Magdalena Wrobel

To all #CDFI #CreditUnions Worried About Losing Certification: The CDFI Fund's revised CDFI Certification Application WILL NOT result in the loss of your certification, if you contact us now. CU Strategic Planning was at the forefront of advocacy to ensure the revision had the flexibility for credit unions to maintain CDFI Certification. Since then, CU Strategic Planning has been actively working with over 100 credit unions to ensure their recertification success. This includes creating advisory boards, community development mission statements, providing product design insights and defensible justification of product attributes. Most powerfully, with the depth of that expert consulting (not available through a technology company alone), we took a giant leap forward by merging two leading organizations to create a profound alliance with Callahan & Associates, Inc. the national leader in data analytics for credit unions. CU Strategic Planning is now a Callahan & Associates company leveraging the power of the most trusted data system in the movement. As THE credit union CDFI certification experts, we are and have been for the last 16 years working to ensure every credit union serving people of modest means can attain and retain its CDFI Certification. If you believe you are in jeopardy of losing your certification, come to the experts. No one has certified more credit unions as CDFIs than CU Strategic Planning. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gbvdeYpe Schedule a call: https://lnkd.in/gr_FemEV

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Is your credit union looking to expand its community impact and access critical funding? Our latest blog post breaks down the key takeaways from last week's webinar, "Understanding the CDFI Opportunity." Learn from CUCollaborate's CDFI expert Jeff Bailey, CUDE as he covers: ✅ The benefits of CDFI certification for growth and community impact ✅ Key requirements and strategies for certification success ✅ How CDFI funding can support underserved communities 📌 Read the full post here: https://lnkd.in/g6UVTBw3 #CreditUnions #CDFICertification #CreditUnionGrowth #CDFI

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What really matters for customers/members of any banking relationship, particularly #communitybanks and #creditunions, is that they feel like their FI has their backs. And the most important way to do that is for community FIs to provide products that show they understand their customers' and members' needs. That's the whole point of BaZing. It gives community FIs a great modern value-driven checking product that adds shopping discounts, cell phone protection, and much more to customers' and members' accounts for a low monthly subscription. And it's a lot more palatable than service fees. The best thing about BaZing (and BaZingBiz) is, any FI can get it up and running in as little as three months.

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Mbanq CUSO is transforming the way credit unions operate. Check out this video of Natalia Tapia, Mbanq's Banking COO, who shares insights into our Credit Union-as-a-Service (CUaaS) platform.    Mbanq partners with credit unions and delivers state-of-the-art digital financial technology to help them stay competitive and future-ready.    #CreditUnions #BankingInnovation #CUaaS

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👉 FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD 👈 As #creditunions engage in their strategic planning sessions, they should consider what will really help them not just grow, but thrive, long into the future. Network Lending helps future-proof your credit union allowing it to more adeptly navigate market fluctuations and provide more flexibility with your liquidity management. #lending #fintech #strategicplanning #growth

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Discover the power of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs): We’re sharing the essentials: - What are CDFIs and how do they operate? - What does the current CDFI market look like? - Where do CDFIs source their capital? - How are CDFIs paving the way for a more equitable future? - How can CDFIs be included in client portfolios? Dive in and see how CDFIs are making a difference. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/enRY9ECw #ImpactInvesting #CommunityDevelopment #CDFI #SocialFinance #EconomicEmpowerment

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We've crunched some numbers and the results were even beyond our expectations... 🚀 Pulsate's most active users surpassed their credit union peers by more than 15X when it comes to year-over-year growth in "Average Member Relationship"! If your FI is struggling to keep your products top of mind in your consumers' moment of need, book a demo to see how Pulsate can help. [Link in the comments] #ConsumerEngagement #MemberEngagement #DigitalEngagement 

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Kitchen table issues remain front and center for many customers and members at #communitybanks and #creditunions. Offering a checking product that delivers real value to them is the kind of brand reinforcement community FIs can't buy. Delivering not just value in a product but value across customers/members' lives is why BaZing has been boosting primacy, organic growth, and noninterest income to hundreds of community FIs that have joined us. What's more, as banking continues to become more competitive, BaZing helps community FIs differentiate from the competition. #banks #banking #communitybanks #creditunions #checkingproducts #primacy

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Fintechs are everywhere right now, but many credit unions still face barriers when it comes to building beneficial partnerships. Here’s a snapshot of the most common problems and solutions: ❌ Problem: Credit unions value in-person interactions and may fear tech integrations. ✅ Solution: Remember, fintechs exist to enhance, not to replace. ❌ Problem: It can be difficult to measure success at first. ✅ Solution: Tackle projects incrementally, and customize the strategy based on your resources. ❌ Problem: Some fintechs lack traditional credit union experience. ✅ Solution: View this different perspective as an asset, and embrace the opportunity to learn. Read the full article by Ilona Limonta-Volkova in Credit Union Times: https://loom.ly/y-KnHFw #Problem #Solution #Fintech #CreditUnion

