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Student-run Credit Union Branches, Biz Kid$, Staff Development

Highlight 2012 Ohio Credit Union Foundation Grants

65 grants total nearly $230,000 in credit union support in 2012

Columbus, Ohio (January 7, 2013)Thanks to the generosity of many credit unions, individuals, chapters, and business partners, the Ohio Credit Union Foundation (OCUF) awarded 65 grants in 2012, totaling nearly $230,000, to assist credit unions, communities, and individuals across Ohio.

“2012 was another impactful year for the Ohio Credit Union Foundation,” said Stan Barnes, CEO of CSE Federal Credit Union and Chair of the OCUF Board of Trustees. “The success is due to the outstanding support of the Foundation’s efforts by Ohio credit unions. Our ability to fulfill credit union needs is due solely to support from within the movement.”

In 2012, OCUF grants made a difference in a variety of ways, including:

  • 47 professional development grants to help credit union professionals expand their knowledge to better serve members.
  • 6 financial education grants to teach students basic financial education and entrepreneurship, providing knowledge to make good choices and create sound financial futures.
  • 6 William A. Herring social responsibility grants to help community development credit unions remain viable and continue serving the members who rely on them.
  • 5 college scholarships to help students pursue undergraduate degrees.
  • Three disaster relief grants benefitting members and communities devastated by the aftermath of windstorms, wildfires, and a hurricane.

Grants totaling $45,000 made the opening of three new student-run credit unions possible, one in Northeast Ohio and two in Southwest Ohio. The Foundation also continued their annual contribution to the Emmy Award-winning youth entrepreneurial show Biz Kid$, with a $30,000 grant. In August, the Ohio Credit Union Foundation Classic, the largest one-day fundraising event for OCUF, generated $31,850 in grant dollars for 2013.

For 2013, the Board of Trustees established a $200,000 fundraising goal and the Foundation has $208,000 to grant this calendar year.

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“If the last few years are any indication, we expect the overwhelming need for grants to continue in 2013 and beyond,” said Becky Hart, OCUF Executive Director. “Because the need is great, we will continue to look for new ways to generate funds for the Foundation, while supporting the needs of credit unions and the communities they serve.”

For information about how the Foundation promotes financial independence through credit unions, visit

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About the Ohio Credit Union Foundation:

The Ohio Credit Union Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charitable foundation, is the philanthropic arm of the Ohio Credit Union Movement. The OCUF was incorporated in December 1997, and made its first grants in 1999. In the last eight years, OCUF has granted nearly $2 million to credit unions and credit union organizations to help promote financial independence. For more information, visit .