Credit Unions Anyone Can Join
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Updated on Friday, February 6, 2015
Credit Unions offer Americans alternatives to doing business with the big banks (or even local banks). Instead of answering to shareholders, a credit union must act in the best interest of its members — who also happen to be the customers. By joining a credit union, you own a share in the financial institution and thus have voting rights. Credit unions are often a slightly exclusive, with membership eligibility requirements being strict and often focused geographically.
Take one of these paths if you’re interested in joining a credit union:
- See if you’re eligible for a credit union because you live, work, worship, volunteer in its region or belong to an organization/work for an employer with membership privileges.
- If not, you can join any of the credit unions below by making a donation to join an organization with membership privileges or in some cases, by registering to volunteer or pledge support to a credit union approved organization.
A List Credit Unions Anyone Can Join
- You can join with a one time $25 donation to Affinity Plus Foundation
- You can join by first becoming a member of The Friends of CityDance Association – $20 dues.
- You can join with a one time $25 donation to the Airman Heritage Museum
- You can join by making a $10 or greater donation to Foster Care to Success (FCS)
- You can become a member by joining the Altra Foundation with a one time $5 lifetime membership dues
- You can join with a one time membership fee of $5, along with an initial deposit of $25 for individuals and $100 for Ministries and Businesses into your regular share savings account
- You can join by depositing $15 into a share savings account and maintaining this minimum balance
- If you aren’t eligible based on military affiliation, you can join American Consumer Council with a $5 donation if you currently use or have used a major consumer product or service in the past 12 months. Lifetime membership costs $15.
- You can join by accepting the stipulations of the following agreement on the membership form: I agree to become a member of American Consumer Council through Aspire Federal Credit Union. There is no fee for ACC membership when I join Aspire Federal Credit Union. I further understand that the information above will be provided to ACC to establish my membership with their organization.
- To qualify for membership with CapEd you can join the Idaho CapEd Foundation as a Sustaining Member Volunteer. The Idaho CapEd Foundation is a non-profit organization that funds worthwhile educational endeavors that include the CapEd Teacher Grant Program. Minimum donations are $1 for students and $10 for non-students
- You can join by making a $10 donation to Chartway Federal Credit Union’s philanthropic arm, the We Promise Foundation
- You can join by becoming a Donor Member of Michiana Goodwill Boosters & Marine Corps League
- You can become eligible by making a one time $5 donation to Connexuscu Association.
- You can join by making a $5 donation to The Hope Group. You must also maintain $25 in your savings account.
- Membership in one of over 200 groups makes you eligible. If you don’t fit into one of those groups, CUNJ offers to get in touch with them to see if they can find a way for you to be eligible. The application offers the ability to make a one time donation $5 to the CUNJ foundation
- You can join an organization with member privileges. Joining these organizations range in membership cost from $25 to $120. Once you join DCU, you have a lifelong membership, so you could cancel a membership with the other organization after joining.
- You can join one of the following associations with a small donation of $5-$10 to qualify for First Flight membership. You can easily join one of these associations while you open your account online or at one of our financial center locations.
- Capital Area Preservation Club
- Holly Springs Arts Council
- Beaufort Historical Society
- You can become eligible by becoming a friend of the Lucy Robbins Welles Library.
- You might not have heard of this credit union, but anyone can join. You just need to pay $5 to join the American Consumer Council / Kentucky and you’re eligible.
- If you aren’t eligible based on military affiliation, you can join American Consumer Council with a $5 donation if you currently use or have used a major consumer product or service in the past 12 months. Lifetime membership costs $15.
- The online application system will automatically qualify you if you click “let us help”
- CUSavers for a one-time $10 membership fee qualifies you for credit union membership.
- You can join Air Force Association (AFA) to be eligible. A one year membership costs $45. Or Nashua River Watershed Association for $35.
- You can become eligible by making a $10 donation to our philanthropic arm, the We Promise Foundation
- You can make a small donation to the following community Special interest group:
Friends of the Oro Valley Public Library
Friends of the Pima County Public Library
Tucson Audubon Society
- You can become eligible to join the credit union if you make a $5 donation to Elkhart River Restoration.
- One of the eligible associations for membership is the National Sheriff’s Association. It costs $38 to join the NSA as an auxiliary member or student. By joining the NSA first, anyone can then become a member of the Justice Federal Credit Union. This brings the cost of membership to $43.
- You can join through the Consumers Cooperative Society of Santa Monica. Kinecta will process the enrollment into CCSSM for you. A $10 fee applies CCSSM.
- If you are a donor to the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association, West Michigan Chapter, you can be eligible to apple.
