CU Strategic Planning

What CU Strategic Planning does

CU Strategic Planning is a private US professional services consulting firm headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, founded in 2008 and operating as a subsidiary of Callahan. The firm serves US credit unions of all sizes with a focus on community development, offering a six-line service portfolio: CDFI Services (certification, grant writing, and compliance reporting), Strategic Planning facilitation, CU Results consulting, Executive Search, CU Classroom training, and the Community Development Summits event series. Its documented track record includes helping certify 208 credit unions as CDFIs, securing over $1 billion in cumulative funding for credit union clients, and 559 awards — figures that anchor the firm's brand as the leading specialized advisor in the credit union CDFI segment.

The underlying delivery model is expert-led professional services rather than a software platform. There is no disclosed proprietary technology, API, or software product; the value delivered is human advisory work drawing on domain expertise in federal CDFI Fund programs and credit union operations. The firm monetizes through direct sales on a contact-based, multi-year contract basis, with no publicly disclosed pricing. GTM is primarily direct engagement (website contact form, phone, in-person), supplemented by content marketing (LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, blog, email newsletter) and the Community Development Summits event series. The CDFI Briefing publication extends the firm's presence into regulatory intelligence and thought leadership.

The business is structurally a niche-vertical boutique: 11-50 employees, a single customer vertical (US credit unions), and a single geography of operation despite the federal scope of CDFI programming. Revenue, headcount, funding, and ownership structure beyond the Callahan affiliation are not disclosed in the available data, which constrains any quantitative assessment of scale or growth.

Name

CU Strategic Planning

Legal name

CU Strategic Planning

Website

https://creditunionstrategicplanning.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CU Strategic Planning is a US professional services firm, operating as a Callahan subsidiary, that advises credit unions on CDFI certification, grant writing, strategic planning, executive search, and staff training, with a track record of 208 CDFI certifications and over $1 billion in client funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tacoma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including CDFI certification, grant writing, compliance reporting, strategic planning facilitation, executive search, and training for credit unions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CU Strategic Planning is a consulting firm that delivers CDFI certification, grant writing, and compliance reporting services, along with strategic planning facilitation, executive search, and staff training (CU Classroom) to credit unions. The firm has certified 208 credit unions as CDFIs, secured over $1 billion in funding for clients, and supported 559 client awards. It operates as A Callahan Company, leveraging the Callahan credit union industry network.

Product overview

CU Strategic Planning is a consulting firm that offers a portfolio of services to credit unions, with a specialization in Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) work. The core offerings include CDFI Services (certification, grant writing, and compliance reporting), Strategic Planning (meeting facilitation), CU Results (impact and revenue consulting), Executive Search (recruitment), and CU Classroom (training). These services are complemented by The CDFI Briefing publication and Community Development Summits events. The company operates as 'A Callahan Company' and has helped certify 208 credit unions as CDFIs while securing over $1 billion in funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CDFI Services Expert consulting covering CDFI certification, grant writing, and compliance reporting services for credit unions. The firm has secured over $1 billion in funding for credit unions through these services.
• Strategic Planning Meeting facilitation services that align financial ratios and priorities with a strategic vision for credit unions.
• CU Results Comprehensive consulting services designed to increase impacts and revenue by making credit unions more relevant, mission-driven, and sustainable.
• Executive Search Full-service executive recruitment from candidate sourcing to interviews, delivered by career credit union experts with a community development focus.
• CU Classroom Training program specifically designed for community development-oriented credit unions to engage and empower staff.
• Community Development Summits Summit events bringing together credit unions and community development stakeholders for industry networking and thought leadership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 208 credit unions certified as CDFIs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CallahancoreOthersCU Strategic Planning is 'A Callahan Company' - they are affiliated with Callahan, a well-known organization in the credit union industry that provides peer-based training and consulting services. This affiliation provides brand credibility and access to the broader Callahan credit union network.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CUNA Mutual Group: Large credit union insurance and financial services provider that also offers consulting and risk management services. Broader incumbent serving the same credit union client base across multiple service lines.
• BSG Financial Group: Consulting and outsourced services provider for community banks and credit unions, including compliance, lending, and risk management. Broader incumbent offering consulting services to financial institutions including credit unions.
• America's Credit Unions (formerly NAFCU): National credit union trade association offering compliance, advocacy, and operational consulting services. Broad incumbent in the credit union services space with adjacent consulting offerings.
• Callahan & Associates: Parent company and broader credit union industry resource offering peer benchmarking, performance analytics, and consulting across the credit union space. Broader incumbent with overlapping industry data and consulting capabilities.

Direct peers

• DDJ Myers: Credit union executive search and leadership development firm. Directly comparable to CU Strategic Planning's Executive Search practice and overlaps in strategic planning and executive coaching for credit unions.
• Cornerstone Advisors: Credit union industry consulting firm providing strategic planning, performance benchmarking, and technology advisory. Direct peer because it serves the same credit union client base with overlapping strategic planning and consulting engagements.
• Capital City Group: Credit union consulting firm with services in strategic planning, lending operations, and technology. Direct peer serving similar credit union clients with overlapping consulting offerings.
• McGovern, Greene & Company: Credit union consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, board development, and executive search. Direct peer with highly overlapping service lines including strategic planning and executive recruitment for credit unions.
• Catalyst Strategic Solutions: Credit union consulting firm focused on strategic planning, organizational development, and leadership. Directly comparable in the strategic planning facilitation niche that CU Strategic Planning serves.
• Larry D. Stephens & Associates: Long-standing credit union consulting practice specializing in board governance, strategic planning, and executive search for credit unions. Comparable in service mix and target market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CUStrategicPlanning
• Facebookfacebook.com/CUStrategicPlanning
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/264236
• Xx.com/follow

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 CU Strategic Planning