Dakota Credit Unions Recognized for Financial Literacy Efforts

​These first-place winners will now advance for national judging at the Credit Union National Association along with credit unions from around the country. 

BISMARCK, ND—Dakota Credit Union Association (DakCU) is pleased to announce the 2022 winners of the state-level Desjardins Financial Education Awards. These prestigious awards honor credit unions for their financial literacy efforts in the communities they serve.
 
The entries from the Dakotas were judged by an awards committee made up of eight judges from the Minnesota Credit Union Network. Each credit union will be recognized with an engraved award plaque during the 2023 Annual Summit in Fargo, ND.  
 
Congratulations to these first-place winners who will now advance for national judging at the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) along with credit unions from around the country in their same asset category.
 
Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award

• $250M to $1B in assets: Capital CU (Bismarck, ND) 

 
Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award

• Less than $50M in assets: East River FCU (Madison, SD)
• $50M to $250M in assets: United Savings CU (Fargo, ND)
• $250M to $1B in assets: North Star Community CU (Minot, ND)

 
Second-place honors for the adult award category went to Capital CU (Bismarck, ND).
 
The Desjardins program is named after the credit union pioneer, Alphonse Desjardins, who was instrumental in forming both the Canadian and the U.S. credit union movements. The award recognizes leadership within the credit union movement on behalf of financial literacy for all ages. In his day, Desjardins established youth savings clubs and in-school "banks," known as caisses scolaires for the purpose of educating students about finances.