As the National Credit Union Foundation continues to collectdata for its 2011 Credit Union Member Education Inventory, somepreliminary data has revealed that in 2010, 200 credit unionsreached 182,000 students through classroom presentations and over amillion people were provided financial counseling or advice.

Sponsored by state credit union leagues and NCUF's REAL Solutions program, the data and information gathered fromcredit unions is designed to help the credit union industrydemonstrate how its financial educational and counseling effortspositively affect consumers' lives.

Here's a look at a few more preliminary findings based on thefirst 200 CU survey submissions representing 37 different states.In 2010, these credit unions:

• Provided formal financial counseling to 225,000people through 199 certified in-house professional counselors,

• Referred an additional 37,000 members to counselingagencies,

• Provided informal financial counseling to 788,000members,

• Developed debt management plans for 19,000members,

• Established mortgage loan workout options for 7,000members,

• Provided 7,300 classroom presentations to 182,000students,

• Conducted 3,000 seminars for 64,000 adults resultingin 3,600 new accounts,

• Produced 358 experiential learning programs (i.e.Reality Fairs) for 29,000 students resulting in 800 new members,and

• Operated 161 in-school branches with 14,000 studentmembers, $5.9 million on deposit, and 850 student workers.

When completed, plans for the final results will be to serve asfuel for state and national public awareness, advocacy and relatedoutreach efforts through solid data and statistics that can bereferenced.

“No one has quantified in-depth information for the entirecredit union movement around financial education,” said BuckySebastian, NCUF executive director.

Each league or association will have a section in the resultingreport that contains state-specific data and comparisons tonational figures. Designed for maximum impact and exposure, thereport will be accessible to participating credit unions at nocharge through the REAL Solutions Impact Center. In addition, acompanion tool detailing member financial educational andcounseling products and credit union best practices will bepublished in conjunction with the report.

NCUF has been using an online survey tool to gather this datasince March and credit union leagues in 29 states have beenactively working with Lois Kitsch, NCUF REAL Solutions nationalprogram director, to collect the data. All U.S. credit unions havebeen invited to participate in the project.