Giving Back
Official Newsletter of the Illinois Credit Union Foundation
| January 2026 | Volume 23, Issue 1 | ||
For a PDF version of this newsletter, click here.
ICUF Annual Support Campaign Raises $178,000+
The ICU Foundation raised more than $170,000 for its 2025 Annual Support Campaign. Thank you to generous donations from our wonderful credit unions and chapters:
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1st Gateway CU 1st MidAmerica CU 2 Rivers Area CU 77th St Depot FCU Abbott Laboratories ECU Abri CU Access CU Advantage One CU Alloya Corporate FCU Altonized FCU ANCO Community CU Archer Heights CU Area Educational CU ASH ECU Aurora Policemen CU Aurora Postal ECU BCU BEA CU Berean CU Blackhawk Area CU Blaw Knox CU Bloomington Municipal CU Catholic & Community CU CEFCU Central CU of IL Central Illinois CU Chicago Avenue Garage FCU Chicago Metro Chapter Chicago Post Office ECU Chicago's Bravest CU Community Plus FCU Community Trust CU Consumers CU Cooperative Choice Network CU Cornerstone CU Corporate America Family CU Corporate Central CU Credit Union 1 CTA 74th St Depot FCU Decatur Earthmover CU Decatur Postal CU DuPage CU |
Earthmover CU Education Personnel FCU Egyptian Chapter Elite Community CU Evanston Firemans CU Evergreen Park Schools FCU Fellowship Baptist Church CU Fieldstone CU Financial Partners CU Financial Plus CU First Northern CU Gale CU Galesburg Burlington CU Gas & Electric CU Generations CU Great Lakes CU Greater Chicagoland Chapter Harvard Community CU Healthcare Associates CU Heartland CU Heights Auto Workers CU Hershey Robinson ECU IH Mississippi Valley CU Illinois Educators CU Illinois Valley CU Imperial CU Israel Methcomm FCU Kankakee Valley Chapter Kaskaskia Valley Community CU KONE ECU Landmark CU LinXus CU Loyola University EFCU Members First Community CU Midwest Coalition of Labor CU Midwest Members CU Moline Municipal CU MWRD ECU New Century FCU NICE FCU Northern Illinois University EFCU Northside L FCU |
Northwest Community CU Northwest Illinois Chapter NuMark CU Oak Lawn Municipal ECU Ottawa Hiway CU Park Manor Church CU Partnership Financial CU Peoria City ECU Peoria Fire Fighters CU Peoria Hiway CU Peoria Postal ECU Planites CU Reavis Stickney CU Revity CU Riverside Community CU Rock Valley CU Salem School System CU Scott CU Select Employees CU Selfreliance FCU Service Plus CU Sherwin Williams CU Shiloh Englewood FCU SIU CU SIUE CU South Shop FCU South Side Community FCU Southern Burnett Chapter Springfield City ECU St Gregory Parish CU St Helena Parish CU Staley CU State Farm FCU Streator Community CU Streator Onized CU Taylorville Community CU Tee Pak CU The Credit Union For All United Community CU United Equity CU Urbana Municipal ECU Williamson County Catholic CU |
ICUF Enhanced FiCEP 2026 – Registration Open, Deadline February 27
The ICU Foundation’s popular Enhanced FiCEP Program returns in 2026! It’s the perfect time to earn your designation as a Credit Union Certified Financial Counselor (CCUFC). The Enhanced FiCEP Program includes recorded webinars, study guides and an exam prep session. The registration fee charged by America’s Credit Unions for the materials will be $484. There is no additional cost for credit unions who purchased the training bundle from America’s Credit Unions. Need to recertify? We’ve got you covered with a discounted registration fee. FiCEP 2026 Information & Registration online
2026 International Women’s Day (3/8) & ISS Meeting (3/6) – Save the Dates
International Women’s Day takes place annually on March 8. The theme for this year is #GivetoGain. Click Here for more information about IWD2065. Be sure to mark your calendar for a virtual Illinois Sister Society Meeting on Friday, March 6, 2026 @ 10:00 –11:00 am. Registration coming soon!
2026 ICUF Exploring Why Workshop – March 25, 2026 – Save the Date
The ICU Foundation will hold an Exploring Why Workshop on March 25, 2026 (the day prior to the ICUL Peer Networking Event). Registration will open in early 2025 with a fee of $100 per person.
