OCUF sets impressive pace for 2008 grantmaking

The Ohio Credit Union Foundation (OCUF) is well on its way to achieving its goal of granting $250,000 in 2008 to support educational and outreach initiatives that promote financial independence through credit unions. In the first six months of 2008, the Ohio Credit Union Foundation (OCUF) awarded $124,044 in grants to promote financial independence through credit unions.

OCUF funded eight financial education grants for activities such as an education program for grade school students, an awareness campaign in Lorain County, an adult financial education seminar, the ongoing production of the Biz Kid$ TV program, a mortgage foreclosure special on a local PBS station, a reality day event for 300 high school students, a financial education library, and two student-run credit unions.

Professional development grants allowed Ohio credit union leaders to attend 19 professional development opportunities, including the Credit Union National Association’s (CUNA) America’s Credit Union Conference and Expo, Certified Financial Counseling School, Credit Union Finance for Non-Financial Managers, Governmental Affairs Conference, Collections and Bankruptcy School, Management  and Marketing Management Schools; National Credit Union Foundation’s Development Education Training; and the Ohio Credit Union System ZENITH08.

An outreach grant was awarded to secure the services of a professional grant writer to seek funds for establishing a new Latino credit union in South Toledo. A coalition of Northwest Chapter credit unions has joined forces to assist VIVA, a community group serving Latinos in South Toledo, to develop the credit union.

A disaster relief grant was issued by OCUF to the Iowa Credit Union Foundation to provide disaster-related services to credit union employees, volunteers, and members who were affected by floods. More than 20 credit union locations in several metropolitan areas were affected by the flood conditions, and many others have been impacted by Internet and phone outages occurring throughout the state.

An additional $12,500 in student scholarships for post-secondary education were awarded to five recipients that participated in the annual statewide scholarship contest sponsored by the Chapters of the Ohio Credit Union League. The students were among more than 1,500 who entered the competition.