WEEKLY UPDATE FROM MONTANA'S CREDIT UNIONS | February 27, 2026 | | Happy Friday! Last week, our compilation of surprising side gigs was wildly popular, so we're expanding on the theme to bring you crazy college courses you'll wish you had taken... or maybe you did. We'd love to hear about the craziest class you took. | | | |
Credit Union Leaders — Don’t Miss This Opportunity! March 6 is Employee Appreciation Day, which means it’s the perfect time to hype up the people who keep your credit union running strong. One of the best — and most meaningful — ways to show your appreciation is by nominating a standout teammate for one of our annual awards.
Research shows that nomination‑based recognition boosts morale, strengthens community, and helps employees feel genuinely valued by their peers. So go ahead… make someone’s day 😎 and strengthen your credit union's culture at the same time.
| | | Fraud Watchers Unite: Can we get a bat signal, please? America's Credit Unions has pulled together five emerging frauds credit unions need to watch for in 2026. Unsurprisingly, AI plays a key role in the fastest-growing fraud categories, and one report estimates that generative AI could drive fraud losses to $40 billion by next year. In addition to detailing the five frauds, this article also provides actions your credit union can take to protect itself and its members. | | | |
Advocacy Updates
Breaking News: U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) has introduced the bipartisan Access to Fair Financing for Opportunity and Resilient Development (AFFORD) Act, with Senator Sheehy joining as a co-sponsor. The legislation increases transparency and accountability within the CDFI Fund, strengthens access to capital in rural, tribal, and underserved communities, extends and enhances the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, reauthorizes the liquidity enhancement program, and expands support for Native CDFIs through USDA partnerships. We appreciate our Senators’ leadership and continued commitment to ensuring Montana communities have access to the capital they need to thrive.
| | | Celebrating PAC Leadership: Everything accomplished through America’s Credit Unions' PAC is possible through engaged supporters — and Montana showed up. MCU earned the Capitol Circle Award, exceeding our fundraising goal at 119%, and Montana Credit Union received the Circle of Excellence Award, raising the highest PAC dollars in our state at $3,835. View the full list of award recipients here. Thank you for strengthening our advocacy voice. | |  | |
GAC 2026 Kicks Off This Weekend:
The Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) begins this weekend in D.C., and Montana will be well represented. We have a strong group of credit union advocates attending who will share the Credit Union Difference and elevate Montana stories directly with our federal delegation. It’s not too late to participate virtually. Join us online to stay informed, engaged, and connected to the national advocacy conversation.
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TSDA Stablecoin Poised to Transform Credit Union Infrastructure: TruStage is launching TSDA, a fully reserved U.S. dollar stablecoin designed to modernize digital payments for community financial institutions, leveraging TruStage’s existing relationships to provide instant, low‑cost payment capabilities, clearer regulatory footing under the GENIUS Act, and blockchain infrastructure delivered through a partnership with Block Time Financial — positioning credit unions to adopt faster, more competitive digital payment services within a trusted partner.
| | | A Direct Line: The NCUA has proposed a rule that would allow federal credit unions to reimburse volunteer board and committee members for dependent care expenses incurred while performing official duties. This week's blog discusses how the change could help remove barriers for caregivers and make board service more accessible and inclusive. | | | Personal Finance Blog: Anticipating romance scams requires a bit of the cynicism you feel after not receiving a Valentine's Day gift. If your head is still stuck in a heart-shaped cloud, though, you'll want to check out this week's personal finance blog — just in case. It includes common tactics, red flags, how to protect yourself, and what to do if you fall victim to a scam. | | | |
Ignite Your Leadership 🔥 at Power Up 2026: Don’t miss your chance to celebrate Montana’s Credit Unions' 89th Annual Meeting, May 19-20, in Helena at the Civic Center, and hear from Lt. Col. Patricia Northrup as she shares powerful leadership lessons from her military career, equipping credit union leaders with the resilience, purpose, and team-focused mindset needed to navigate change and lead with impact.
Learn more about the great lineup of speakers and entertainment, and check out our website for more information about all the events happening in Helena.
