A board of directors is one of the strongest, most visible examples of the extensive volunteerism that underlies the credit union movement.

But a gap can exist between board members’ generous spirit of volunteerism and what they need to know to guide a credit union wisely—a divide prevalent among new board members.

Fortunately, CUNA has a solution for bringing board members up to speed: the Volunteer Achievement Program (VAP).

VAP offers self-study courses in many crucial areas, including regulatory compliance, asset management, and the elements of successful strategic leadership.

VAP offers more than 40 courses, available in print or online, that consist of three- or four-hour reading modules followed by optional open-book exams. Participants who successfully complete the modules earn a CUNA Board Financial Literacy Certificate.

Sample topics include:

• History and philosophy.
• Financial reports.
• Managing risk.
• The basics of risk assessment for volunteers.
• The supervisory committee’s role in due diligence.
• Financial management.
• Asset/liability management for directors.
• Understanding audit reports.
• The Credit Union Board Chair Handbook: A Guide to Leading a High-Functioning Board.

“I always recommend that a great start to VAP is to focus on the modules within the Board Financial Literacy Kit,” says Michelle Johnson, instructional
design manager at CUNA. “Something relatively new about VAP materials is that they’re all available in PDF format through CPD Online for those not interested in a paper copy,” she adds.