MADISON, Wis. – Credit unions wishing to apply for funds from the National Credit Union Foundation in the organization's current funding cycle have an April 15 deadline. The next application deadline for funds under the second funding cycle will be September 15. The Foundation said that it will consider for funding credit union projects that touch on at least one of the following issues: financial literacy; affordable mortgage lending; partnerships that extend the credit union's reach into a specific unserved or underserved market (geographic, ethnic or other); credit/debt reduction; Individual Development Accounts; alternatives to check-cashers, payday lenders and/or other alternative financial institutions that prey on the poor, the un-banked, the financially illiterate and others; credit union development; First Accounts activities for the unbanked; and/or CDCU startup. Successful applications will have significant credit union participation and/or impact on credit unions and must focus on improving the financial well being of low-income members, the Foundation said. They will include tangible, achievable goals and objectives, the Foundation added.