Skip to main content

Collaboration Is What It's All About!

Welcome to the NCOFCU Community, NCOFCU’s members-only private social network. NCOFCU Community is one of the best resources for coalition members; it allows members to easily interact and communicate online and via email to exchange ideas, experience, knowledge and wisdom of your peers. Join our discussion groups to spark or contribute to a conversation. The benefits are endless!


Here’s a quick overview of some ways to get started:

  • Customize your profile and preferences. Upload a photo, so everyone can know who you are. You may forget a name, but you never forget a face! Also, Oftentimes members are chosen to be featured on the home page- but only members with an uploaded profile photo can be featured. 
  • Adjust your subscription settings. Visit the My subscriptions page to subscribe to the discussion groups you would like to join. Here you can customize how often you receive emails from your groups in real time, daily digest, or legacy. 
  • Start a conversation-in the discussion groups. Do you have advice, recommendations, or questions for your peers? Post a question and get comments back from your discussion group members. Collaborate will ensure quick and easy access to the most relevant/popular information. It’s the best one stop shop for sharing models and samples and collaborating with association peers.
  • Start networking-Find a member and connect. Use the member directory to build your professional contact list and reach out to other members directly. 

If you should encounter any problems, would care to offer suggestions, or have questions on rules and etiquette; please don’t hesitate to contact me. I hope that together we can help you share stories and receive advice and answers to your burning questions.

Your online community awaits you. It’s time to start collaborating!

Grant Sheehan
Executive Director
grant@ncofcu.org

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

NCUA Board Approves Final Rule on Dependent Care and Board Member Reimbursement

Alexandria, VA (June 8, 2026) ― The National Credit Union Administration today issued a final rule for Dependent Care and Board Member Reimbursement. The NCUA Board amended its regulations concerning the reimbursement of reasonable expenses for federal credit union officials to remove potential barriers to volunteer service. This final rule provides flexibility for a federal credit union’s board to adopt more family-friendly policies tailored to its size, region, and operations. Previously, dependent care costs had not been considered reasonable expenses under NCUA regulation 12 C.F.R. 701.33.  The final rule applies to all federal credit unions, including corporate federal credit unions. It will not apply to federally insured, state-chartered credit unions, which remain subject to state law. The final rule is effective 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register and takes into consideration public comments received from the proposed rule that was issued on Januar...

Update from TruStage - Forecast for CU, Economic Performance for Remainder of 2026, 2027

MADISON, Wis. — Credit unions are expected to post stronger loan, deposit , and asset growth in 2026 despite a slowing economy, persistent inflation, geopolitical uncertainty, and continued pressure on consumers, according to TruStage’s latest  Credit Union Trends Report . The report, prepared by TruStage Chief Economist Steve Rick and based on December 2025 data, forecasts credit union loan growth will accelerate to 5.5% in 2026 from 4.6% in 2025, while savings growth is projected to increase to 6.5% from 5.5%. Asset growth is expected to improve to 6.2% in 2026 from 5.4% in 2025. Credit union membership growth is forecast to reach 1.8% in 2026 and 2.0% in 2027. The CU Daily has separate reporting on credit union performance by category here .  According to TruStage, a changing global economic environment has altered its outlook for both the U.S. economy and the credit union system. The report noted disruptions stemming from the closing of the Strait of Hormuz have created su...

The Widely Cited Mortgage Lending Benchmark 45% DTI May No Longer Reflect How Lenders Evaluate Borrowers, Says Fed Bank

In an analysis of more than 30 million home-purchase mortgage applications filed between 2018 and 2024, researchers found that the long-discussed 43% debt-to-income ratio threshold has little apparent impact on mortgage approval decisions. Instead, denial rates begin to rise sharply once applicants exceed a debt-to-income ratio of 50%. The findings were published as part of a four-part series examining barriers facing prospective homebuyers. ‘Practical Lesson is Clear’ “For borrowers, the practical lesson is clear: A debt-to-income ratio of 45% is treated by lenders much like a ratio of 35%,” the researchers wrote. “But crossing 50% changes the game entirely.” The 43% debt-to-income ratio gained prominence under the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, which established it as a key threshold for so-called qualified mortgages. Loans meeting that standard provided lenders with legal protections against ability-to-repay lawsuits. However, in 2021, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau replaced the rat...

Boston Firefighters Credit Union Becomes First Responders Credit Union

New name reflects nearly 80 years of service and a growing commitment to first responders across Massachusetts BOSTON, MA, June 15, 2026 — Boston Firefighters Credit Union today announced that it has officially changed its name to First Responders Credit Union , reflecting the broader first responder community the organization serves while honoring the firefighters who founded it nearly 80 years ago. Founded in 1947 by members of the Boston Fire Department, the credit union was established to serve the financial needs of firefighters and their families. Over the decades, it has grown into a trusted financial institution serving firefighters, law enforcement professionals, EMS personnel, civilian employees of first responder agencies, and their families throughout Massachusetts. Today, more than 12,000 members rely on the credit union for banking, lending, and financial guidance tailored to the unique demands of first responder life. While the name is new, the mission is not. ...

