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We have a shared mission to make Maine a great place to live and work for all. To help our League recognize how your credit union is improving the financial lives of your members through community service and financial literacy efforts, we have opened the application portal for our state Dora Maxwell, Louise Herring, and Desjardins Awards. The winners of these prestigious awards will be recognized at the League’s Annual Convention in May. We hope you will apply for a chance to get your meaningful work recognized.
There is no entry fee and all state winners in each asset category will automatically be entered to compete in CUNA’s national competition later this year. To provide credit unions plenty of time to apply for an award (or multiple awards), the application portal is open through Friday, March 25, 2022 at 11:59 pm.
Award Categories
The Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award is given to a credit union or chapter for its social responsibility projects within the community. The award is given for external activities. Credit unions could receive the award for involvement in almost any kind of activity that helps other people or strengthens the structure of a community. This may include fundraising for charity, educational activities, or community involvement projects, such as participating in a volunteer fair, building low-income housing, or loaning employees a few hours a week to work in hospitals, retirement homes, and schools.
The Desjardins Award recognizes leadership within the credit union movement on behalf of financial literacy for all ages. Naming the award after Alphonse Desjardins emphasizes the movement’s longtime commitment to youth. Besides founding the first credit unions in Canada and the U.S., Desjardins pioneered youth savings clubs and in-school “banks,” known as caisses scolaires. The recognition program considers all activities supporting the personal finance education of members and non-members including, but not limited to, face-to-face teaching using proprietary materials and curricula, (such as the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program®), as well as financial literacy leadership efforts.
The Louise Herring Philosophy-in-Action Member Service Award is given to a credit union for its practical application of the People Helping People philosophy in their programs and policies or within their actual operations. It is awarded for internal programs and services that benefit membership.
Award Winners
Entries are judged by a panel of state marketing and communications professionals, and award winners will be announced at the League’s Convention in May. First-place winners are automatically entered for CUNA’s national awards program taking place later this year. The League will share additional details about CUNA’s ceremony when they are available.
Submission Instructions
Award entries for the League’s state awards program are submitted through the CUNA Awards website. Credit unions will automatically establish their account when they create an application to submit their first project. If you have questions regarding the application process, please email Jen Burke, League Public Affairs & Communications Manager, at jburke@mainecul.org.
Award FAQs
What is the time period the awards cover?
Awards are given for activities completed between March 1, 2021 and March 1, 2022.
Can a credit union compete in all the competition’s categories?
Yes. A credit union may submit one entry for each of the award categories, but each entry must be unique.
Can a credit union enter the same entry in multiple programs?
No. Each program has different objectives and requirements. Entries should be tailored to match the defined goals of the competition.