CARDINAL SELECTED AMONG FIRST CREDIT UNIONS TO RECEIVE CLEAN COMMUNITIES INVESTMENT ACCELERATOR GRANT FROM INCLUSIV
Cardinal awarded $3.9 million to offer affordable clean energy loans for underserved communities
MENTOR, OHIO, March 3, 2025 – – The Cardinal Credit Union, official credit union of the Cleveland Browns and a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative serving the community through high performance banking products and services, has been selected to receive $3.9 million as part of Inclusiv’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) program.
This funding stream will enable Cardinal to expand its portfolio to offer affordable clean energy financing that can reduce energy costs for local families and businesses and improve air quality and health outcomes.
Cardinal was selected from among 108 credit unions in the U.S. and Puerto Rico and is one of only two credit unions based in Ohio, to receive a combined $651 million in the first round of CCIA awards. This award is a significant investment that will allow low-income members to afford energy efficient home and office upgrades such as weatherization and insulation repairs, efficient appliances, and to purchase electric cars and solar panels among other products that help reduce high energy costs.
Clean energy initiatives also create jobs and employ contractors, developers and manufacturers to carry out projects, creating a ripple of positive economic impact locally.
Since Inclusiv launched its CCIA program, more than 250 credit unions and cooperatives submitted pre-qualification forms, far exceeding its expectations. Submissions came from over 40 states, including Texas, Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, and Ohio and from territories like Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and Guam. According to Inclusiv, this overwhelming demand indicates broad interest in resiliency and energy cost savings across the country and U.S. territories.
“Sustainability is an important component of the credit union mission,” said Christine Blake, CEO, Cardinal Credit Union. “This marks our official foray into providing financial support for our members interested in clean energy projects that directly benefit them, their health and the environment. With the help of Inclusiv, we are making this a reality for our local communities especially in underserved areas where the need is the greatest.”
ABOUT INCLUSIV
Founded in 1974, Inclusiv empowers its member credit unions to advance financial inclusion through advocacy, education, technology and impact investment. Inclusiv is a certified CDFI intermediary instrumental in driving private and public investment in credit unions to build wealth for individuals, households, businesses and communities formerly excluded from the financial mainstream. For more information about inclusiv’s Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) program, visit Inclusiv.org.
About CARDINAL CREDIT UNION
Headquartered in Mentor, Ohio, Cardinal Credit Union is a 71-year-old fiercely independent, member-owned not-for-profit financial cooperative that offers a broad range of banking products and services that people need and use every day – including checking accounts, CDs, credit cards, auto loans, debt-consolidation loans, mortgages and more. As a not-for-profit financial institution, any profits earned by the credit union are returned to its members in the form of fewer fees, lower loan rates, and higher savings interest. Everyone is welcome, and membership is instant. Banking can be done online, via Cardinal’s app, or by stopping at one of its seven branches. For more information, visit https://www.cardinalcu.com/.
MEDIA Contact
Janet Brumfield
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614.582.9636