CEOs of CUNA, NAFCU Offer First Public Remarks Since Announcing Merger Plan; Numerous Issues Discussed

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.–The CEOs of CUNA and NAFCU made their first joint appearance  since the two trade groups announced plans to merge, addressing reasons for the proposed merger and what those who may oppose the merger should do, and further speaking to the concerns of smaller CUs and what will happen with conferences, as well as stressing the combination is not being driven by problems at either group. During a 45-minute Q&A at the Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) annual meeting, CUNA CEO Jim Nussle and NAFCU CEO Dan Berger answered questions posed by DCUC CEO Tony Hernandez, as well as from CUToday.info and members of the audience. As CUToday.info reported here , the two trade groups are proposing to merge and create a new organization called America’s Credit Unions that will be led by Nussle—who was appearing at the DCUC meeting on the 89 th anniversary of CUNA’s creation--with Berger departing NAFCU at year-end. At one point Berger received a standing ...

Court Rules Bank’s Extended Overdraft Fee is Not ‘Interest’

CUT0day DENVER–A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10 th Circuit has ruled that one national bank’s extended overdraft fee is not “interest” under the National Bank Act (NBA). The court ruled in  Walker v. BOKF, National Association  that the extended overdraft fees charged by BOKF were not “interest” under the National Bank Act (NBA).  The Tenth Circuit’s ruling on what it called “an issue of first impression in this circuit” follows similar rulings by the First and Fifth Circuits, Consumer Finance Monitor reported. “The plaintiff had a checking account with BOKF.  When presented with an item that overdrew the plaintiff’s account, BOKF elected to pay the item and charged the plaintiff an initial overdraft fe...

Hood: Credit unions are safe and sound

Hood’s term on the NCUA Board will expire in August.  NCUA Board Member Rodney Hood appeared via live stream with Brad Barnes, Air Academy Credit Union, and Amy McGraw, Tropical Financial Credit Union. The regulator lauds strong membership, asset, and loan growth. Despite recent headwinds, including high-profile bank failures, the credit union movement is still safe and sound, says Rodney Hood, NCUA board member, and immediate past chairman. “We’re not seeing the contagion like at other financial institutions,” says Hood, who addressed the 2023 CUNA Finance Council Conference Monday via live stream. The Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) crisis was one of confidence, he says. Ninety percent of SVB’s deposits were uninsured. In comparison, more than 91% of credit union deposits are insured. “We don’t have those entanglements,” Hood says. “That bodes well for our future.”  He lauded America’s 4,800 credit unions for growing membership to 135 million, assets to $2.2 trill...

Looking Ahead: Keys to Success in 2025

  Looking Ahead: Keys to Success in 2025 From this to this As banking continues to evolve, financial institutions that can deliver highly personalized experiences across channels will be best positioned for success. Based on Q2’s research and Dominguez’s insights, here are a few key focus areas: Leverage data to truly understand customers and anticipate their needs. Simplify complex processes and terminology, especially for younger consumers. Find the right balance of digital convenience and human touch. Use AI to enhance rather than replace human interactions. Offer small business capabilities to serve entrepreneurial younger generations. Create seamless omnichannel experiences that allow customers to bank how and when they want. By focusing on these areas, banks and credit unions can build deeper, more valuable relationships with customers of all ages. Dominguez concludes: “The key is for a financial institution to create primacy. I must take the trust already in place and delive...

A Review Of NCUA’s Corporate Actions Must Be A High Priority

Without an independent and full accounting, it’s not only NCUA’s credibility that suffers, it’s also the soundness and self-confidence of the cooperative system. There is a minimum of $3 billion and as much as $7 billion due to credit unions from the legacy assets NCUA seized from the corporates, according to the numbers NCUA has posted on its website.... A Review Of NCUA’s Corporate Actions Must Be A High Priority : [ Read Article ]

Can Small CUs Survive the 4rth Industrial Revolution?

By Homer Fager The Third Industrial Revolution period of the 1950s through 1990s witnessed the beginning of the decline of the small credit unions. In the 1960s the number of credit unions, including state and federal institutions, exceeded 20,000. The 1980s brought new technology to the industry from personal computers to the introduction of the first credit union-sponsored ATM. During the next three decades 10,000 credit unions were lost and in the last decade alone 2,000 have vanished. Continuation of this rate of decline means the “small entity” credit unions may be lost within the next 15 to 20 years. These Third Industrial Revolution banking structural changes were the beginning of the decline of the “small entity”credit union. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also referred to as 4IR or Industry 4.0, has changed the 21st century and will continue to change our society as did none of the other three revolutions. More has been accomplished in the last 250-plus years of human his...