The Community Investment Fund (CIF) is a unique shared investment program that strengthens the credit union movement throughout Texas, across the US, and worldwide.

You choose to help all credit unions make a difference.

As a voluntary, cooperative venture, CIF works thanks to a strong partnership between the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF), U.S. Central Credit Union, corporate credit unions including Southwest Corporate FCU, and state leagues and foundations including the Texas Credit Union League and Texas Credit Union Foundation.

By investing in the Community Investment Fund, you help to expand the capacity of Texas credit unions to serve their members and their communities, while earning a return for your credit union!

Here are some examples of how the Community Investment Fund helps in Texas:

• Strategic planning, audits, equipment, software and training grants for small credit unions all across the state as well as grant support for the NCUA Small Credit Union workshops and tehe 24/7 Lending Program.
• Juntos Avanzamos - a program of the Texas Credit Union League that empowers Texas credit unions to serve the needs of the emerging Hispanic market with fair and affordable financial services. 
• a $40,500 grant to Texas Credit Union Foundation from NCUF to sponsor a statewide high school financial education pilot project in 25 Texas school districts.
• Financial Education outreach through teacher scholarships for the Texas Council on Economic Education.

How CIF Works

The Community Investment Fund (CIF) is the National Credit Union Foundation's primary funding mechanism for local, state, and national credit union development activities.

Credit unions investing in CIF through Southwest Corporate receive 50 percent (50%) of the dividend of their investment.  The remaining 50 percent (50%) of the return is distributed to the National Credit Union Foundation, half of which the Foundation returns, pro-rata, to the leagues or state credit union foundations in the states of investment origin.  The National Credit Union Foundation has placed a cap of 2% on the portion of the dividend they are to receive.  Therefore, any dividend over four percent is returned to the credit union.

Through the Community Investment Fund, credit unions, corporates, foundations and leagues work together to strenghten credit unions and help more people reap the benefits of credit union membership.

You Choose the Investment

A pooled, common fund, the Community Investment Fund enables your credit union to receive a competitive return while automatically generating shared returns for the greater good.

CIF Investments provide participating credit unions with safe and flexible options through Southwest Corporate Federal Credit Union.

CIF Investment Options 

• 90-Day Notice Account
• Fixed Rate Certificate of Deposit (2 Yr Terms)
• Structured Products (Fixed Callables, ACPs, FRAPs, Step Up Shared Certificates)

Your investmet is insured just the same as your other investments at Southwest Corporate FCU, with term yields that are higher than agencies.

No fees, so the investment does not impact the expense side of a credit union's balance sheet.

Your Southwest Corporate Investment Specialist can help you choose the right investment for your credit union's investment strategy.

You direct where your investment works

Through the Community Investment Fund, your credit union becomes an integral partner in shaping credit union outreach initiatives.

CIF funds - at the national and state level - are earmarked for development initiatives that increase credit unions' capacity to impact the financial lives of consumers, including education, small credit union programming, community outreach, and international development.

At the same time, you have the option to designate a portion of your shared returns to benefit specific initiatives or programs that you choose.

Nationally and Worldwide

• Community Investment Fund that supports all of NCUF's innovative programs to improve consumer financial independence through credit unions.
• International Development Fund that helps sustain and build the credit union movement worldwide.
• Pete Crear Fund, established by the African-American Credit Union Coalition to expand credit union programs such as minority intern programs, financial education and small credit union development.

In Texas

• Small Credit Union Fund to help small CU's reach their potential
• Richard L. Ensweiler Hispanic Outreach Fund to help CUs reach out and serve the fastest-growing segment of the Texas population
• Credit Union Development Fund to help Texas credit unions make a notable impact on their communities
• Texas Credit Union Foundation's Financial Education Programs to inspire a new generation of smart consumers and future leaders.

Just like compound interest, these options multiply and build to make a powerful difference in our state, our nation, and throughout the world.

You choose to lead in making a difference

With CIF, all credit unions have the opportunity to demonstrate their unity of purpose, commitment to community and the combined strength of the credit union movement as a force for good.

CIF Levels of Recognition

Regardless of asset size, the suggested level of investment is 1/10 of 1 percent of assets or $1 million.  Three levels of recognition have been identified:

Chairman's Club: Investments of 1/4 of 1% of assets, or $2 + million

Leadership Circle: Investments of 1/10 of 1% of assets, or $1 million

Investor Circle: Investments of less than 1/10 of 1% of assets

Why Your Credit Union Should Invest in CIF

• Your credit union's participation embodies the unique, long-standing focus of the credit union movement - People Helping People.
• Your participation demonstrates leadership to the entire credit union movement.
• Large or small, every credit union can invest, while making a meaningful contribution to the credit union movement, our members and our communities.
• The Community Investment Fund has received national recognition with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) 2005 Award for Excellence in Fundraising as an outstanding and unique, win-win-win program for all involved.

Investing Is Easy

Please click the "Participant Form" link to the left to view the Investor form.  Additional information is also posted on the National Credit Union Foundation website, www.ncuf.coop.

Investment information is available at the Southwest Corporate FCU website, www.swcorp.org.  Click on the Community Investment Fund Link to learn more about investment options.

Contact Information

Courtney Nickles, Executive Director, Texas Credit Union Foundation

469-385-6448 or 800-953-8283 (TCUF)

cnickles@tcul.coop

Josie Collins, Director of Donor Relations & Events for NCUF

800-356-9655 ext. 4397

jcollins@ncuf.coop

Bob Rehm, SVP Sales & Marketing for Southwest Corporate

800-442-5763 ext. 7840

rehmb@swcorp.org