There is a sense today that many Americans are stuck in a quandary of economic fragility – something credit unions said they see in their communities, employees and members.

"Things seem to be OK, but underneath there is a real economic fragility, and credit unions can play a role in trying to eliminate some of that fragility," Gigi Hyland, executive director for the National Credit Union Foundation, said. "It's a great place for credit unions to be serving because it is so needed."

Credit unions complete charitable and philanthropic work in many different ways to help alleviate that economic fragility. But the Foundation has noticed a growing interest among cooperatives to form their own foundations, which can enable them to focus on philanthropic initiatives that produce positive and sustainable community development results.