Skip to main content

Credit Union Strategic Planning Topics Credit Union 2.0



Ahhh, credit union strategic planning topic season. Let’s take off our pessimistic blinders, pull out our beanies and start thinking of the credit union world we want tomorrow. Soon, our credit union will disrupt the local banks. We will put them those evil bankers out of business and take over the world… cooperatively (of course).

If you are looking for quick strategic questions to ask your board at your credit union planning session, you are in the right place.

Credit Union Strategic Planning Topics About Growth
    strategic planing for credit union topics
  1. If you had to process 3x your normal loan or member growth volume, how would you?
  2. Where do you want to be in 3 years?
  3. What market trends support that vision?
  4. What client demands support that vision?
  5. What are the tactical plans to support that goal?
  6. What are the known risks?
  7. If you could rebuild the credit union 2.0, what would it look like?
  8. What are the top 10 questions we have about our credit union (analytics based)? What would you do differently if you knew the answer?

Credit Union Strategic Planning Topics for Critical Self-Evaluation

  1. What is the one thing your credit union was worst at this year? What needs to happen to fix it?
  2. What is one thing your credit was best at? How can you double down on it?
  3. What is the single metric that you least like hearing about this year? Why? What can you do to change it?
  4. Where do we use Analytics well?
  5. Are we moving or reacting fast enough in the marketplace?
  6. In each department, what should you start? What should you stop? What should you continue?
  7. What are our best service experience and memories?

Credit Union Strategic Planning Topics About Culture

  1. What are some examples of living your core values?
  2. What are some examples of failing to live your core values?
  3. If you could change one thing about the credit union, what would it be?
  4. What are the top 3 credit unions we admire and why?
  5. What does the perfect member look like? Where do they hang out? Who do they know?
  6. What makes an ideal board member?
  7. If you were the new CXO and were brought in tomorrow, what were three things you would fix immediately?

Credit Union Strategic Planning Wildcard Questions

  1. If a perfect competitor opened across the street tomorrow, what would they look like?
  2. If we were to rebuild our credit union with no branches, what would it look like?
  3. If the NCUA got merged into the FDIC, what would change?
  4. If your largest SEG went out of business, what would you change?
Any of these credit union strategic planning topics can help you and your board plan for a brighter, warmer future.

Credit Union 2.0 — Credit Union Strategic Planning Facilitators

Kirk Drake and Chris Otey take a unique approach to planning sessions. Their goals are to deal with some of the real issues facing credit unions. These include:
  • Who is your ideal member?
  • How do we improve board governance?
  • How do we get our board to look more like our membership?
  • How do we deal with the onslaught of fintechs and technology?
  • How do we change our culture to be more like a fintech?
As the author of Credit Union 2.0, head of a large technology CUSO, and founder of CU Wallet, Drake has great insights from both his time working at a credit union through his entrepreneurship and board experience.

As board chair of South Bay Credit Union and former CU Wallet and Fiserv executive, Chris has worked with hundreds of credit unions to help them deal with board governance, CUSOs, and other technology challenges.

Click here to book us for your next strategic planning session.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Honor Our Heroes This Memorial Day

  First Responder Credit Union Academy   Attendee Registration Tucson, AZ 2026 ...

Vizo Financial and TCT Risk Solutions Announce Strategic Partnership

                  Vizo Financial and TCT Risk Solutions Announce Strategic Partnership to Enhance Risk Management Offerings Greensboro, N.C. (May 6, 2026) – Vizo Financial and TCT Risk Solutions are pleased to announce a new strategic partnership designed to expand and strengthen risk management solutions for credit unions. This partnership brings together Vizo Financial’s trusted role as a cooperative provider of back-office support, consulting and education with TCT Risk Solutions’ specialized risk management tools, which include credit migration, loan and deposit pricing, CECL, and asset liability modeling. Through this collaboration, Vizo Financial will offer TCT's signature software and advisory capabilities, equipping credit unions with actionable insights to better understand risk, optimize financial performance and make more informed strategic decisions. The partnership aims to help credit unions move beyond reactive risk m...

FFIEC Proposes Biggest CAMELS Overhaul In 30 Years, Citing Need For Greater Transparency

  W ASHINGTON—The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council is seeking public comment on a proposed overhaul of the CAMELS supervisory ratings framework, marking what regulators said would be the first comprehensive revision of the bank and credit union examination system in approximately 30 years. Michelle Bowman The proposal would revise the Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System—better known as CAMELS—to place greater emphasis on material financial risk and improve the transparency and predictability of supervisory ratings. Regulators said the framework would continue to evaluate institutions on capital adequacy, asset quality, management, earnings, liquidity and sensitivity to market risk, while modifying certain composite and component rating definitions and evaluation factors. In announcing the proposal, FFIEC Chair and Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said the revised framework is intended to create “a decisive shift toward transpare...

