Premier Members Credit Union Goes Above and Beyond in 2023

Posted by Katy Wagnon on March 5, 2024

Premier Members Credit Union showed up and showed out to its local communities in 2023, making it a banner year for impact and change. The Boulder-based credit union partnered in unique ways to support its communities, driving initiatives that ranged from growing relationships with nonprofits to promoting financial literacy in schools to building out sustainability programs. PMCU – the largest credit union in Colorado – and its employees donated an impressive 2,846 staff outreach hours and provided a total of $491,239 in community outreach financial support.

Premier Gives

Founded in 2012, Premier Gives – one of the credit union’s flagship programs – provides funds and employee outreach hours to support initiatives in education, financial literacy and providing for basic needs. The credit union offers monthly Premier Gives outreach opportunities to its workforce. A few notable 2023 projects include the following:

• Partnering with Mile High United Way and the Boulder Chamber of Commerce to organize the largest-ever Day of Caring in Boulder and Broomfield Counties, with 20 volunteer opportunities and over 500 volunteers.
• Hosting the inaugural PMCU “Celebration of Giving.” This event brought together more than 100 people to celebrate PMCU’s nonprofit partners and high school scholarship awardees. PMCU offered $5,000 grants and scholarships to five small nonprofits and five high school seniors.
• Commencing government affairs work by collaborating with the League of Women Voters Boulder County and GoWest Credit Union Association to enact local change.

Premier Youth and Money 360

Premier Youth, another long-standing PMCU program, focuses on implementing effective financial literacy education together with school districts, teachers and partner organizations in Colorado’s largest cities. In 2023, in pursuit of its goal of making learning fun, simple and social and providing financial education to all, PMCU launched the Money 360 program.

Money 360 is a new platform that provides financial literacy education using a digital app, as well as a classroom-based financial literacy curriculum, for students 13 and older. The app includes hundreds of modules on topics ranging from opening a bank account to saving for retirement. Correctly answering questions earns learners points that can be redeemed as monetary donations to Colorado nonprofits.

Sustainability at PMCU

PMCU’s sustainability program had a standout year in 2023, reflecting a focus on integrating into all member communities to understand local challenges around the climate crisis. A few key projects include the following:

• Partnering with Lincoln Hill Cares to provide a “scholarship stipend” that enabled 165 low-income youth and youth of color from the greater Metro Denver area to experience a new world of connection to the environment.
• Collecting more than 18,000 pounds of e-waste at collection drives PMCU hosted for members throughout the year. At these events, PMCU volunteers also collected donations for local environment- and equity-focused nonprofits.

In addition to the above programs, PMCU sponsored branch and enterprise events to further connect with communities and increase branch awareness. Community events and sponsorships in 2023 included Boulder Pride, the Colorado Youth Unity Rising Summit, the Latino Chamber Boulder County’s Career Fair, Monarch Little League Opening Day, PACC Cornhole and Women Who Light the Community, among others.

Posted in Colorado, Top Headlines.