NCUA has awarded $3.47 million in Community Development Revolving Loan Fund (CDRLF) grants to 97 low-income designated credit unions, ending months of uncertainty for applicants awaiting the results of the agency's 2025 grant cycle.
The grants, announced Monday, range from $1,800 to $100,000 and will support credit unions in 36 states and Puerto Rico. NCUA said 79 of the recipients are small credit unions, while 18 received CDRLF funding for the first time.
The announcement comes more than six months after applications closed in December 2025. NCUA originally announced last fall that approximately $3.5 million would be available through the competitive grant program, but recipients were not identified until late June. During the intervening months, the agency expanded separate year-round grant programs for newly chartered credit unions and those facing urgent needs, but the primary CDRLF awards remained pending.
The largest share of this year's funding, 42 grants totaling $1.96 million, was awarded for underserved outreach initiatives. Another 35 grants totaling $752,200 will fund technology, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence projects.
NCUA also awarded three grants totaling $300,000 through its Impact through Innovation pilot program, along with funding for new charter capacity building, student internships and training initiatives.
The CDRLF program is administered by NCUA's Office of Credit Union Resources and Expansion and is designed to strengthen low-income designated credit unions by supporting projects that expand financial access, improve operations and enhance member services. The office also assists credit unions with charter, bylaw and field-of-membership changes and supports groups seeking to establish new credit unions.
A complete list of the 97 grant recipients is available on NCUA's website.
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