CUNA and its League partners are the most influential financial services organization and one of the top ten most effective advocacy organizations in Washington, D.C., according to an independent study conducted by Ballast Research (formally National Journal Research) earlier this year.

For the fifth year in a row, the CUNA-League system earned the distinction as a leading association at representing the interests of its members by creating the credit union narrative and sharing the movement’s story among Washington policymakers.

“The CUNA-League system is as strong as it’s ever been and we are proud to share this moment with the 120 million credit union voices across the nation,” said CUNA president/CEO Jim Nussle. “With competition for awareness on Capitol Hill so fierce during this unparalleled time, that Members of Congress hold us in such is a major accomplishment. As an influential and effective source of information for policymakers, they welcome our calls and visits, and take us at our word as we endeavor to educate and fight for credit union priorities on Capitol Hill.”

Key findings of the study include:

• The CUNA-League system was #1 in representing the views of credit unions among organizations studied
• The CUNA-League system’s reputation was rated #1 in the financial services industry and #5 overall against other prominent associations by Washington's Senior Policymakers.
• The CUNA-League system gained significant strides for respect as an organization in the public debate field, proving our marketing and strategic communications as successful.
• The CUNA-League system outperforms its peers in the financial services industry in all areas of advocacy, including
  • Activating members and state Leagues to directly engage policymakers,
  • Contributing accurate and reliable research & data for policy conversations,
  • Consistently and effectively communicating with Washington policymakers,
  • Having strong engagement from executives,
  • Building credible partnerships, and more.
• The CUNA-League system is uniquely bipartisan, scoring well above the average of other prominent associations with both Republicans and Democrats.

According to the Ballast study, one policy advisor serving in the U.S. Senate noted: “CUNA has a competitive advantage in showcasing local voices. They have more civic engagement, they have more members, they try to do more in the community.”