Point West

What Point West does

Point West Credit Union is a federally chartered, not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Portland, Oregon, founded in 1934 as the Multnomah County Employees Credit Union. It serves approximately 10,000 multicultural members across 14 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Deschutes, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington, and Yamhill), with a deliberate mission focus on financial inclusion for underserved populations — immigrants, people of color, small businesses, and individuals with limited credit history. Roughly 40% of members are people of color, and the institution operates with bilingual (English/Spanish) staff and culturally tailored products such as ITIN-based lending, Credit Builder Loans, and Boost Loans positioned as payday-loan alternatives.

The institution holds three mission-defining designations: CDFI certification (2013) and Low-Income Designation (2013) from NCUA, and the Juntos Avanzamos designation (2016) — making it the first credit union in Oregon recognized for serving Hispanic and immigrant communities. Its product set spans core retail and small-business banking (checking, savings, CDs, VISA credit cards, vehicle, home, personal, bicycle, and small business loans), plus specialty programs including Benefits Navigator (a free government-assistance resource hub) and Credit Pathways financial education. Technology is described as standard credit union infrastructure — online banking, mobile applications on iOS/Android (Mahalo platform), and integration into the CO-OP shared branching and ATM network providing access to nearly 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide.

As a 501(c)-style cooperative, Point West does not pursue shareholder return; instead, revenue (from net interest margin on lending, interchange and fee income, and investment of member deposits) is returned to members via better rates and lower fees. Distribution is omnichannel but lean — a single Portland branch, digital banking, telephone support, and the CO-OP shared network — and growth is driven by community-led partnerships (Metropolitan Family Service, Urban League of Portland, Livelihood NW, Human Access Project) and word-of-mouth referrals rather than paid acquisition. The institution has no parent company, no venture backing, and no public ticker; governance rests with a volunteer Board of Directors elected by members.

Name

Point West

Legal name

Point West Credit Union

Website

https://pointwestcu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Point West Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative in Portland, Oregon, serving approximately 10,000 multicultural members across 14 Oregon counties. It provides full-service retail and small-business banking with a CDFI-certified mission of financial inclusion for immigrants, people of color, and underserved communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Credit Union

NAICS

Credit Card Issuing (522210)

SIC

Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Credit Unions (Retail/Consumer Focus) (FSABAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cooperative Banks (Member-Owned Commercial/Retail) (FSABAEAF)

Keywords

• Community development banking
• Credit union services
• Small business lending
• Financial inclusion services
• Personal banking products

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Interest Income from Lending: Point West generates revenue primarily through interest earned on loans including vehicle loans, home loans, personal loans, credit cards, and business loans. As a not-for-profit credit union, excess revenue is returned to members through better rates and lower fees.
2. Fee-based Services: The credit union charges various fees including overdraft fees, ATM fees (though CO-OP network access is free), and other account-related service fees as outlined in their fee schedule effective April 1, 2026.
3. Investment Income: Point West earns income from investments of member deposits and reserves, generating returns that support operations and enable competitive pricing on loans and deposits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Point West Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative offering deposit products (checking, savings, certificates of deposit), consumer and business lending (vehicle, home, personal, small business, credit builder, ITIN-based loans), VISA credit cards, and digital banking. The institution specializes in financial inclusion services for underserved, immigrant, and minority communities in the Portland metro area, complemented by resources such as a Benefits Navigator and Credit Pathways program.

Product overview

Point West Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial institution offering a comprehensive suite of banking products and services for both personal and business members. The product portfolio centers on core deposit products (checking, savings, and certificates of deposit), diverse lending options (vehicle loans, home loans, personal loans, credit builder loans, small business loans, and the Boost payday-alternative loan), credit cards through VISA, and digital banking capabilities. Specialized offerings include the Benefits Navigator for accessing government assistance, Credit Pathways for financial education, and services specifically designed for non-profits and immigrant communities. The institution holds CDFI certification and Juntos Avanzamos designation, reflecting its mission-driven approach to financial inclusion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Checking Accounts Personal checking accounts providing everyday banking with online and mobile access, overdraft services, and e-statements for individual members.
• Savings Accounts
• Certificates of Deposit
• Credit Cards
• Boost Loan
• Credit Builder Loan
• Smart-E Loan
• Vehicle Loans
• Home Loans
• Bicycle and eBike Loans
• Debt Consolidation
• Personal Loans
• Business Checking Account
• Business Savings Account
• Business Certificates of Deposit
• Small Business Loans
• Business Credit Card
• Banking for Non-Profits
• Investing
• Insurance

Quantifiable outcome

• $2 million in emergency grants facilitated for small businesses during COVID-19
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oregon Business (Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020During the COVID-19 pandemic, Point West partnered with Oregon Business to facilitate the distribution of $2 million in emergency grants for small businesses and distributed 120 PPP loans averaging $15,000 each to help local businesses survive economic challenges.
• CO-OP Financial ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCO-OP provides Point West members access to nearly 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide and over 5,000 shared branch locations across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and military bases worldwide. This partnership is essential to Point West's ability to serve members who may not have physical access to branch locations.
• Metropolitan Family ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership organization that Point West collaborates with for community engagement and support initiatives in the Portland area, causing direct transformative impact on the local community.
• Urban League of PortlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortland-based organization empowering African Americans to achieve equality in education, employment, health, financial security, and overall quality of life. Point West supports this community through advocacy and partnership.
• Livelihood NorthwestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization that Point West partners with for local initiatives and community support programs in the Portland metro area.
• Human Access ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortland-based organization that Point West collaborates with for community engagement and access initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BECU: Pacific Northwest credit union with a broad community-banking charter. Comparable cooperative model and community orientation, with substantially greater scale and geographic reach than Point West.
• Unify Financial Credit Union: Community credit union serving diverse member segments across multiple states. Overlapping product suite including bilingual outreach; relevant peer for understanding scale and product expansion paths.
• Patelco Credit Union: Large California-based credit union offering a broad portfolio of consumer and business banking. Comparable in product range but materially larger; provides scale benchmark for a more mature version of Point West.

Direct peers

• Self-Help Credit Union: North Carolina-based CDFI credit union nationally recognized for serving underserved and low-income communities. Highly comparable mission, CDFI status, and product mix including credit-builder and alternative-credit lending.
• OnPoint Community Credit Union: Portland-headquartered community credit union serving Oregon and Washington with similar consumer and business banking products. Closest geographic and product-line peer to Point West, though materially larger in scale.
• Advantis Credit Union: Portland-based cooperative credit union offering a full suite of consumer and business banking. Directly comparable in geography, charter type, and product breadth, providing the primary in-market competitive benchmark.
• Travis Credit Union: California-based community credit union with a stated focus on financial education and serving diverse, including Hispanic, communities. Comparable mission emphasis and community-development orientation.
• Rivermark Community Credit Union: Oregon-based community credit union focused on the Portland metro area. Comparable cooperative structure and consumer banking focus, with similar member-acquisition and community-engagement patterns.

Emerging players

• Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners: Mission-driven nonprofit providing financial counseling, products, and employer-linked banking to underserved workers. Adjacent competitor for the underbanked Hispanic and immigrant segment Point West serves.

Regional players

• First Northern Credit Union: Community credit union serving northern California with similar product breadth. Comparable in size and cooperative model; useful for understanding multi-county charter dynamics in a different regional market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pointwestcu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pointwestcu
• Facebookfacebook.com/pointwest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/point-west-credit-union
• Instagraminstagram.com/pointwestcu

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Point West