Off the Record, On the Issues with John

Dakota credit unions earned national recognition for their strong PAC fundraising results in 2025.

By John Alexander, DakCU Director of Legislative & Regulatory Affairs

The Dakotas posted strong results in America’s Credit Unions Political Action Committee (PAC) fundraising recognition for 2025. North Dakota finished as the runner-up for the Vanguard Award after reaching 258% of its annual goal, while South Dakota also exceeded goal at 143% and earned Capitol Circle Award recognition. We are producing results that stand out on a national stage.

The Vanguard Award recognizes the state that raised the highest percentage of its annual fundraising goal. The Capitol Circle Award recognizes leagues that meet or exceed 100% of goal. For a league our size, those numbers matter. They show reality, the Dakotas are punching above their weight all across the board.

The donor handout also identifies the top fundraising credit union in each state. In North Dakota, First Community Credit Union led with $3,282. In South Dakota, Black Hills Federal Credit Union led with $3,977. As our greatest contributor in each state, we want to thank you for your undying support.

These contributions power America’s Credit Unions PAC, helping elect and support pro-credit union candidates for federal office and strengthening our relationships with policymakers. For Dakota credit unions, that means even deeper engagement with our federal delegation including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senators Mike Rounds, John Hoeven, and Kevin Cramer, and Representatives Dusty Johnson and Julie Fedorchak.

Adding to this momentum, Dakota credit unions also set a historic milestone during the Government Affairs Conference (GAC) PAC Sweepstakes this week. North Dakota surpassed $7,000 in contributions—setting a new state record—while the combined efforts of North and South Dakota credit unions exceeded $13,000. These totals represent the highest levels of participation and fundraising ever recorded for the Dakotas, both in the history of Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and now under America’s Credit Unions. With these strong results, the Dakotas are currently sitting in 13th place overall in the national PAC Sweepstakes standings.

And that’s the bigger story: Even as one of the smallest leagues in the country, the Dakotas continue to show up, invest, and compete at a national level. When we raise funds, connect with lawmakers, and build relationships early, we position ourselves to protect and advance the issues that matter most to our credit unions.

Award percentages and state fundraising totals referenced here are taken from America’s Credit Unions PAC, Fundraising Achievement Recognition 2025 donor handout.

​ViClarity Q1 2026 Town Hall Webinar - Starting 2026 Strong: A Look at Where the Credit Union Industry Stands
March 25 | 1 p.m. CT  / 12 p.m. MT
Join Crystal Streeper of ViClarity for a practical and high-level outlook on emerging regulatory focus areas, examiner expectations, and common compliance pain points credit unions are navigating right now. We’ll connect the dots between what’s happening across the industry and what it means for your compliance program, governance practices, and risk management priorities. Register here. 

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