CULAC stands for the Credit Union Legislative Action Council. It’s a Political Action Committee dedicated to electing political candidates that support the credit union movement.

A Political Action Committee, also known as a PAC, is a way for people to pool their political contributions. PACs are organized around a particular cause. Instead of researching individual candidates and choosing which to donate to yourself, individuals can donate to a PAC on an issue they support, which will then donate to candidates and political parties on your behalf.

Just like the candidate endorsement process, there are many factors that go in to choosing which candidates to support. Most importantly, we want to make sure the candidates know what makes credit unions different and are committed to supporting the political needs of credit unions. We also make sure prospective candidates share our ethics and values and have strong future prospects. The credit union movement is bipartisan, so we support candidates and parties on both sides of the aisle.

No. All donations to CULAC are voluntary. You should donate if you believe in the cause and want to see credit unions advance. For people who are excited about politics, it’s a great way to participate. For people who don’t care about politics, it’s a way to make sure what you care about is represented without having to get involved.

No. Just like making a donation to a candidate or political party, these contributions are used for political purposes and are not tax-deductible. The difference with CULAC is that you get are choosing to support pro credit union candidates.