[Tacoma, 12/07/23] — In a significant milestone for credit unions certified as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI), U.S. Treasury shared the new CDFI certification requirements. The official release came after seven years of work, delays, and revisions in response to significant pushbacks from stakeholders, including CUNA, NAFCU, Inclusiv and CU Strategic Planning, to protect credit unions from losing the designation.
CU Strategic Planning is leading the charge in deciphering and disseminating the revised requirements for credit unions. As the foremost experts in credit union CDFI certification and compliance, CU Strategic Planning proudly represents nearly 200 credit unions in CDFI compliance services, having certified 203 credit unions as CDFIs and secured $945 million in award funding. No single organization provides more direct CDFI and grant compliance services to credit unions than CU Strategic Planning.
Project Scope
CU Strategic Planning analyzes the CDFI Fund’s programmatic and regulatory updates for credit unions that already face heavy regulatory burdens in regular operations. Its team of 35 is methodically breaking down the new requirements with a depth of expertise gained from its 15 years working with credit unions to meet US Treasury CDFI Fund requirements. CU Strategic Planning will be sharing insights with credit union leagues, system partners and credit unions. It is currently working on a credit union CDFI research project with the Filene Research Institute.
CEO Statement of Response
"Our goal is to ensure credit unions retain their CDFI certification while facilitating the expansion of the powerful designation to even more credit unions nationwide," said Stacy Augustine, President/CEO CU Strategic Planning. "We firmly believe that every community in America deserves access to a CDFI."
About CU Strategic Planning
Since its founding 15 years ago, CU Strategic Planning has become the No. 1 CDFI certification and grant-writing firm for credit unions in the U.S. Through grants, strategic and tactical planning, HERO Community Development Financial Counselor training, community summit facilitation and more, CU Strategic Planning achieves its mission to unlock opportunities for credit unions to change lives and their communities. CU Strategic Planning’s funding procured for CDFI credit unions has reached $945 million.