“These initiatives are down payments on the future,” OSCUI Director William Myers said. “Customer service is a strong suit for credit unions, and staff and volunteer training will help credit unions find ways to up their game.”

“Internships give students a sense of the possibilities of careers in the credit union system and an appreciation of the importance of an affordable financial services alternative to low-income households and communities that lack adequate access to affordable financial products and services,” Myers added.

In total, 344 credit unions submitted applications that contained more than $1.7 million in funding requests. The agency said credit unions with smaller assets and those not awarded a grant last year received priority for funding in this round. The NCUA encouraged low-income designated credit unions to participate in the agency's April 15 webinar about the initiatives that will be offered in the second grant round.