Supporting Credit Union Advocacy Through Project Zip Code

Credit union advocacy has always been a cornerstone of protecting and advancing the industry. With legislative discussions continuing to evolve, now is the time for credit unions to ensure their voices are heard. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is through Project Zip Code (PZC)—a key initiative that maps members to their legislative districts, providing essential data to policymakers.

In this webinar Ben Hering, CUCollaborate’s Director of Partnerships, discusses how credit unions can leverage Project Zip Code and impact reporting to strengthen their advocacy efforts and support the broader credit union movement.

‍

Why Credit Union Advocacy Matters More Than Ever

With ongoing discussions around the credit union tax exemption, protecting the not-for-profit cooperative model is a priority. Credit unions serve more than 140 million members nationwide, yet continued legislative efforts could impact their ability to operate efficiently.

Advocacy efforts such as America’s Credit Unions' "Don’t Tax My Credit Union" campaign are vital to ensuring policymakers understand the role credit unions play in supporting their constituents. Recent data shows that 60% of voters support preserving credit unions’ tax-exempt status, making it more important than ever to demonstrate their value with tangible, localized data.

Project Zip Code plays a critical role in this effort, providing the necessary data to advocate effectively at both the state and federal levels.

How CUCollaborate Supports Credit Union Advocacy

CUCollaborate is working alongside credit union leagues and associations across the country to take a data-driven approach to advocacy. By helping credit unions quantify and communicate their impact, CUCollaborate enables more effective engagement with legislators.‍

Key Advocacy Tools and Insights:

• Project Zip Code Integration: Maps credit union members to legislative districts for more targeted advocacy
• Custom Impact Reporting: Helps quantify the financial benefits credit unions provide to their members
• Legislative Meeting Preparation: Equips credit unions with strategic insights for discussions at events like GAC 2025

With these tools, credit unions can move beyond anecdotal storytelling and provide concrete data that illustrates their role in strengthening financial well-being across their communities.

Project Zip Code: A Critical Advocacy Tool

Project Zip Code is an advocacy initiative designed to help credit unions accurately map their membership to legislative districts. This data allows credit unions to demonstrate their impact at the local level, ensuring legislators understand how their policies affect credit union members.‍

Why Participate in Project Zip Code?

• Influence Policy Decisions: Strengthens advocacy efforts by aligning credit union data with lawmakers' districts
• Showcase Economic Impact: Provides clear insights into how credit unions contribute to local economies
• Prepare for Legislative Meetings: Equips credit unions with customized reports for discussions with policymakers

By integrating Project Zip Code with CUCollaborate’s impact reporting, credit unions can ensure they are well-prepared for advocacy efforts at both the state and national levels.

Impact Reporting: Turning Data Into Actionable Insights

One of the most valuable benefits of participating in Project Zip Code through CUCollaborate is access to custom impact reporting. These reports provide credit unions with quantifiable data to showcase their contributions to members and communities.‍

What Impact Reporting Measures

• Annual Member Benefits – The financial value credit unions provide to their members compared to traditional banks
• Demographic Insights – Data on household income, service distribution, and geographic reach
• Lending & Deposit Trends – How credit unions’ loan and deposit offerings compare to competitors

‍

For example, American United Federal Credit Union, a $373 million institution in Utah, used its impact report to highlight key advocacy data:

• Annual Member Benefit: $468 per member
• Average Interest Rate Savings: 0.79% lower than competitors

These insights not only strengthen legislative advocacy but also provide credit unions with valuable data for strategic growth planning and community outreach.

How to Participate in Project Zip Code Through CUCollaborate

The process of submitting data to Project Zip Code is straightforward, with CUCollaborate offering support every step of the way.

Steps to Participate

1. Log in to CUCollaborate’s platform and upload an AIRES file (encrypted for security)
2. Data is mapped to legislative districts for accurate representation
3. CUCollaborate generates a custom impact report, providing additional advocacy insights
4. Use these insights at GAC 2025 and other key advocacy events to support legislative discussions

Data Security and Compliance‍

CUCollaborate is SOC-2 Type-2 compliant, ensuring that all credit union member data is handled securely and remains confidential.

Final Thoughts: Advocacy is Stronger with Data

The credit union movement has always been rooted in people helping people, but advocacy requires more than just a strong mission—it requires data. By participating in Project Zip Code and leveraging impact reporting, credit unions can demonstrate their value, protect their tax-exempt status, and ensure continued growth.

Next Steps for Credit Unions

• If your credit union hasn’t submitted data yet, now is the time to act
• With GAC 2025 approaching, submissions should be completed by February 21st to ensure data is available for legislative meetings

‍

📌 For more information on how CUCollaborate can support your credit union’s advocacy efforts, contact our team today.