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2008 Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award
CREDIT UNION and CHAPTER (Group)
Recognition Program FAQs
Purpose
To formally recognize the leadership of individual credit unions and chapters (or groups of credit unions) on behalf of youth financial education.
Categories
Judges will evaluate credit union winners from each of the following five categories (assets as of 12/31/07):
- Chapters or credit union groups
(all asset sizes) - Credit unions with less than $35 million in assets
- Credit unions with between $35 and $75 million in assets
- Credit unions with between $75 and $250 million in assets
- Credit unions with more than $250 million in assets
Procedure
Credit unions and chapters will submit their completed Entry Form, Checklist, and evidentiary materials in a three-ring binder or spiral bound notebook for state-level judging to their leagues by the date each league specifies. Check with your league for its state-level judging deadline.
Timetable
JANUARY 2008: CUNA begins publicity for 2008 recognition program, loads entry information on CUNA's web site.
JANUARY 2008 through AUGUST 2008: CUNA and leagues make award information available.
OCTOBER 1, 2008: League entries due to CUNA.
NOVEMBER 2008: National judging.
NOVEMBER 2008: CUNA announces national winners.
FEBRUARY 2009: CUNA presents national awards at its Governmental Affairs Conference in DC.
Questions & Answers about the Desjardins Awards
| Q: | Who was Alphonse Desjardins? |
| A: | Alphonse Desjardins (1854 – 1920) was a credit union pioneer who was
instrumental in forming the Canadian and U.S. credit union movements. Besides helping to found the
first credit unions in Canada and the U.S. Desjardins
pioneered youth savings clubs and in-school "banks," known as caisses scolaires. |
| Q: | What period do the award entries cover? |
| A: | Judges will evaluate relevant activities that
took place between July 2007 and the (league-determined) state-level deadline. |
| Q: | What activities are eligible? |
| A: | Credit unions and chapters could receive an award for involvement
in almost any kind of activity that raises awareness and marshals resources on behalf of youth financial literacy. This might include
public relations, teacher and classroom volunteer training, advocacy, and coalition building. |
| Q: | Are efforts in support of the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program® eligible? |
| A: | Yes. |
| Q: | Is involvement in the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program required to enter the Desjardins Award program? |
| A: | No. |
| Q: | How does Desjardins scoring work? |
| A: | There are five judging criteria. All national entries will be judged on their responses to mandatory Criteria 1, 2, and 3. Criteria 4 and 5 are OPTIONAL because not all credit unions operate in-school branches nor do legislative and/or regulatory youth financial literacy initiatives take place on an annual basis in every state. (See the Credit Union Entry Form and the Chapter Entry Form for descriptions of all criteria.) Therefore, based on the applicable criteria, judges will compare entries as follows: Criteria 1, 2, and 3 ONLY: Raw score as a percentage of 60 maximum points. At least 48 points (80% of maximum) required to win or receive honorable mention. |
| Q: | What determines whether an entry will be judged on four criteria or five? |
| A: | All entries will be evaluated on the first three criteria described
on the entry form. Each credit union or chapter will decide for itself whether to enter evidence pertaining to the fifth
criteria, which covers legislative and regulatory advocacy. Criterion 4 and/or optional Criterion 5, as appropriate.Credit unions and chapters that enter according to mandatory criteria 1 through 3 will be rated on their raw scores as a percentage of the maximum 60-point scale.(See the credit union asset categories above. See the Credit Union Entry Form and the Chapter Entry Form for a description of all five criteria scales.) |
| Q: | How does state-level Desjardins scoring work? |
| A: | State-level scoring works the same way as national scoring and on the
same scales, although each league may decide on a different minimum average score for determining finalists. Winners are ranked using a point system, and the first place winners are selected to advance to CUNA for national level competition. (Reminder: Only one first-place chapter winner and only one first-place credit union winner per asset category can advance to the national competition from any given state. If there are multiple first-place awards in a given category at the state level, the league must apply a tie-breaker, so that only a single entry advances for that chapter or credit union asset category. |
| Q: | How many credit union and chapter entries may a league submit for national Desjardins Award judging? |
| A: | Each league is limited to entering one credit union entry in each
asset category and one chapter entry for national judging. With one chapter category and four credit union asset categories, that means
there could be a maximum of five state-level winners advancing to national competition per state. (See the credit union asset categories above.) |
| Q: | What is the judging fee for national credit union and chapter entries? |
| A: | There is a $50 fee for each credit union and chapter entry submitted to
CUNA for national Desjardins Award judging. |
| Q: | What is the judging fee for state-level credit union and chapter entries? |
| A: | Each league will determine the entry fee, if any, for state-level
competition. Consult your league for details. |
| Q: | How many Desjardins Award winners will there be? |
| A: | State-level judges will determine no more than one first-place winner in
each asset category and one chapter winner per state. State-level judges are not required to select a first-place winner in any category.
State-level judges may recognize as many honorable mention awards in any category as they see fit.
National judges will determine no more than one first-place winner in each asset category and one chapter winner per state. National
judges are not required to select a first-place winner in any category. National judges may recognize up to three honorable mention
awards in any category as they see fit. |
| Q: | What are the procedures for credit unions and chapters that wish to submit entries in the Desjardins Award program? |
| A: | See the Credit Union Entry Form and Credit Union Checklist. See also the Chapter Entry Form and Chapter Checklist. |
Direct questions about the Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award to Philip Heckman (800-356-9655, ext. 4088).
Copyright © 2008 - Credit Union National Association, Inc.
