Recognizing the Leaders in Financial Literacy for 2025
Written by Dakota Damschroder, Communications Editor, CrossState
Among the most essential skills for youth and adults to build is good finance management, and yet many lack the resources to even know where to begin. Credit unions have long stepped up to help fill this need, creating educational programs, Financial Reality Fairs, awareness campaigns, and more to empower their members and strengthen their communities.
The CrossState Credit Union Foundation proudly supports these efforts, both through partnering with our credit union members for various initiatives and through our Leaders in Financial Literacy Awards. Launched eight years ago, the awards recognize those who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to promoting financial education. Each 2025 winner was honored during the Foundation Luncheon at the CrossState Connect Annual Convention this past May, where they received their award and a $2,500 grant to help continue their good work.
Congratulations to our winners, and thank you to everyone striving to champion financial education!
Armco Credit Union launched a multichannel Financial Fraud Education Initiative in 2024, seeking to provide members with the knowledge and tools to identify, prevent, and recover from fraud attempts. Among their approaches included setting up tables with resources in their branches, airing six paid radio commercials, scheduling radio interviews with their fraud officer, and distributing fraud prevention tools such as ink rollers at community events. In total, their efforts helped prevent over $357,000 in member losses due to fraud.
“With this campaign, we saw a positive shift in engagement on fraud content, proving that the right approach makes all the difference. By changing the way we present fraud education, we’re not just raising awareness—we’re making a real impact.”
Bay Atlantic Federal Credit Union partnered with two local nonprofits to create a financial literacy program tailored to young people, especially those in underserved communities. Broken into five parts, it started with a simplified Financial Reality Fair, where students practiced budgeting based on a part-time job. They then attended three classroom presentations and a second Financial Reality Fair to apply what they learned and see how they’d improved.
“For students in lower socioeconomic communities, financial institutions can be intimidating, so showing them that the credit union is a resource for them was very important, especially as they enter the adult world. They know Bay Atlantic FCU will be there for them.”
Clearview Federal Credit Union also aimed to provide accessible personal financial education to youth, both in general and in underserved areas, with their Zogo Financial Wellness Program. This three-part initiative served nearly 400 participants from seven community organizations. The first step was a Financial Reality Fair, after which participants gained access to Zogo, a gamified app with fun content to help build on financial skills. Finally, they tested their knowledge in a Jeoparady!-style game.
“When surveying the participants, individuals at one location strikingly stated they’d never received any prior financial education. Overall, 94–100% of all participants reported a better understanding of financial concepts and more confidence in their financial futures.”
First Capital Federal Credit Union offered a paid opportunity for two high-school juniors or seniors to gain real-world financial industry experience through their annual Student Branches and Ambassador Program. In addition to training and working part-time as a member service representative, these individuals promote financial education for their fellow students, such as through social media campaigns and presentations in the classroom.
“The Student Ambassador Program demonstrates the power of investing in young adults to take an active role in supporting their peers’ financial success. They learn valuable career skills and make a direct impact on their community.”
North Jersey Federal Credit Union spearheaded four initiatives to eliminate barriers and expand opportunities for underserved areas, particularly Hispanic and immigrant communities. For example, they established bilingual support and culturally relevant financial solutions as well as tailored financial literacy workshops, business development training, and one-on-one counseling. They also aligned with local and international organizations to further their efforts.
“These initiatives reflect NJFCU’s dedication to financial inclusion, economic mobility, and cooperative spirit. They are not only serving members today but also shaping the future of financial empowerment for the next generation.”
Originally published in the 2025 CU Edge Special Edition
Apply for the 2026 Awards
Are you proud of a financial education program that has made an impact on your members or community? Submit your credit union’s efforts to the Leaders in Financial Literacy Awards!
Award winners will receive grants of $2,500 to help support their financial literacy efforts going forward. They will then be honored at a special luncheon during the CrossState Connect Annual Convention, being held on May 19–21, 2026, in Atlantic City, NJ.
Submissions are due by February 2, 2026.