adminAs part of the strategic consolidation of the Georgia Credit Union League and the League of Southeastern Credit Unions (LSCU), the Georgia Credit Union Foundation (GCUF) is now part of the Southeastern Credit Union Foundation (SECUF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the progressive professional development of credit union staff and volunteers, financial education programs for youth and adults and the creation of valuable resources for credit unions and the communities they serve.
The Southeastern Credit Union Foundation (SECUF) lives its mission to serve as a catalyst for credit unions to collectively affect change through charitable giving and education. With an emphasis on core credit union issues, the Southeastern Credit Union Foundation has numerous programs geared toward strengthening the financial well-being of the credit union community. Specifically, the SECUF is active in and dedicated to promoting financial education to benefit credit union members, students and the public at large through its many financial education programs; helping credit unions implement programs within their communities that fulfill their social responsibility to make financial services affordable and accessible to all through the Community Development Across the Southeast program; providing professional development grants to assist credit union employees and volunteer leaders with the training to achieve professional excellence through professional development grants and offering financial relief to credit unions, their employees, members and their communities in the wake of disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, or other such natural disasters via disaster preparedness and relief resources.
“We are thrilled to welcome Georgia credit unions into the SECUF family,” said Juli Lewis, director, SECUF. “A wider geographical footprint enables the Foundation to help more credit unions, members and communities in need. We aim to provide the resources and opportunities to help these groups establish, recover or strengthen their financial footing and ultimately thrive.”
While many SECUF initiatives are similar to those put forth by the former GCUF, there are some key differences worth noting. The SECUF is less focused on providing assistance for endeavors such as credit union marketing, operational grants and educational event registration simply because the LSCU & Affiliates offers many other opportunities for support in these areas through its Member Engagement and Education departments as well as and through LEVERAGE.
For example, the Small Asset Sized Credit Union Program is designed to facilitate growth and provide solutions to the challenges impeding growth for credit unions $50MM and under. The Education department maintains a packed calendar of online and in-person opportunities to help professionals hone their skills, and LEVERAGE houses a host of helpful business solutions available to credit unions at affordable prices. So anything the SECUF might lack in an apples to apples comparison is more than made up for in new, untapped opportunities for Georgia credit unions such as a heavier involvement with Georgia’s schools and community agencies and a stronger emphasis on member financial education and partnerships.
The opportunities are aplenty, it’s just a matter of finding them and LSCU’s Business Development Consultants are always available to help steer you in the right direction. The SECUF team is available to answer specific questions you might have about the organization’s programs and criteria. For more information on the Southeastern Credit Union Foundation, please contact a team member:
Jordan Burroughs,
VP Member Engagement
Jordan.burroughs@lscu.coop
Juli Lewis,
Director SECUF
juli.lewis@lscu.coop
Bobbi Grady,
Foundation Development
Coordinator
bobbi.grady@lscu.coop
This article originally appeared in Connection magazine.
