Skip to Content Skip to Sitemap
Bank for Good

your MONEY.
your VALUES.
your CREDIT UNION.
At Self-Help Federal Credit Union, we put your dollars to work building communities. What’s more, we offer affordable and responsible products and services, competitive rates, and personalized service.

$9.1
BILLION
IN
LENDING

40
YEARS

MORE THAN
172,000
MEMBERS

 

Join Us

Checking

  • No minimum to open an account
  • $5 monthly fee waived if criteria are met
  • Access to nationwide network of ATMs

Money Market

  • No monthly fee on a $500 balance
  • Competitive interest rates
  • Access to limited check writing features from the account

Savings

  • Low $5 minimum deposit
  • Competitive interest rates
  • No monthly service fees

Term Certificates     

  • Terms from 3 months to 5 years
  • Higher rates on longer terms
  • Specialty accounts that let you show your support for our Green Lending

Not ready to open an account just yet?

Drop us your email and we'll reach out in a few days.

I'm interested in:
Select choices


Follow us!

twitter iconfacebook iconinstagram icon

Self-Help Community Circle

Fossil-free.

We do not invest in projects involving fossil fuel extraction or production. Since 1989 we have invested $386 million in projects that have created a positive environmental impact in the communities we serve.


Self-Help Community Circle

Serving families and individuals.

Achieving the American Dream isn’t easy, but fair and affordable loans help bring it within reach.  Our loans help our members avoid high-cost lenders and check cashers that too often prey on working people.


Self-Help Community Circle

Making a difference.

Your deposits help us strengthen families and community organizations, grow local businesses, provide affordable home loans, revitalize downtowns, build neighborhoods, and advocate for fair and responsible financial practices.


photo of a home borrower

" Self-Help has helped me a lot. Now, I'm in my own home, and I'm loving it."

-Linda Jordan


Credit unions are nonprofit financial cooperatives in business to serve their members. Banks are in business to maximize profits for their shareholders. As cooperatives, credit unions are jointly owned by their members. When you join a credit union you become a member-owner!  At Self-Help Federal Credit Union, our earnings are returned to our members in the form of lower rates on loans and higher rates on savings.

At Self-Help Federal Credit union, you’re eligible to join if you meet any of the following criteria:

  • You live, work, worship or attend school in any of our communities, towns, cities, or states of service. Self-Help Federal operates in California, Illinois and Wisconsin.   
  • You become a member of the Center for Community Self-Help (a 501(c)3 organization), by making a one-time membership payment of $5. 

At Self-Help Federal Credit Union, you can build your savings, serve your community, and make a positive impact on the environment all at the same time.  With the support of mission-focused members who invest with Self-Help, we have been able to deploy over $357 million in affordable loans to green nonprofits, businesses, and projects, as well as build and renovate energy efficient, affordable homes. We believe that the economic well-being of our communities is deeply intertwined with climate justice. In alignment with our mission of creating and protecting economic opportunity for all, we are committed to investing in the green economy.

Fill out this application! It’ll take approximately 10 minutes. Before starting, these are the two pieces of information you’ll need:

  • ID Number from a government-issued ID, such as:  Driver license, Passport, State ID, City ID, Consular Matricula, Student ID
  • Proof of Address, issued within the past 60-days.  These can include one of the following:
    • Letter from program supervisor with letterhead and date
    • Medical bills
    • Credit card bills
    • Service bills (i.e., newspaper or house alarm)
    • Utility bills
    • Home phone or cell phone bills
    • Current bank/credit union statement (not printouts, but the actual statement)
    • Pay stub
Join Us