more volunteers through active committees

• Provide special training for members on the board of directors and other volunteer committees
• Invite/bring elected officials to annual meetings to demonstrate democracy in action

Section IV: "Diversity" Programs and Activities

• Seek out volunteers, staff, and management who reflect the diversity of the membership
• Develop a plan that supports and encourages volunteer involvement representative of the demographics within the credit union's field of membership
• Develop a plan to include in the selection process all staff, officials, SEGs, and above all, members, without regard to their financial or social status

• Develop a plan for internal training and promotion for community hiring that can lead to management and volunteer diversity
• Analyze household income data to ensure diverse market segments have programs and services that meet their diverse needs
• Establish goals for percentage penetration in various SEGs to ensure all groups within the membership are being served equally

Section V: Commitment to the Credit Union Movement and other Cooperative Programs and Activities

• Partner with community development credit unions (CDCUs) and smaller mainstream credit unions in need of assistance
• Participate in World Council of Credit Union’s People-to-People Program
• Create a standing board committee charged with responsibility of implementing and evaluating the credit union’s Statement of Commitment to Members
• Participate in state and/or national image campaigns that promote the uniqueness of credit unions

• Encourage staff and volunteers to take an active role in league, chapter, and other leadership networks
• Participate in cooperative advertising campaigns
• Create or participate in strategic alliances and partnerships such as:
• Credit union to credit union
• Credit union to community
• Credit union to advocacy groups
• Credit union to other cooperatives
• Shared service centers
• Back-office management functions
• Data processing
• Mentoring
• Share your resources--equipment, personnel, expertise, etc.--with other credit unions in need
• Get involved in political action by:
• Working in political campaigns for candidates who support credit union issues
• Contributing to state and federal political action committees (PACs)
• Participate in local cooperative activities
• Support the local member of the Center of Cooperatives

Section VI: "Public Service/Corporate Responsibility" Programs and Activities

• Become a corporate sponsor for food drives
• Budget for charitable donations
• Become an active participant in the local community or organizations by volunteering staff to assist in civic goals
• Allow staff to take time off for volunteer activities
• Sponsor seminars for the public to discourage use of high-rate pawn shops, payday lenders, and rent-to-own stores
• Round off–allow spare change in deposits to be donated to community groups
• Establish electronic funds transfer (EFT) accounts
• Expand shared service centers to provide check-cashing services to the community, house a local Consumer Credit Counseling Service, provide budgeting seminars and other consumer education

For more, see:

Introduction
How to Create a Statement
Credit Union Reply Form
Template for Credit Union Statement
Sample Credit Union Statement

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