Syracuse Fire Department Credit Union

  p This just in - shared branching is HERE! What's shared branching? If you aren't nearby, you can visit a shared branching location throughout the country to perform a number of actions such as deposits, withdrawals, and loan payments. Traveling and need funds? Need a check while you're out of town? Try shared branching! More information and locations available on our website! https://www.syrfirecu.com/shared-branching/

The First Social Network

Credit Unions: The Original Social Network Long before likes, follows, shares, and friend requests, people built networks another way: They showed up for each other. That’s essentially how credit unions began. Not as financial corporations, but as human networks built on trust, shared experiences, and mutual support. In many ways, credit unions were the first true social networks. Before Technology Connected People, Communities Did Today’s social platforms promise connection. They help people share ideas, ask questions, organize communities, and support causes. But more than a century ago, credit unions were already doing something remarkably similar — only in person and with real financial stakes involved. Teachers gathered with teachers. Factory workers organized with coworkers. Church members helped fellow congregants. Military personnel supported military families. Firefighters stood beside fellow first responders. Police officers supported the communities and d...

Meeting Portals - Why Choose MyBoardPacket.com

MyBoardPacket is known as the simplest, most secure, and affordable online board packet solution. A low monthly fee, with no setup fee, no annual contracts, free customer support and unlimited users! We use MyBoardPacket.com here at NCOFCU, and we love it! Exclusive discount of 25% for NCOFCU Members! Additional discounts are granted for small asset size credit unions! Why choose MyBoardPacket over other meeting portals? The Facts: MyBoardPacket was the first secure board portal on the market, starting in 2001. So easy to use that no training is required! However, for your peace of mind, you have unlimited support and training with your very own Trainer, which any Admin can schedule whenever needed. Unlimited users , committees, and meetings from anywhere! On MyBoardPacket everyone is on the same page . Month-to-month subscription – our customers are with MyBoardPacket because they love it, not because they are locked into a lengthy contract! MyBoar...

Just Out! - NCUA Stablecoin Plan Opens Door To Credit Union-Backed Digital Dollar Issuers

ALEXANDRIA, Va.—A sweeping new NCUA proposal to implement the GENIUS Act could open the door for credit union-backed stablecoin issuance, but only through separately licensed subsidiaries operating under an extensive new federal regulatory framework that limits risks to the Share Insurance Fund. The 269-page supplemental proposed rule issued Friday lays out how “permitted payment stablecoin issuers” affiliated with federally insured credit unions would be supervised, examined and regulated by the NCUA, while also establishing rules covering reserves, liquidity, custody, operational risk, cybersecurity, anti-money laundering compliance and disclosure standards. The proposal supplements an earlier February 2026 proposal by the agency focused primarily on licensing and investments in stablecoin issuers. Federally insured credit unions themselves would still be prohibited from directly issuing payment stablecoins under the GENIUS Act. Instead, issuance would have to occur through a separa...

NAFCU - Vehicle Sales Decline During 2017

ARLINGTON, Va.—Vehicle sales in 2017 totaled 17.23 million units, non-seasonally adjusted, marking the first year-over-year sales decline since 2009. Total vehicle sales increased in December to 17.85 million seasonally adjusted, annualized units but were down 1.7% from a year ago. "Looking ahead, sales are expected to trend down further in 2018 as pent-up demand from earlier years diminishes," observed NAFCU Research Assistant Yun Cohen in a Macro Data Flash report. "In addition, banks are tightening standards on auto loans according to a recent survey by the Federal Reserve, which could lead to credit constraints. Despite the slowdown, vehicle sales are expected to remain strong in light of a strong labor market and growing economy." According to data by Autodata Corp., car sales decreased from 6.3 million to 6.1 million annualized units during the month. However, sales of light trucks increased from 11.2 million to 11.8 million annualized units, Cohen no...

Former JPMorgan Banker: Exploiting Consumers Is 'The Purpose Of The Banking ...

Former JPMorgan Banker: Exploiting Consumers Is 'The Purpose Of The Banking <b>...</b> : In October, 650000 Americans joined credit unions , which, as Mooney noted, are “supposed to be run in the interests of all members.” 40000 more joined them on Bank Transfer Day earlier this month. Wall Street, meanwhile, continues to ignore America's ... See all stories on this topic » ThinkProgress

The 10-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Worth Bragging About

Sound like anyone we know? “Approximately half of its membership is 50 years old or older, says Star One marketing manager Susanna Fong. The 10-year mortgage is meant to entice those members close to retirement to bring their loans — including the remainder of a 30-year-mortgage — to the credit union.” How Star One’s 14-month-old mortgage product attracts both young professionals and soon-to-be retirees. By Erik Payne creditunions.com For borrowers nearing retirement, desirable mortgage options are limited. Long-term loans can extend into retirement years and cut into savings earmarked for food, travel, and other expenses. Short-term loans can make budgeting difficult for the remaining working years. Star One Credit Union ($7.2B, Sunnyvale, CA) understands that borrowers want to be free of loan obligations before they leave the workforce without breaking the bank to do so. So in January of 2014, the credit union introduced a promotional 10-year fixed-rate mortgage that charges no...