Future of the Canadian Credit Union System

In 2012, Deloitte published a paper titled " 21st Century Co-operative: Rewrite the Rules of Collaboration " which provocatively stated that credit unions with less than $5 billion in assets were unlikely to survive the transformational changes in the financial services sector. In this project, we would like students to explore the notion of "size to survive," examining international examples of success in small financial and non-financial organizations. The research should include: Strategies and methods small organizations have applied to compete with large organizations; A critical reflection of the Deloitte paper, considering why a diverse credit union system might be beneficial to consumers; Consideration of different collaboration models (i.e. federation, integration, back office collaboration). The goal of the project is for students to submit a critical analysis between 2500 - 3000 words.

Grant Writing

Our organization is interested in addressing societal issues and supporting social causes. However, we are currently facing funding challenges. We would like to collaborate with students to find and complete grant applications. This will involve several different steps for the students, including: Familiarizing themselves with our vision statement and a project we have defined. Developing a needs statement that characterizes the community problem and justifies the need for our project and funding. Identifying potential sponsors and funding opportunities that are a good fit for our organization and project. Improving the clarity and persuasiveness of our company's grant proposal writing. Bonus steps in the process would also include: Identifying new opportunities for community projects.