Raise Your Voice to Celebrate Your Credit Union’s Economic Impact

March 26, 2025

In the Beltway, Congress is at work on the budget this week, planning to have a bill on the President’s desk by Memorial Day. Tax reform is on the table, and we continue to make sure lawmakers understand that the value credit unions’ tax exemption provides to their constituents far exceeds the value of any amount of revenue a tax would generate. In addition, state legislatures are still in session in five of the six GoWest states. Data proving credit unions’ impact helps to advance priority legislation and protect against threats. When you add a story to those datapoints about your free financial education, service to underserved communities, fraud protection, and more, it really makes a difference.

Your credit union’s report is ready.

In the last few days, 311 credit unions that had branches in the GoWest footprint in 2023, received customized analysis, performed by Oxford Economics, measuring each individual credit union’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment, wages, and the impact of the direct financial benefits credit unions redistribute to their members, as a result of their unique, not-for-profit, cooperative structure.

You’re encouraged to share these reports with your Board of Directors, employees, members, and with local elected officials as you host them in your branches and attend their town halls and other events this year. The 2025 IMPACT Marketing Resource Center (member login required) features a toolkit providing sample social media posts, infographics, a blog post, and more that will help you to celebrate the impact you are having on the local economy and on your members’ financial lives.

The bigger picture is available, too.

Earlier this year, GoWest released analysis by Oxford Economics detailing credit unions’ impacts at every state, county, and congressional level in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. This data was well-received in advocacy meetings during each state’s Day at the Capitol event and at the National Governmental Affairs Conference earlier this month.

More information can be found on The GoWest Economic & Community Impact website, which contains each state’s economic impact analysis, as well as community impact reports, detailing financial education, special lending, service to underserved communities, volunteerism, and more. 

Seeing how your credit union fits into the big picture will help stakeholders in your community and elected offices to experience the Credit Union Difference. 

Posted in Advocacy on the Move, Federal Advocacy.