Apply for Grants

 

The Cornerstone Foundation’s Disaster Relief Program offers financial assistance to credit union staff and volunteers facing urgent needs after a disaster. This support helps them resume their roles and continue serving members. While grants do not address long-term recovery, they aim to ensure safety and meet essential needs like food, shelter, and transportation.

For grant guidelines, “disaster” includes natural events like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, and other weather disturbances, as well as man-made disasters such as fires and acts of terrorism. It excludes economic disasters and health events such as accidents, epidemics, or pandemics.

Eligibility

• Credit union staff and volunteers in the Cornerstone region, employed or serving at time of disaster and during the grants process
• One grant per affected household
  

Disaster relief funds assist with the following:

• Structural damage to primary residence
• Damage to inoperable primary vehicle
• Lodging for mandatory evacuation or displacement
• Grocery staple items
• Insurance deductibles
  

Disaster relief funds do not assist with the following:

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of all excluded items.

• Personal property loss (i.e. furniture, appliances, tools, lawn equipment, boats, ATVs, etc.)
• Shed, Fence, Barn, Gazebo, Detached Garage, Pool, Spa, Playground
• Landscaping/Trees (unless tree is impeding ability to get vehicle out of property to get to work or if tree is on home or primary vehicle)
• Business or second homes
• Lost wages or lifestyle expenses
• Fast food or restaurant
• Childcare or care for displaced extended family or friends
• Transportation for evacuation or alternate routes to work
• Disaster preparedness and cleanup expense
• Medical, dental, and funeral expenses related to the disaster, including lost prescription medications, or personal liability for accidents occurring in your home

Process

Phase I Grant

• Purpose: Relief for urgent disaster-related expenses (up to $1,000)
• Eligibility and Timing: Available year-round, up to 60 days post-disaster
• Application Process:
  • o Employee/Volunteer Online Phase I Application Submission
    • Required Documentation:
      • Detailed estimate of damages
      • Photos of loss/damage
      • Invoices or receipts for incurred expenses
      • Online supplemental form submission by credit union CEO
    • Grants Committee Review and Communication to Applicant
      • Notification to applicant within 2 weeks (may vary during widespread disasters)
      • Funds disbursed via ACH to recipient’s financial institution account
• Additional Resources for Immediate Financial Assistance:
  • Red Cross, FEMA, United Way, Local Community Organizations & Churches

• Purpose: Financial support for significant disaster-related losses (up to $5,000)
• Eligibility and Timing: Begins no sooner than 90 days after Phase I disbursement, contingent on available funds
• Application Process:
  • Status check with credit union CEO for Phase I recipients
  • Employee/Volunteer Phase II Application Submission
    • Required Documentation:
    • Detailed description of sustained damages
    • Photos of damage
    • Invoices or receipts for incurred expenses
    • Proof of insurance and FEMA assistance status (adjustment or denial)
    • Supplemental approval form from credit union CEO
  • Grants Committee Review and Communication to Applicant
    • Application submission deadlines for coordinated review and approval
    • Notification sent directly to applicants; summary provided to credit union CEO
    • Funds disbursed via ACH to the recipient’s financial institution account

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The Cornerstone Foundation supports the credit union philosophy of "People Helping People," with a focus on financial wellness. The National Credit Union Foundation has identified 12 barriers to financial well-being, known as Development Issues. Community Development Grants are available to help credit unions address these issues, benefiting members and communities.

Applications received after December 4, 2026, will be considered for a 2027 grant, and reviewed in January.

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The Foundation's Grants Committee will review completed applications within 2-3 weeks. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Priority is given to proposals that:

• Demonstrate a clear community need
• Include an evaluation plan to measure impact
• Create opportunities and/or decrease disparities for historically marginalized or disinvested communities, people, or groups
  

Credit unions may apply individually or in conjunction with a partner to deliver the programming or events. Credit union partnerships examples:

• Non-profit, community service organizations
• Education-related organizations or schools
• Religious organizations (if the program or services are open to the community at large and/or credit union membership)
  

Additional eligible grant opportunities:

• Minority Targeted Development
• Financial Wellness
• Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) or Minority Depository Institution (MDI) assistance

 

Requirements

 

Grant requests must include:

• A full project budget (expenses and revenue with narrative for line items), amount requested from the Foundation, and how the remaining project revenue will be raised to fully fund the initiative. Sound financial management must be demonstrated by the applicant.
• Clearly stated goal of the funded project or event must address the documented community needs of the credit union and their members.
• If applicable: A letter of support from the partner organization, clearly stating the development needs to be addressed and how the organization will be an active partner.
• If applicable: Proof of the partner organization’s 501c3 tax-exempt status letter, program materials, and a recent annual report.
  

