KENNEWICK, Wash.— Tri-Cities Community Federal Credit Union (Tri-CU) said is demonstrating “the power of the cooperative model” by again paying a special dividend to members.
The $75-million credit union has distributed a 50% APY special dividend on the first $500 held in primary savings accounts and kids’ accounts — marking the second such payout in just three months.
According to the credit union, members who maintained an average balance of $500 during March will receive approximately $20 credited directly to their accounts. The earlier 50% special dividend was paid on Dec. 31, 2025, and included primary checking accounts (excluding commercial checking).
‘Our Job is Simple’
“As a not-for-profit cooperative, our job is simple: earn a healthy return, then give those profits back to our members,” President/CEO Doug Wadsworth said in a statement. “We’re financially strong and stable, which allows us to deliver meaningful value directly to the people we serve. This is what friends are for.”
Tri-CU said it continues to find meaningful ways to support its members, including being the only credit union in the Tri-Cities that charges zero NSF fees. Tri-CU said it also provides lower better loan rates and lower loan fees than virtually any of the big banks, almost across the board.
Moreover, it boasts superior Google reviews and shorter phone wait times – all while operating efficiently from a single local office, Tri-CU said.
‘Important Point for Smaller CUs’
“These back-to-back special dividends highlight an important point for small credit unions across the country: when managed well and maintained in strong financial health, even smaller institutions can make a significant difference in the lives of their members,” the credit union said in a statement.
Added Wadsworth, “We don’t need a large national footprint to return real value to our members. Healthy small credit unions have the ability to be incredibly responsive and generous with the people who own them.”