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In a recent webinar, we demystified the process of using the right #automation tool at the right time—dubbed the automation order of operations. Georgia United Credit Union's application of step three—deploying #RPA—has saved them $14,000 and hundreds of staff hours per year on just one task. Find out how they did it and how to find the right-fit automation solutions for your organization here: https://bit.ly/4fuRnbc

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Community banks and credit unions are gaining momentum in the credit card issuing space. To maximize the value of their new cardholders, these smaller FIs need a solid early month on book strategy. Download our tip sheet for essential EMOB truths and consequences for community issuers ➡️

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FarWell Senior Advisor Catie McDonald is a featured presenter at this year’s DakCU Summit and will deliver two sessions, “Leadership and Board Hot Topics for CU Leaders and Their Boards”, and “Helping Teams Thrive in a VUCA World.” Catie has a passion for the credit union movement, and we encourage you to dive deeper into her thoughts on strategy in her thought-provoking blog post. “Simplifying Strategy” breaks down the complexities of strategy, emphasizing simplicity and clarity. Catie discusses how to approach it effectively, and why setting clear goals and objectives is the key to successful strategic planning. Read Catie’s blog and learn more about her sessions here: https://loom.ly/kB1B_Hs If your organization is interested in having Catie speak on strategy, please contact us here: https://loom.ly/x226s-E #GoFarDoWell #CreditUnions #GoFarDoWellWithCUs #DAKCUSummit24 

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From the Finopotamus Press Room: Eltropy Heats Up Webinar Season: Equipping Credit Unions and Community Banks with Powerful Fraud Prevention Strategies #fintech #creditunions

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Community banks and credit unions are upgrading their digital banking and in doing so leverage their competitive position with traditional banks. In an article by The Financial Brand, community bank CEOs share how they tackle challenges they face in the competitive economic landscape. https://loom.ly/UYt3pu4 #banking #community #digitalbanking

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Want to see how other mid-size banks and credit unions have successfully launched new credit card programs?     Join our webinar to hear real-life stories of success and learn from the experiences of industry leaders. We'll discuss the challenges they faced, the strategies they employed, and the results they achieved. By learning from the successes and failures of others, you can avoid common pitfalls and make informed decisions. #CoreCard https://lnkd.in/ghm56Jbi

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We're proud to be a #CDFI, and join the other CDFI's and Responsible Lenders across the country in making real change! Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) have turned ripples of finance into waves of change for individuals, businesses and social enterprises across the UK.  They provided opportunity and built resilience for disadvantaged communities and those excluded from mainstream finance. In 2023, lending from CDFI's hit a record high of £287 million - and CDFIs now operate at 31 times the scale they did in 2003, when the sector lent £9.2 million. This growth reflects how CDFI's fill widening needs seen for the right finance at the right time.  Here’s what CDFIs achieved in 2023: - Supported 4,546 start-ups and SMEs with £102m of loans.  - 12,135 jobs were created or safeguarded.  - 99% of businesses had been declined by another lender.  - 371 social enterprises were supported with £119m of loans.   - Households saved £29m in interest repayments compared to high-cost lenders.   - CDFIs lent £66m to 85,208 individuals.  - CDFIs identified a total of £601m of unclaimed benefits for 143,050 customers. Read more about the impact of CDFIs’, plus lots of customer stories in: https://lnkd.in/eWSFydQ2 #RipplesToWaves #ResponsibleFinance #CDFIs Responsible Finance 👏

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Post 9 of Our Series: Why Do Consumers Still Call? 📞 Why Do Consumers Still Call? We Want to Hear From You! As we near the end of our multi-post series, we’re curious: ➡️ Did we miss any reasons why consumers still call their bank or credit union? ➡️ Why do you think consumers continue to pick up the phone instead of relying solely on digital channels? ➡️ Do you believe phone calls will phase out with younger generations, or will telephony remain relevant? ➡️ Is telephony customer service worthy of your attention in 2025 and beyond? We’d love to hear your thoughts, perspectives, and predictions. Let’s start a conversation! 📧 Email us at: [email protected] #ConversationalAI #CommunityBanks #CreditUnions #AI #CustomerExperience #MemberExperience #AIinBanking #Fintech #DigitalTransformation

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TOMORROW IS THE DAY! We can't wait to see everyone! Make sure you stop by Booth 728 to see Brian Tobin, he will have an ITM with him to demo and see all the amazing ways Informa can help your institution. #IllinoisCreditUnionLeague #ICUL #InformaBusinessSystems #CreditUnions #BankEquipment #ATM #ITM

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