Community Impact

Achieve Credit Union's Community Impact Program funds local causes, nonprofits, and schools throughout our four-county service area.

Each year, Achieve pledges a dollar amount to community giving, then reviews requests from local organizations for grants, sponsorships, and in-kind support.

Achieve funds the program with a portion of the interchange fee income earned from member debit and credit card purchases.

Every time a member uses an Achieve card, a small share of that transaction fee goes toward the following year's community giving budget.

Achieve focuses its giving in three areas: Education, Community Engagement, and Crisis Care + Recovery.

Education support includes financial literacy programs, classroom needs, and student scholarships through our Young Adult Scholarship Program. Community Engagement covers organizations that bring neighbors together. Crisis Care + Recovery supports our community's most vulnerable members, including homeless veterans, domestic violence survivors, and children in crisis.

Achieve's Community Impact Program serves organizations based in Lorain, Cuyahoga, Medina, and Erie counties, Ohio.

Achieve will also consider an organization outside this area when a meaningful share of its participants or beneficiaries live within our service area, or when its event is held in one of our communities.

Achieve considers requests from local civic, charitable, and academic organizations operating within our service area.

Nonprofits must be able to provide proof of 501(c)(3) status to be considered.

Nonprofit organizations must provide proof of 501(c)(3) status.

Schools, municipal departments, and civic organizations may qualify without this status. Contact us if you're unsure whether your organization fits.

Achieve may consider funding a non-religious charitable or educational program at a religiously affiliated organization, such as a food pantry or community workshop.

Achieve does not fund religious instruction, worship, proselytizing, or advertising in a church bulletin.

Achieve does not fund requests that benefit a single person, including trips, pageants, and individual benefit dinners.

The one exception is a personal or family disaster, which Achieve may consider case by case.

Achieve does not typically fund adult sports teams or leagues.

An exception applies when one or more Achieve employees are members of the team.

The Community Impact Program, with very few exceptions, funds charitable contributions.

A sponsorship is a paid exchange. Achieve pays, then gets benefits in return, like advertising opportunities, logo placement, event tickets, public recognition, or access to attendees. Sponsorships are a Marketing cost. They don't fall under Impact Program Guidelines and are not funded with Impact Program dollars.

Achieve does not fund events focused solely on staff or employee appreciation.

Achieve may consider a request where staff appreciation is one part of a larger organization or community engagement event.

Submit a request through our online form at AchieveCU.org/impact-request.

Include your organization's 501(c)(3) documentation if applicable, the amount requested, and a clear description of how the funds will be used.

Submit your request at least 30 days prior to the request due date.

This gives Achieve enough time to review your request and reach a decision.

There's currently no fixed request limit.

Most Community Impact contributions range from $500 to $5,000, and the amount awarded depends on need and available funds.

Not always. Achieve funds many requests at a partial amount based on need, program priorities, and the funds available that year.

Meeting our eligibility criteria doesn't guarantee approval or full funding.

Achieve's management reviews requests monthly, at minimum.

You can expect a decision within 30 days of your request being received.

Achieve may reach out by phone and/or email before making a decision to ask for more detail, such as your project budget, funding amount, or specific use of funds.

Please respond promptly. Declining to provide requested information may result in your request being denied.

Most contributions come through submitted requests.

Achieve may also contribute proactively in response to a significant local event, and may run internal giving campaigns that match member and employee donations.

Approved organizations are typically featured in Achieve's social media posts and, when appropriate, a press release highlighting your work and its impact on our community.

Achieve will coordinate directly with your organization on the details.