Five credit unions earn California’s Cal IIP Awards with assistance from CU Strategic Planning

All five credit unions that  CU Strategic Planning assisted with applications to the California Investment & Innovation Program (Cal IIP) were awarded grants for the 2025-2026 cycle. CU Strategic Planning, a Callahan company, is dedicated to supporting mission-driven credit unions.

Altura Credit Union, Financial Partners Credit Union, MERCO Credit Union, SMW 104 Federal Credit Union and Vida Credit Union each received awards of $125,396.82, totaling more than $626,000 in funding to boost their community impact across California.

“We couldn’t be prouder of these credit unions and the work they’re doing in their communities,” CU Strategic Planning President Stacy Augustine said. “A 100% success rate reflects both the strength of these institutions and the power we have to collaborate on telling their stories in a meaningful way. These awards will help them continue serving California’s economically disadvantaged communities with the financial services they need and deserve.”

Administered by the Capital Programs & Climate Financing Authority (CPCFA) within the State Treasurer’s Office, Cal IIP provides grants to enhance the capacity of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to serve California’s economically disadvantaged communities. CDFIs can use the grants to fund services and operations that contribute to their overall community development mission, as well as to supplement net assets and increase their capacity to attract additional funding.

The California State Treasurer’s Office posted the 2025-2026 awardee list in May 2026.

“Programs like Cal IIP recognize what CDFI credit unions deliver every day—real access to fair and affordable financial services for people and communities that need them most,” Augustine added. “We’re grateful to the California State Treasurer’s Office for investing in this work, and we’re honored to partner with credit unions that take their community development mission so seriously.”

CU Strategic Planning offers comprehensive grant application services for credit unions pursuing both federal CDFI Fund awards and state-level programs like Cal IIP. The firm’s expertise in crafting compelling grant narratives has helped credit unions across the country secure more than $1 billion in community development funding.

If you're interested in learning more about state and federal grant opportunities, contact us to discuss how to position your credit union for funding success.