CRI Home Page > CRI Resources for Credit Unions

The significance of the credit union social mission has never been more important for preserving the credit union tax exemption and assuring a positive legislative climate. You can help preserve the credit union tax exempt status by supporting the CRI initiative.

The importance of CRI became very clear in the wake of the American Bankers Association's aggressive "Operation Credit Union" and on November 3, 2005, when the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on the credit union tax exemption. At the hearing, now retired Chairman Bill Thomas, R-CA, expressed concern about the movement's inability to document information that would support the industry's arguments that credit unions are fulfilling their mission and should retain their tax exempt status. The then chairman added that he was interested in the NCUA requiring more transparency from credit unions, more documentation, and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) type data. Credit unions need to voluntarily document and track the commitment to social mission. If not, either Congress or the NCUA will mandate it.

On the left you'll find the tools you'll need to support the CRI initiative, whether completing your CRI Survey and printing reports to show key audiences, or sharing your best practices related to each of the CRI strategic areas – financial education, community involvement, shared branching, affordable lending, student loans and affordable financial services.

You can also learn how to volunteer to be on one of the CRI/Future Vision Working Groups.