Grant amounts are up to $10,000, but full funding is not guaranteed. Grant funding will be issued per the Community Development Grant agreement. Funding is awarded based on need, level of impact, and dollars available. Approved grants must be implemented within 12 months.

Grant recipients must share their projects on social media and credit the Cornerstone Foundation. A final report, including testimonials and success stories, is due within two weeks of project completion.

The Cornerstone Foundation does not provide grant support for the following:

• General operating expenses – which includes, but not limited to the following: technology, digital banking, audits, policy reviews and assessments, equipment, payroll, furniture
• Capital campaigns or “bricks and mortar”
• Fraternal organizations
• Religious organizations for religious purposes
• Political entities, organizations, or activities
• Organizations that discriminate on the basis of sex, religion, gender, or national origin
• Sponsorships, golf tournaments and other fundraising events
• Marketing and promotional products
• Scholarships for credit unions’ community partners or to individuals
• Direct donations to credit unions supporting community nonprofits without a project component
  

For questions on eligible expenses, contact the Cornerstone Foundation staff.

Cornerstone credit unions of any asset size in any state may apply for one Professional Development Grant annually. 

Deadlines

Professional Development Grant application deadline is Feb. 27, 2026. 

What's Covered

Grant applications may be submitted for the following Professional Development options:

Training Calendar for CU Staff and Volunteers

• Certifications: Credit Union Development Educator Program (CUDE), FiCEP Program (CCUFC), etc.  
• Conferences, seminars, workshops, webinars, and roundtables that are offered through Cornerstone or industry-related organizations, and the training must be beneficial to credit union development

 

The Training Calendar may include one or more training or educational events for one or multiple individuals from the credit union. The credit union is awarded one grant total to assist with registration fees, lodging, and travel necessary to attend approved events on the training calendar. The credit union may prioritize how funds are spent, but only on training opportunities that were submitted with original grant application. 

 

What's Not Covered

Please carefully review the full Cornerstone Grants and Scholarships guidelines for details. 

The Southwest Credit Union Management School (SCMS) scholarships and the application process are separate from the Professional Development Grant (see below). All Cornerstone credit unions are eligible for SCMS Scholarships and Community Development Grants regardless of other grants received.

Thanks to the generous contributions of SCMS alumni and students, Cornerstone Foundation, TruStage, and others, scholarships are available for first, second, and third-year students enrolled in SCMS. Scholarships are not limited to one person per credit union. Any student may apply.

Deadlines

SCMS Scholarship application deadline is April 30, 2026. 

Process

Must submit the SCMS admission application before submitting a scholarship application.

Tuition is first paid to the school and then awarded scholarships are sent to the credit union on behalf of the student. All SCMS scholarships are awarded via a points matrix system, and only partial scholarships are awarded except for a full scholarship given to a first-year young professional: C2C (Connect to Collaborate) Scholarship.

Cornerstone Chapters serve a very important purpose in the credit union system. They are a source of professional and organizational development, local credit union awareness, and community outreach. Grants are available for Cornerstone chapters to help them achieve their goals and objectives.

Each chapter is eligible to apply annually for one (not both) of the following:

• Professional Development Grant – Max Grant Size: $2,000
  • Training or educational programs or speakers that will be beneficial to member credit unions
• Community Development Grant – Max Grant Size: $10,000
  • Community Outreach Program that supports one of the 12 development issues
  • (See Community Development Grants for more guidelines)

Deadlines

Professional Development Grant application deadline is February 27, 2026.

Applications will be reviewed by the Grants Committee March 11, 2026.

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