MADISON, Wis. - Four months after launching Project Differentiation during its 1999 Annual Symposium, CUNA & Affiliates wants to learn how many credit unions have participated in the program so far and is asking them to provide the association with feedback on upcoming their initiatives. Specifically, CUNA wants to know if credit unions fall into one of three categories: * the CU has completed a Statement of Commitment; * the CU is in the process of completing a Statement of Commitment; * the CU is planning to complete a Statement of Commitment in the future. The deadline for credit unions sending the requested information to CUNA is Feb. 18. Credit unions can respond by contacting Bruce Wheeler, director of credit union development at CUNA at (800) 356-9655, extension 4979, by fax at (608) 231-4858, or by e-mail at bwheller@cuna.com. At a press conference held by CUNA to announce the roll-out of Project Differentiation (CU Times Sept. 22) , former CUNA Chairwoman Nancy Pierce, president, Mazuma CU in Kansas City, Mo. emphasized that Project Differentiation was designed to be used by credit unions as a self assessment tool to outline the activities they have in place and those that are in the planning phase to serve their members, regardless of their income level. Thus the tool "Statement of Commitment." "Because Project Differentiation is an outstanding advocacy tool, credit unions that have completed their Statement of Commitment are strongly encouraged to bring copies to the GAC to use during Hill visits with the congressional representatives," said Wheeler. Wheeler said he hopes to collect samples of the Statements of Commitment for a perpetual "Wall of Commitment." In addition, information garnered from credit unions will be used to help create a turnkey Project Differentiation Participation Kit which CUNA plans to distribute to credit unions. The kit will include a template, which takes a credit unions through steps to complete their Statement of Commitment, as well as information on marketing the program to members and training staff. At the roll-out of Project Differentiation, both Pierce and Mica defended the tool against accusations by NCUA Chairman Norm D'Amours that it was launched in response to the chairman's proposed member service regulation. Pierce explained that Project Differentiation was in fact three years in the making before D'Amours announced his proposal and they criticized him for trying to impose what they described as "a cookie-cutter solution on credit unions for serving low-income members in their field of membership." -
ekingoff@cutimes.com
