Credit Union Power
An Operating System for Measurable Impact
Move Beyond Narrative - Measure Financial Well-Being – Demonstrate Cooperative Advantage
The Relevance Gap is Real
Credit unions are doing powerful work.
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But in an era of consolidation, policy scrutiny, margin pressure, and increasing competition, narrative alone is no longer enough.
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Impact must be measurable.
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Resilience must be demonstrated.
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Cooperative advantage must be defensible.
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Without credible evidence of member well-being and financial stability, even meaningful work risks being overlooked.
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If we cannot measure it, we cannot defend it.
If we cannot defend it, we risk losing it.
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Credit Union Power exists to close that gap.
The Credit Union Power Framework
A Structured Progression from Capability to Proof to Strategic Growth
Credit Union Power is a sequential operating framework designed to help credit unions move from internal alignment to measurable evidence to disciplined strategic acceleration - using the data they already possess.
Each phase builds on the last — creating clarity, credibility, and compounding impact.
90 days
EDUCATE
Build Capability.
Align Around Impact.
Educate establishes the internal foundation required to measure meaningful outcomes. It builds shared language across leadership, clarifies member friction, and aligns teams around measurable financial well-being indicators.
This phase transforms data from operational reporting into insight about member stability, stress, and progress.
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Delivers
• Develop internal data capability and fluency
• Identify patterns of member friction and vulnerability
• Align leadership around measurable financial well-being outcomes
• Establish a shared framework for interpreting behavioral signals​
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Without alignment and shared understanding, measurement becomes fragmented and inconsistent.
Educate ensures your organization interprets member behavior through a common lens — creating clarity before pursuing proof.
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DEMONSTRATE
Deliver Credible,
Board-Ready Evidence
Demonstrate operationalization of the Core 7 Impact Indicators, translating transactional and behavioral data into measurable outcomes across key domains of financial stability.
This phase produces the Credit Union Power Report — a structured, defensible articulation of how your credit union strengthens households and builds resilience.
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Delivers
• Translate operational data into measurable human outcomes
• Score and benchmark performance across the Core 7
• Quantify member resilience, vulnerability, and progress
• Produce board-ready impact reporting
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Narrative without evidence is fragile. Demonstrate replaces anecdote with defensible data — strengthening credibility with boards, regulators, policymakers, and members.
ACCELERATE
Activate Strategic Leverage
Accelerate transforms measurable impact into disciplined strategic action. It ensures that evidence does not sit in reports — but informs prioritization, intervention design, and investment decisions.
This phase closes the loop between measurement and momentum.
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Delivers
• Use behavioral and outcome data to prioritize interventions
• Inform credit policy, product design, and member outreach
• Align investment decisions with measurable impact
• Strengthen growth through disciplined resource allocation​
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Proof alone does not create progress. Acceleration ensures that measurable impact informs leadership strategy — reinforcing financial resilience and long-term cooperative advantage.
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A Compounding System
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Educate creates clarity.
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Demonstrate builds credibility.
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Accelerate generates disciplined growth.
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Together, they form an operating system that moves credit unions from capability to proof to sustained strategic advantage.
The Core 7 Impact Indicators
A Standardized Framework for Measuring Financial Well-Being
The Core 7 translates everyday member behavior into measurable indicators of financial stability, stress, and progress. Together, these seven domains provide a structured, defensible view of how a credit union strengthens households and builds long-term resilience
Transportation
Indicators of consistent mobility and employment stability.
Debt Management
Sustainable debt management and utilization patterns.
Emergency
Savings
Short-term resilience and liquidity buffers.
Housing
Payment continuity and shelter security.
Retirement
Long-term financial progression.
Credit Health
Score stability and payment behavior consistency.
Financial Confidence
Self-reported confidence and volatility signals.
Credit Union Power in Action
From Member Signal to Community Stability
Impact becomes measurable. - Intervention becomes strategic. - Resilience becomes visible.
Example:
Food Insecurity
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Member Signals
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Repeated overdraft activity
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Increased spend in gas & groceries
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Rising unsecured debt utilization
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Liquidity gaps near payroll cycles
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These patterns reflect strain across Emergency Savings, Debt Resilience, and Financial Confidence
Community Impact Actions
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CU Partnership activation with Food Bank
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Targeted support where the need is real
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Stronger partnerships with measurable impact
Member Impact Actions
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Restructured payments
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Offered a short-term liquidity bridge support
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Financial Ed is aligned with cash flow timing
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Food bank recomendation
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Fewer NSF events
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Lower debt stress
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More money available for essentials
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Increased financial confidence
Employee Impact Actions
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Proactive outreach informed by risk signals​
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Reduced charge-offs and operational friction
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Stronger member trust and retention
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Clear intervention framework
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Clear evidence of mission in action
Credit Union Power translates behavioral signals into coordinated action — aligning member support, employee response, and community impact.
Measurable Impact
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How many members moved from “coping” to “stable”
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Reduction in NSF frequency over time
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Aggregate debt stress reduction
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Dollars redirected to household stability
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Community investment aligned to measured need​