- A one time minimum donation of $25 to become a member of the Voice Foundation
- Regardless of where you live or how you earn a living, you may qualify for membership. There is a $1.00 one time membership fee and a minimum opening deposit of $25.00.
- You can become eligible simply by making a one-time donation to Gifts for Easter Seals. Use this Easter Seals Donation Form. However you do have to bring it to any Money One location to complete your application, which does make this credit union pretty regional specific.
- A complimentary membership to the National Space Society (NSS) entitles you to join NASA FCU.
- You can gain eligibility by becoming a member of the Southern California Historical Aviation Foundation for a minimum of $50.
- You would select employer/organization: Financial Awareness Network. They will sponsor you for a onetime $10.00 fee.
- Anyone can join the Nusenda Credit Union (formerly the New Mexico Educators Credit Union) by becoming a member of the La Montanita Food Co-op, which costs $15 for three adults who share a kitchen.
- If you aren’t eligible based on military affiliation, you can join American Consumer Council with a $5 donation if you currently use or have used a major consumer product or service in the past 12 months. Lifetime membership costs $15.
- Become a member of the Friends of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society by making a $3 donation to qualify for membership with Pen Air FCU.
- Members of the National Military Family Association and Voices for America’s Troops are among those eligible for PenFed membership. PenFed makes it easy for you to join one of these associations, and subsequently join PenFed. You pay a one time dues to Voices for America’s Troops for $14 or National Military Family Association for $15.
- You can become eligible with a $5 minimum donation to the People’s Trust Foundation
- You can join Pinnacle FCU by becoming a member of the American Consumer Council in which they will pay your membership fee of $5.00.
- You can qualify for membership by joining the Alliance for the Arts From $50 – $1200
- Membership in any one of the organizations listed below qualifies you for RTN membership. The Credit Union handles the process for you to join whichever organization you choose.
- Amesbury Carriage Museum
- Danvers Historical Society
- Greater Boston Sickle Cell Association, Inc.
- Gore Place
- Tewksbury Historical Society
- Waltham Historical Society
- Wakefield Repertory Theatre
- You can become eligible by registering as a member of the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History. Basic membership costs $40.
- You can be eligible by becoming a Financial Fitness Association Member. To become a Financial Fitness Association Member, click on Open an Account and select the Financial Fitness Association Member button.
- You can become eligibile with a $10 is a tax-deductible donation to the credit union’s non-profit Center for Financial Empowerment.
- You can be eligible by becoming a Financial Fitness Association Member. You have to mail in or bring the form into a local branch. There is no online option.
- Apply for mission supportive membership by joining the credit union’s founding charitable sponsor, the Center for Community Self-Help, for a one-time $5 fee.
- Become eligible by joining the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA). A one year membership is $35.
- A Membership Share Savings Account with a minimum deposit balance of $50 is required to become a Member and open any other account type.
- Make a $5.00 donation to the Autism Society of Middle Tennessee to automatically qualify for Southeast Financial membership.
- If you do not fall within our regular field of membership, you can join the Museum of American Heritage for $35 or Friends of the Palo Alto Library for $20.
- You are eligible to join the SDFCU if you’re an employee of the Department of State or one of the extensive organizations with ties to the credit union (all listed here under “who can join”). If you don’t work for the Department of State, you may also be eligible through the American Consumer Council. You can join the ACC for only $5 if you’ve used any major consumer product or service within the past 12 months
- You can apply by becoming a Financial Fitness Association Member with an $8 fee. To become a Financial Fitness Association Member please click on Open an Account and select the Financial Fitness Association Member button.
- Join the American Consumer Council through the website. Enter the promo code “consumer” to waive the membership fee. TFCU can also enroll you when it opens your account. Become a member of the Tobyhanna Army Depot Chapter of the Association of the United States Army: $14+ for military affiliation and $34 for civilians.
- You can become eligible through a contribution to the US Capitol Historical Society (USCHS) and you must open a primary savings account with a minimum of $5 and one-time-only membership fee of $1.
- Join the University of Texas Longhorn Foundation for instant eligibility to join UFCU. A one-time $20 donation to The University of Texas is required to become a member.
- Western Federal Credit Union will allow potential members to join through a complimentary membership with a partnering nonprofit organization: Surfrider Foundation or Friends of Hobbs.
- Members of the following organizations, including their immediate family members are eligible (Please note that membership in the following organizations requires a one-time membership fee.):
- Buffalo Zoo (Join now) – $40
- Friends of the Webster Public Library (Join now) – $8
- Heal The Bay (Join now) – $35
- Joseph Catholic Church
- Seneca Park Zoo Society (SPZS)– $52
- Tree Musketeers (Join now) – $25
- Click associate member or volunteer when filling out the application to fulfill eligibility requirements.
