Self-Help is a family of five nonprofit organizations. Since its founding in 1980, Self-Help has grown to include two credit unions, a loan fund and a research and policy affiliate.
Self-Help's Family of Organizations
The Center is a charitable nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that develops and coordinates Self-Help's programs, raises resources and advocates for economic opportunity. All four of the below affiliates are also nonprofits.
Self-Help Credit Union was founded in 1983 and is a member-owned, federally-insured, North Carolina-chartered credit union originally begun to raise deposits from members to make commercial, consumer and home loans. Our mission is to create and protect opportunity for all. In recent years we have expanded our impact by merging with other credit unions that have a similar mission. We now have 37 branches in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia serving more than 89,000 members with over $1.8 billion in assets overall.
Self-Help Federal Credit Union was chartered in 2008 to build a network of credit union branches to operate on a scale uncommon in the community development industry. Through a series of mergers, acquisitions and new branch launches, we are building a community development credit union that aims to provide high-impact financial services to working-class communities in California, Greater Chicago, Milwaukee, and Washington. Self-Help Federal now has over 38 branches, over $2 billion in assets, and serves over 129,000 people.
The Ventures Fund is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) loan fund capitalized with loans and grants from foundations, religious organizations, corporations and government sources. It manages Self-Help's higher-risk business loans, real estate development and home loan secondary market programs.
The Center for Responsible Lending is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan research and policy organization. CRL is dedicated to protecting homeownership and family wealth by working to eliminate abusive financial practices.
More About Self-Help
Our Mission
Across all the Self-Help family, our mission is creating and protecting ownership and economic opportunity for all. While our work benefits communities of all kinds, our focus is on those who may be underserved by conventional lenders, including people of color, women, rural residents and low-wealth families and communities.
Our History
Self-Help was founded in 1980. Learn more about our story, the major milestones in our history, and the legacy of some of the credit unions that have joined the Self-Help family over the years.
Our Impact
Learn more about what we do, or see our 2023 Annual Report to meet some of the communities, entrepreneurs, organizations and families we've been privileged to serve.
Thank You
To all our members, supporters and partners: thank you for your trust and your partnership. Together, we can make a difference in our most threatened communities, and for that, we thank you.