National Small CU Association Offers Update on its First Three Months

LANHAM, Md. — The National Small Credit Union Association (NSCUA) said it has spent its first three months focused on building membership, developing partnerships and positioning itself as a resource for smaller credit unions navigating a rapidly changing financial services landscape.

In the inaugural edition of the association’s newsletter, NSCUA President Joshua Urbick said interest in the new trade group has exceeded expectations since it launched its website and began accepting applications from credit unions and strategic partners approximately three months ago.

“The excitement surrounding what we’re building at NSCUA has been incredible,” Urbick wrote, thanking supporters who have joined the organization or expressed encouragement for its mission.

How First Months Have Been Spent

According to Urbick, the organization has spent its first months meeting with credit unions and vendors while focusing on how to help ensure the long-term success of small credit unions amid growing technological change, including advances in artificial intelligence.

“The financial services landscape is changing at an incredible pace,” Urbick said, adding that while new technologies can appear overwhelming, small credit unions have a long history of adapting to change.

Urbick, who also serves as president and CEO of Maryland-based IBEW26 Federal Credit Union, said smaller institutions should remain focused on serving members rather than attempting to compete with larger financial institutions on size alone. IBEW26 Federal Credit Union has approximately $30 million in assets.

“Our strength is relationships,” Urbick said, noting that community-based institutions differentiate themselves through their close connections with members, workplaces and local communities.

A Tool, Not an End-Goal

He emphasized that technology should be viewed as a tool rather than an end goal, saying investments in digital banking, faster lending decisions and artificial intelligence should be pursued when they improve member service and strengthen credit unions.

“If AI can help us serve members more efficiently while giving our employees more time to build relationships, we’ll use it,” Urbick said.

Urbick said one of the primary reasons NSCUA was established was to help small credit unions evaluate technology providers and other vendors. Limited budgets make it difficult for many smaller institutions to distinguish valuable strategic partners from companies promoting emerging products, he said.

The association plans to vet strategic partners offering services ranging from strategic planning and AI-powered lending to compliance, technology and marketing. Urbick said NSCUA also intends to negotiate exclusive pricing and discounts for member credit unions.

Optimism Remains

While acknowledging ongoing challenges that include regulatory requirements, rising operating costs and cybersecurity threats, Urbick said he remains optimistic about the future of smaller credit unions.

He credited that optimism to the collaboration he has witnessed among CEOs, volunteers, board members and employees across the country who continue to share ideas, support one another and invest in their communities.

Urbick said the future of small credit unions will depend on leaders working together to exchange knowledge and strengthen locally owned, member-focused financial institutions.

“From everything I’ve seen over these past three months, I’m more optimistic than ever,” Urbick wrote. “Our best chapters are still ahead of us.”