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 | Henrico, VA
Weather posed a major risk, but with planning and perseverance, the event succeeded beyond expectations. It drew 15,000 attendees, creating an evening of joy, togetherness, and pride for our community.
Soon after, we earned second place in the local paper’s “Best Of” contest, proving its lasting impact.
This event reminded us that when you build strengthened community bonds, showcased our commitment to Henrico County, and delivered an unforgettable night that celebrated who we are.
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Newburgh, IN
A Night of Hidden Treasure, hosted by Heritage Federal Credit Union, was more than a themed event; it was a statement. The pirate-themed evening honored the non-profit leaders who are working to improve our communities every day.
Inspired by listening directly to non-profit needs, Heritage created both a meaningful product, Non-Profit Checking, and a meaningful moment to celebrate those partners. Around 250 guests representing 87 non-profit organizations gathered for an immersive evening of live music, interactive storytelling, and connection.
The night culminated in the presentation of Heritage’s first-ever Non-Profit of the Year award, as voted on by members, along with a $10,000 donation to It Takes a Village. The event solidified Heritage’s position as a champion of non-profit organizations and the community.
Assets greater than $1 billion | North Augusta, SC
The Oakwood-Windsor Shoe Drive Giveaway was a heartfelt and emotional event that showcased the true spirit of SRP’s commitment to serving our community.
After a need was identified, the entire organization rallied together to support the shoe drive, demonstrating meaningful teamwork and compassion in action. Through an incredible collaboration between SRP leadership and the school, every effort was made to ensure each student received the correct shoe size and could walk into the day with confidence.
The highlight of the campaign was delivery day, packing up, and personally handing out the shoes to students, creating an unforgettable moment filled with gratitude, smiling faces, and proud SRP employees who were able to see the impact of their generosity firsthand.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Tuscaloosa, AL
This event was our first awareness event for Secret Meals For Hungry Children and it exceeded our expectations! This event highlighted the importance of childhood hunger and showcased that hunger is prominent in our community. By hosting this event, we were able to gain loyal supporters and volunteers to join the fight against childhood hunger. The difference one can make in a child’s life is no secret at all!
Assets greater than $1 billion | Moon Township, PA
Empowerment Day was a transformative experience that reinforced Clearview’s commitment to financial empowerment by first investing in its employees. By bringing together over 400 team members for a day of growth, collaboration, and purpose, we strengthened our internal culture while aligning with our mission to serve members and communities. The event’s highlights included inspiring keynotes, peer mentoring, and a hands-on service project that assembled 3,500 hygiene kits for individuals in need.
Empowerment Day bridged the gap between internal development and external impact, demonstrating that empowered employees create empowered communities. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants underscored the success of this initiative, with many calling it one of the most meaningful experiences of their careers. This campaign exemplified how investing in people, both within and beyond the organization, can drive connection, purpose, and lasting impact.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Plymouth, MI
When our Northern Michigan branches, members, and communities were devastated by an unexpected and brutal ice storm, we acted fast. Our whole-credit-union response began immediately during the storm, supporting team members, members, and the broader community as needs emerged in real time. What defined our approach wasn't just speed — it was commitment.
In the moment we activated emergency loans, supported our northern team members, and rushed to the community's aid with Joy Convoys and Pop-ups delivering badly needed supplies and warm meals. After, we collaborated with the government, community groups, our neighbors, and even out-of-state credit unions to keep the aid flowing. Finally, in June, when things had gotten back on their feet, we brought everyone together for a celebration of resilience to raise up the North Standing Tall and coming through it all... together.
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Amarillo, TX
The School Days Dance: Sweetheart Edition transformed the ECU Foundation’s first-ever fundraising even into a heartfelt celebration of educators and community impact. By blending nostalgic school-day themes with mission-driven storytelling, the event united over 200 attendees and raised $35,500 to directly support classroom projects across the Texas Panhandle. With strong engagement, sold-out fundraising activities, and meaningful connections made between donors and teachers, the event exceeded expectations and established a powerful new tradition for the Foundation.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Gadsden, AL
The Billion Dollar Bash was a first-of-its-kind celebration designed to honor the people behind a historic milestone. Created entirely in-house, the event transformed, surpassing $1 billion in assets into a shared experience filled with anticipation, surprise, and meaningful recognition. From teaser videos and custom branding to transportation, live entertainment, and thoughtful keepsakes, every detail was intentional.
This new event proved that milestone celebrations can be more than ceremonial; they can strengthen culture, create connection, and leave a lasting impression.
