In Alaska and West Virginia, Credit Unions Innovate to Meet the Needs of Rural Communities

In Alaska and West Virginia, Credit Unions Innovate to Meet the Needs of Rural Communities

Far western Nome, Alaska, is off the road system — more people drive ATVs and snowmobiles than cars. Credit Union 1 (CU1) took this into account when constructing a new branch in Nome: the drive-through window is lower to the ground than usual. In southeastern Alaska, the credit union’s Skagway branch opened in 2025 in response to a written request from the borough assembly. It’s closer to Canada than it is to most of the rest of the state, and …