Credit Unions

Where "members are the owners"

Who are the owners of STCU? The people who join the credit union!

At STCU, our members are the owners. 

STCU is a not-for-profit cooperative. We're an association of people, just like you, who come together for a common purpose. STCU is a financial cooperative of members committed to helping each other — and their community — economically.

That's different than most banks, where profits are returned to the stockholders and not the customers. At STCU we sell no stock, have no shareholders, and return all of our profits to our members in the form of higher savings dividends, lower loan rates, and a greater variety of convenient services.  

Spokane Teachers puts members at the helm
Spokane Teachers Credit Union is organized to give members — not outside shareholders — control over their financial destiny, as this illustration shows: 

1. Member driven - Members organized Spokane Teachers in 1934 to weather the Great Depression, providing financial services they couldn’t get anywhere else.
2. Local ownership - Spokane Teachers is locally owned, with an experienced staff to offer critical direction through uncharted seas.
3. Member elections - Members elect a board of directors who set the course for the Credit Union.
4. Members helping members - Deposits from members fund loans to other members, providing low-cost financing to those who need it.
5. Cooperation - Spokane Teachers saves money for members by cooperating with other credit unions to share the cost of shared branching, surcharge-free ATMs, and other services.
6. “Profits” stay at home - Members are better prepared to weather financial storms as Spokane Teachers returns profits in the form of higher savings dividends, lower loan rates, and better services.

The Credit Union difference

Spokane Teachers is different than most banks in several ways:

• Open to qualified persons rather than any and all customers.
• One vote per member versus no vote at all.
• "Profits" reinvested with members, not shipped off to shareholders.
• Policy direction comes from members, not largest investors.
• Free personal financial information — not a constant sales pitch — to boost your net worth.
• Shared services with other credit unions, not a wasted duplication of branches and ATMs on every corner.
• Sustainable development of your — not someone else's — community.

What does this mean to me?

If you're looking for a financial institution that cares about your financial future, then consider joining Spokane Teachers. You'll benefit from a long-term financial relationship with an organization that wants to help you reach your financial goals.