The key takeaway was simple: when you celebrate people as intentionally as performance, the impact lasts far beyond a single night. Employees still talk about the experience a year later, making it clear that this first-time event set a powerful new standard for how we recognize success.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Houston, TX
To show Sugar Land who we really are, we threw a community party with food trucks, Space Cowboys players, autograph signings, and big giveaways. People came for the baseball memorabilia and stayed to open accounts, because they could see our relationship concept branch in action. Our goal was simple: show the Sugar Land community the First Service difference.
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Arcadia, CA
This campaign demonstrated that a branch opening works best as a series of engagements rather than a single-day event. By combining direct mail, in-branch experiences, incentives, and a follow-up Coffee Day, the Upland Branch achieved a 5x lift in new membership openings during launch, generated 34 new checking accounts with direct deposit within three months, and grew to 242 new members within six months—ranking #1 in net new membership growth among four branches.
Direct mail proved especially effective when paired with localized offers and USPS EDDM, reaching 30,000 households at one-third of the cost. Event tactics such as calendar-save tools supported attendance forecasting and generated additional accounts and appointments post–grand opening.
The key takeaway: coordinated, community-centered marketing drives both immediate results and sustained branch growth.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Appleton, WI
Toppling Hunger turned a simple cereal drive into a creative, community-wide movement. By adding a fun domino topple twist and connecting donations to Feeding America’s “Healthy Kids, Healthy Summer” program, we transformed giving into an experience that sparked excitement and engagement
Our key takeaway? Creativity amplifies impact. The cereal-domino videos created shareable content that drove social engagement and media coverage, while partnerships with local nonprofits and media outlets extended our reach.
The campaign exceeded expectations—collecting 5,396 boxes of cereal, enough to provide 54,000 breakfast meals for kids in need. We learned that when philanthropy is paired with fun and visibility, participation soars, brand trust deepens, and community pride grows.
Toppling Hunger wasn’t just a food drive; it was a statement that Fox Communities Credit Union is committed to knocking out hunger, one box at a time.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Live Oak, TX
RBFCU followed a successful format to celebrate branch openings for the first time with a "random acts of kindness day." We streamlined the event while still using assets and practices that were used for anniversary celebrations in a region and identified more civic leaders that we could invite to encouraged buy-in from local chambers and residents.
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Painted Post, NY
This event gave us the opportunity to open up our space to community members in a fun and inviting way.
We invited the county sheriff's to do car seat checks and education, we brought a local homemade ice cream vendor in to provide free ice cream, and we had free face painting. We gave away over 100 backpacks of school supplies within the first 2 hours, and we surpassed our expectations for the number of attendees.
The feedback from the community members was that they were thankful for the event. It was a much-needed resource that felt accessible and inviting.
The event drew media attention from a local TV station, and they came on-site to get some video of the event. The event was highlighted on the evening news that night.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Arlington, TX
Fueling Kindness was an act of service that allowed employees to be directly involved in making a positive difference in the community. This was a first-of-its-kind event that prioritized empathy over advertising. It demonstrated that Texas Trust is a neighbor first and a financial institution second, proving that high-impact community volunteerism can be executed effectively in a narrow, one-hour window with zero external agency support.
In just 60 minutes, we fueled 77 vehicles, ensuring nearly 80 families could commute to work or school without the immediate burden of fuel costs. We also distributed $3,100 in direct monetary aid, including $100 bills and gas cards, and spent 20 staff-hours on community engagement.
While traditional media did not attend, we successfully pivoted to a self-produced digital strategy. Our in-house video captured the raw, authentic gratitude of the community, which we used to tell our story directly to our members.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Tempe, AZ
TruWest’s New Member Days campaign was a focused, high-impact promotion that ignited strong momentum in member growth and branch engagement.
The two-week event produced a 161% lift in new member growth, generating 296 new members and 251 new checking accounts, with 30% achieving rewards-qualified status within 60 days.
These outcomes show that pairing a limited-time offer with referral incentives brings in members who activate early and build deeper credit union relationships. Clear, simple messaging also proved effective despite geography only targeting.
Overall, New Member Days exceeded expectations and delivered key insights for future acquisition strategy.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Endicott, NY
The Visions Cares Summit reimagined how we support our nonprofit partners by shifting from traditional giving to intentional investment in their people.
Designed as a free, high-impact professional development conference, the summit brought together more than 100 organizations for a day focused on learning, leadership, and meaningful connection.
The theme, “Seeds of Change,” guided our content, décor, and messaging, reinforcing the idea that small investments in people can drive significant organizational growth. The event exceeded expectations, with attendees expressing gratitude for the opportunity, enthusiasm for the content, and excitement for future summits. Many asked how many years we had hosted the conference and whether a date was set for next year; both clear signs that the experience resonated.
The summit strengthened our relationships, elevated the Visions brand, and expanded the impact of the Visions Cares program in a way that will benefit our partners long beyond the event.
