REALSolutions

Helping Real People with Real Needs

For predatory loan victims climbing out of debt...working families facing emergencies...young people striving for the American dream...and everyone struggling to live paycheck to paycheck...

NWCUA is an official partner with REAL Solutions, a program of the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) to provide "Relevant, Effective, Asset-building, Loyalty-producing" Solutions.  The program works to help credit unions offer services that have proven successful for people of modest means and "low wealth."

Real People: Low-wealth households include not only low-income workers, but also renters with moderate and middle incomes who are unable to save.  REAL Solutions reaches consumers of all ages and all ethnic groups.

Real Needs: Millions of people with low wealth need opportunities to build savings and assets.  Many have no alternative but predatory lenders when they need cash in unexpected emergencies.

NWCUA’s REAL Solutions participation started in 2009 with a grant from the Oregon Credit Union Foundation.   The program focus in 2009 and 2010 was young adult outreach, identifying new ways to attract younger credit union members.   As an innovation incubator, REAL Solutions helped participating credit unions in Oregon develop product ideas and models to creatively meet the financial needs of young adults. Click here to view the 2010 report of Oregon’s REAL Solutions project, “Young Adult Outreach Initiative”.

“One of the benefits of being a REAL Solutions league or credit union is the ability to draw from this incubator of ideas.  Credit unions don’t have to work in a vacuum, reinventing something already tried by another credit union.  The beauty of REAL Solutions is that credit unions learn that sharing ideas and information about innovative programs can be fun and benefit their balance sheet and membership growth.” – Kasey Rockwell, Director of Credit Union Development, Northwest Credit Union Association.

The NWCUA will be exploring the expansion of the REAL Solutions Programming across the Northwest region in 2011.     

REAL Solutions Credit Unions

Castparts Employees FCU
Central Willamette Community CU
Clackamas Community FCU
Cutting Edge FCU
Forest Park FCU
IBEW/United Workers FCU
Linn-Co FCU
MaPS CU
Mid Oregon FCU
Northwest Community CU
Northwest Resource FCU
O.U.R. FCU
Oregon Community CU
Pacific Crest FCU
Point West CU
Rivermark Community CU
Rogue FCU
UFCW Northwest FCU
Unitus Community CU
Valley Health & Postal CU
Wauna FCU

REAL Solutions Resources

Brochure
REAL Solutions Impact Center
Field Coach Nancy Pierce Bio

For information about the NWCUA's REAL Solutions program, please contact us at 800.995.9064 or via e-mail at krockwell@nwcua.org