CU FinHealth – September 22-24, 2026 – Save the Date
CU FinHealth, co-hosted by the ICU Foundation, is set for September 22-24 in Denver, CO. This hands-on conference is designed to help you take actionable steps on your financial health journey—whether you're just starting or looking to build on existing efforts. It focuses on how credit unions are driving financial health across their organizations, measuring success, addressing key issues, and taking impactful actions to improve financial well-being for employees, members, and communities.
Congratulations New CUDEs – Martha Shine & Anton Bossio
Congratulations to Martha Shine, Park Manor Christian Church CU, and Anton Bossio, Alloya Corporate FCU, on earning designationa as Credit Union Development Educators (CUDETM) from the National Credit Union Foundation at the end of 2025. This graduating class joins more than 3,000 credit union advocates from 35 countries who have previously received their CUDETM designation. Details about the program are available here.
Bite of Reality App – Spanish Version Now Live
The ICU Foundation is thrilled to announce the Bite of Reality App is now available in English and Spanish. Users simply choose their preferred language when launching the program. Paired with the Spanish version of the merchant booth materials, the program is now accessible for a wider audience. Contact the ICU Foundation with questions.
Interact With Peers
2026 CUFEN Conference – Save the Date
The Credit Union Financial Education Network (CUFEN) will host its annual confernece July 26-29, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. Registration will open next year. CUFEN, formerly known as the National Youth Involvement Board, expanded its mission and purpose from youth financial education to reaching all ages with financial education. In addition to their annual conference, the group also collects data regarding the number of financial education presentations conducted by credit unions.
2025 Financial Education Outreach Recognition
Congratulations individual credit unions who were recognized by CUFEN:
Foundation Questions?
Contact Melanie Murphy at 224-407-0440 or [email protected].
REMINDERS
ICUF Scholarships & Grants
The ICU Foundation offers Grants of up to $10,000 to cover a wide variety of projects to help credit unions grow and expand their services. ICU Foundation Scholarships can be used for a wide variety of education programs. All ICUL-affiliated CUs are eligible, and applications are accepted year-round. We encourage you to apply early in the year since funds are available and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Check out the scholarship & grant details online.
Reality Fair Programs
Teen Reality Fairs teach students how to manage money and the importance of a budget or spending plan. The Bite of Reality program and resources, offered by the ICU Foundation at no cost to credit unions, is available in a variety of formats (app-based, computer-accessible, and paper packets). Retirement Reality Fairs are similar to Teen Fairs except the participants can use their real-life situations instead of pretend scenarios when planning for the future. The Retire on Track program and resources are provided by the ICU Foundation at no cost to credit unions. Learn about Reality Fairs & Access FREE Resources
Financial Education in Other Languages & CU Compliance
ICUL’s Director of Compliance, Shannon Basile, recently shared a blog about what credit unions need to consider when offering financial education information (presentations or materials) in other languages. You’ll need to login to the ICUL website to access the compliance blog post.
ICUF Commemorative Awards
The ICU Foundation’s Commemorative Program is a moving way to acknowledge a special person or credit union, while also supporting the credit union movement. Honor an individual’s memory, recognize a colleague’s professional accomplishments or celebrate your credit union’s milestones. Learn more and check out the video highlighting 2025 awards.
2026 Events & Important Dates
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February 27 |
ICUF Enhanced FiCEP Registration Deadline for April 6 start date |
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March 6 |
Illinois Sister Society Virtual Meeting |
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March 25 |
ICUF Exploring Why Workshop (Naperville) |
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September 2 |
Golf Outing – Bliss Creek Golf Course (Sugar Grove) |
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September 22-24 |
CU FinHeatlh (Denver) |
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October 23 |
Annual Raffle Drawing – Hilton Chicago & Towers |
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November 17 |
ICUF Reality Fair Workshop (Springfield) |
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January 1 to December 31 |
Foundation’s Annual Support Campaign |
ICU Foundation Board of Directors
Chair – Michelle Balog, NuMark CU
Vice-Chair – Kerriann Mills, BCU
Secretary/Treasurer – Susan Toalson McGinty, U of I Community CU
Lou Bicanic, Midwest Members CU
Janel Cabadas, Earthmover CU
Dr. Joronda Crawford, Israel Methcomm FCU
Mark Dietrich, Revity CU
John Fiore, Consumers CU
Hope Garrett, Education Personnel FCU
Tom Pierce, Access CU
Amber Scott, 1st MidAmerica CU
Ex Officio Directors:
Libby Calderone, ICUL President/CEO
Joe Kregul, ICUL Board Chair
Michael Abraham, ICUL Board Vice-Chair
Jose Garcia, ICUL Board Treasurer
Pete Fauth, ICUL Board Secretary
