All Diamond Award winners in this category are listed below.
Category’s Best winners—marked with a 💎—earned the highest score within their asset grouping.
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Midland, MI
In 2025, Members First Credit Union leveraged 98.6% of its team certified as Credit Union Financial Counselors to launch a community-centered financial education campaign. Through coaching sessions, school partnerships, Little Free Libraries, and Greenlight for families, we met members where they are—at home, in schools, and in the community.
The campaign strengthened financial confidence, expanded access to resources, and transformed knowledge into meaningful action. It proved that authentic guidance, combined with innovative tools, can empower individuals, families, and communities to thrive.
Assets greater than $1 billion | North Charleston, SC
The objective of this five-week fraud prevention campaign was to educate members such that by campaign's end, they could articulate and apply preventative actions. We developed the THINK Method framework, which detailed five actionable fraud prevention steps where members were encouraged to demonstrate mastery of each step through weekly quizzes.
To get attention, these lessons were taught by a fraud-fighting Boykin Spaniel (South Carolina’s beloved state dog). To incentivize participation, successful quiz completions unlocked weekly sweepstakes entries. Our 81.5% website quiz completion rate significantly outperformed the 65% industry benchmark for educational quizzes, demonstrating exceptional content design and member engagement. This metric validates that participants didn’t just start the learning journey—they completed it. The 6,945 members who updated passwords represent concrete behavioral change.
Assets less than $250 million | Lake Charles, LA
Our Financial Education and Counseling Programs are designed to empower individuals, families, and businesses with the knowledge and confidence needed to make smart financial decisions at every stage of life. Through accessible, no-cost resources and personalized support, we work to strengthen financial well-being, promote long-term stability, and foster economic growth within our communities.
Our comprehensive, life-stage approach includes free one-on-one financial counseling for members and non-members, along with interactive online tutorials and budgeting tools tailored to diverse financial needs. We also offer a Homebuyers Grant Program, Hand Up to Homeownership, that provides education, counseling, and step-by-step guidance to help participants navigate the path to homeownership with confidence.
For entrepreneurs, our Business Grant Program, Greaux Your Biz, delivers financial education, resources, and funding opportunities that support innovation and small business success. Together, these initiatives reflect our commitment to financial empowerment, inclusion, and lifelong learning.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Atlanta, GA
Delta Community Credit Union’s Youth Education Initiative shows how financial institutions can build trust and long-term impact by investing early in the next generation. Rather than focusing solely on products, it positioned the Credit Union as a community partner — delivering practical, age-appropriate financial education through schools, camps, and community organizations.
These events and programs reinforced the power of hands-on learning and demonstrated how trusted partnerships expand reach and credibility. Interactive programming drove strong engagement, while collaboration with educators, nonprofits, and media partners extended the message beyond individual events.
By delivering education across multiple age groups and reinforcing lessons through consistent community presence, the campaign met and exceeded its objectives by reaching thousands of students, strengthening family and educator trust, and building financial confidence early in life.
The initiative demonstrates how purpose-driven, community-based education can meaningfully differentiate a brand in a competitive market.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Midland, MI
“Money on the Move” transformed financial education into an engaging, barrier-free experience that earned regional recognition. On National Financial Awareness Day, Dow Credit Union partnered with STARS, the regional public transit authority, to convert the city’s Transit Plaza into an interactive learning hub and hosted a county-wide Free Ride Day to eliminate transportation obstacles. Four hands-on stations—budgeting, credit, savings, and borrowing—delivered practical tools for financial confidence.
Thoughtful incentives like grocery gift cards, bus passes, and foldable grocery carts encouraged participation, creating an inclusive environment for individuals often overlooked due to socioeconomic challenges. This event blended creativity, collaboration, and measurable impact, fostering lasting financial empowerment and stronger community connections.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Midland, MI
The “Piggy Bank Picasso” campaign turned financial literacy into a creative, hands-on experience for children and families. Partnering with TempleArts, a local non-profit dedicated to providing outstanding and inclusive cultural experiences, Dow Credit Union hosted an interactive event at the Saginaw Art Museum where kids painted ceramic piggy banks while learning simple, practical lessons on saving and spending.
This unique approach blended art with financial education, making money concepts fun, accessible, and memorable. The campaign encouraged repeat engagement through piggy bank pick-up and positioned Dow Credit Union as an innovative, community-focused partner committed to building financial confidence from an early age. Creativity and education came together to inspire lasting impact.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Port Neches, TX
As the Official Credit Union of Lamar University, Neches FCU has the exclusive right to host financial literacy seminars on campus. Through on-campus workshops and seminars, we aim to equip students with practical skills for managing their finances, covering topics including identity theft/fraud/scams, adulting 101, strategies for saving, navigating auto buying, establishing and using credit wisely, and more. In 2025, Neches FCU facilitated a total of 20 financial literacy seminars on campus at Lamar University, reaching nearly 487 students.
This unified approach to provide financial literacy between Neches FCU and Lamar University strives to provide those students with the resources needed to gain a clear understanding of their current financial situation and develop the skills needed for long-term financial success.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Dublin, CA
Small Talks for Big Change is Patelco’s innovative leap from webinars to podcasts – designed for today’s audiences who love the flexibility to listen or watch. With practical, timely advice in often 20-minute episodes, it empowers members and communities to thrive.
Covering everything from budgeting and saving, college planning, and elder financial abuse protection to fresh topics like the psychology of spending and inclusive banking, this fast-growing platform makes financial wellness accessible, relevant, and engaging for all.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Los Angeles, CA
This campaign was a celebration of possibility. We set out to make financial education feel less like a chore and more like a spark for transformation. By blending creativity with clarity, we turned intimidating concepts into growth conversations.
So, we learned that when education feels personal and inspiring, engagement skyrockets. Members didn’t just absorb information! They embraced confidence and took action...win-win. The campaign surpassed every goal, proving that financial wellness can ignite hope and create momentum.
In the end, we didn’t just share knowledge; we built a movement that reminds people their financial future is theirs to own. We're actually hosting a live webinar on holiday spending as we speak! After all, how many CU mission statements align with financial well-being? A LOT. People Helping People.