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Save the Dates for Future Important Events
We've compiled a list of events happening next week so you don't have to. MCU events are in blue, and all events are in mountain time unless noted otherwise.
| | | Looking (A Bit Farther) Ahead | | | |
Save the dates (MCU events are in blue)...
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Take the Lead on March 17-19 in Helena
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Stablecoin Webinar Series on March 10, March 17, and April 7
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IRA Essentials & Advanced Training, virtually on April 8-9
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EDGE Small Credit Union Workshop on April 9, in Billings; register today!
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Millennium Corporate CU Annual Meeting on April 14-16, in Kansas City, MO
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Trellance’s EDGE26 on May 12-14, in Dallas, TX
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Cybersecurity Conference on May 13-15, in Austin, TX
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Power Up Conference & Expo on May 19-20, in Helena
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Did You Know? Networking is one of the most valuable tools credit union professionals have for strengthening connectivity, creativity, and problem‑solving. Whether you’re swapping ideas with peers, learning directly from expert speakers, or forming relationships with our incredible business partners, you're learning and growing through the magical power of cooperation.
In 2025, Montana’s Credit Unions provided 2,455 minutes (that's over 40 hours!) of peer and partner connection, showing just how committed we are to helping you learn together. These touchpoints aren't just about the swag — they're about building momentum, innovation, and a cohesive credit union community.
Be sure to check out our full 2025 Impact Report.
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Envisant Insights — Digital Wallets, The Future of Payments, and Stablecoin Strategy: Digital payments and emerging financial technologies are reshaping how members transact — and how credit unions compete. Stay informed with Envisant’s latest resources. Learn why digital wallets are becoming a safer, smarter way to pay in this recent article. Join payment and policy experts on March 18 for The Future of Payments — What’s Real, What’s Hype, and What’s at Risk webinar, and build your strategic understanding of stablecoins through a three-part webinar series tailored for credit union leaders, beginning with the first session on March 10.
| | | Webinars for Everyone on your Team: Learn from the comfort of your own office from these webinar partners. Click on each to view a list of upcoming webinars. | | | On Valentine's Day, Daniels-Sheridan FCU made a sweet donation to Scobey schools, affirming its ongoing commitment to supporting students and strengthening the community. Daniels-Sheridan FCU maintains an ATM at a school and donates one dollar from every transaction directly back to the school district. Over the past five years, this partnership has returned $2,000 to Scobey schools, demonstrating how local, member‑owned financial cooperatives help keep resources and goodwill close to home while investing in the next generation. That's the #CUDifference! (Photo courtesy of the Daniels County Leader; pictured from left are Tim Tande of the Scobey School Board, Shayna Hammar and Tim Rask of Daniels-Sheridan FCU, and Superintendent of Scobey Schools Greg Hardy.) | | | |
Anticipation
I'm in Washington, D.C., getting ready for the 2026 Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC). Last week, I talked about getting comfortable being uncomfortable. That's what GAC is for many, as 6,000 credit union professionals come to D.C. to learn, share, and advocate for our movement.
This year, I arrive with anticipation:
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Anticipation for the group of Montana credit union advocates who are coming, many for their first time.
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Anticipation for the unity of our movement, as 6,000 distinct and diverse voices come to DC, united in one voice — the voice of our members.
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Anticipation for our hill visits, where we are meeting with all four of our delegation. Thankfully, they are supportive of credit unions and the great work you do in your communities. With everything going on in our country, now is a great time to tell our story and the difference we make. We are the best choice for Montanans — over 480,000 of them think so based on their membership.
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Anticipation for the speakers and the connections with long-time friends and new friends alike. I'm especially excited to hear Dr. Brené Brown! She's one of my favorite authors and speakers. Her work on empathy and connection is prominent in our Personify Leadership program.
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Anticipation for seeing over 25 Montana credit union professionals — including our Crashers — come back to Montana, fired up about the work we do and the importance of telling our stories. We'll have several more advocacy champions ready to go.
Stay tuned and watch our social channels (see the links at the bottom of this email) over the coming days as we represent you in our nation's capital.
Have a wonderful weekend. Cooperatively, Gerry
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