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Board Governance Strategy and Planning

Strengthening Your Board for the Year Ahead: Curated Research for Credit Union Leaders

As your board wraps up strategic planning, the real work begins—staying informed and engaged with the issues that will shape your credit union's future. Filene's new Curated Research for CU Board Members page offers quick, powerful insights designed to help board members make informed and more confident decisions as you plan for the year ahead.

Your Board Just Wrapped Strategic Planning. Now What?

The last flipchart marker is capped, the PowerPoints are saved, and your board has wrapped another round of strategic planning. Big goals are set. The vision is clear. But here’s the question: how prepared is your board to guide those goals forward over the next 12 months?

Picture this: At your next board meeting, someone leans in and asks...

Isn't Gen Z just younger version of Millennials—won't the same engagement strategy work for them too?
CU Board Member

Or

How do other credit unions evaluate their boards and CEOs?
CU Board Member

Strong, forward-thinking questions like these keep strategy alive long after the planning retreat. But they only happen when board members are armed with the right insights.

That's why Filene created our new Curated Research for Credit Union Board Members resource page. A collection of our most relevant research from our Center for Leadership, Strategy & Governance and other relevant insights on the hottest topics facing credit unions today. These pieces were hand-picked to help boards keep pace with today's fast-changing credit union landscape.

Curated Research for Credit Union Board Members
Board members play a critical role in the success of their credit union, helping to drive the strategy and vision of the organization. The goal of this space is to curate Filene’s body of work to pull forward relevant and timely insights specifically for board members.

A Preview of What’s Inside

We know board members don’t always have time to dig into lengthy reports. That’s why this new page highlights the insights that matter most—quick to read, easy to digest, and ready to spark conversation. 

Here are just a few examples:

  • Only 38% of credit union leaders we surveyed stated their boards currently come prepared to meetings. - Credit Union Governance Landscape Part 4, Optimizing Board Meetings
  • Most credit union CEOs listed the following skills currently missing on their boards (Lessons on Governance from CU CEOs):
    • desire for greater financial acumen
    • stronger understanding of financial services
    • nuanced understanding of how metrics or numbers interrelate
  • 87% of executives believe digital technologies will disrupt their industries, yet only 44% think their organizations are adequately prepared for these disruptions. - Designing Your Organization for a Digital World: It's Not About Technology—It's About People
  • By 2023, all Baby Boomers will be 65 or older. They represent the wealthiest generation, yet the least prepared for retirement. - Decoding Generational Dynamics, Baby Boomers

These are just a few highlights from the reports featured on the credit union board member page. Each topic is a conversation starter. Each insight points towards a challenge or opportunity that every credit union will face in the months and years ahead.

Why This Matters for Your Credit Union

An informed board isn’t just nice to have—it’s a strategic advantage. When board members are confident in their knowledge of the industry, they:

  • Ask better questions during planning and review sessions.

  • Offer meaningful input grounded in data and insight.

  • Support management teams with guidance that reflects both mission and marketplace realities.

  • Make governance decisions that enhance—not hinder—strategic progress.

And perhaps most importantly, an informed board is a more engaged board. Directors feel the weight of their role and the pride of shaping the credit union’s future.

How to Use This Resource

This curated page is designed to be flexible. Leaders are already using it in a variety of ways:

  • Board packets: Drop a link or excerpt into your next meeting materials.

  • Pre-meeting prep: Share one article in advance and invite directors to bring a question it sparked.

  • Ongoing development: Encourage new board members to browse the page as a fast-track orientation.

Even spending just 10 minutes with a piece of research can help board members connect the dots between industry trends and your credit union’s strategy.

Setting Your Credit Union Up for Success

Strategic planning season may be coming to a close, but the work of execution—and governance—is just beginning. By ensuring your board members are up to speed on the latest research and trends, you’re giving your credit union the advantage of foresight, clarity, and stronger decision-making.

Explore and share the page today. Together, we can strengthen the leadership that guides credit unions into a stronger future.

-JA

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