Erie Community Federal Credit Union

What Erie Community Federal Credit Union does

Erie Community Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered, member-owned, not-for-profit credit union headquartered at 1109 E. Strub Road in Sandusky, Ohio. Founded in 1958, it operates under the 'People Helping People' philosophy and serves individuals and families who live, work, worship, or attend school in Erie County, Ohio, along with family members of existing members regardless of location. The institution is regulated by the NCUA, with member deposits insured up to $250,000, and holds Equal Housing Lender certification.

The credit union runs a full-service retail banking operation spanning deposit products (savings, share draft/checking, money market, share certificates, IRAs, Christmas and Vacation club accounts), credit products (VISA credit cards, SHAZAMChek debit cards, vehicle loans, real estate/HELOC, personal/signature loans, student loans via SallieMae, and small business loans via the North Coast Business Lending joint venture), and youth-targeted accounts (Penny Saver Club and Freedom Account). Digital delivery is handled through Homelink Teller online banking and mobile apps on iOS and Android, while physical reach is extended via the Shared Branching network (5,000+ locations) and the Alliance One / SHAZAM Privileged Status surcharge-free ATM networks (5,000+ ATMs).

ECFCU generates revenue primarily through net interest spread on loans and deposits, supplemented by fee income from overdraft/courtesy pay services, corporate checks, and commission income from TruStage insurance and the Love My Credit Union Rewards program. Pricing is rate-led rather than profit-maximizing — auto loans at 5.25% APR, VISA credit cards at 11.99% APR, share certificates up to 3.65% APY, and a no-credit-check 'Life Happens Loan' from $200-$1,000 — with surplus earnings returned to members via higher dividends and lower fees. Go-to-market is community-led, anchored by the single Sandusky branch, a CU Connect financial education blog, and an active social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.

Name

Erie Community Federal Credit Union

Legal name

Erie Community Federal Credit Union

Website

https://eriecommunityfcu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Erie Community Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered, member-owned credit union founded in 1958 in Sandusky, Ohio, serving Erie County residents and their families with deposit accounts, consumer and small-business loans, credit cards, and digital banking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213), Credit Unions (522130)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141), Functions Related To Depository Banking, Nec (6099)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Cooperative Banks (Member-Owned Commercial/Retail) (FSABAEAF), Bank & Credit Union Personal Loans (Unsecured Installment) (FSAKAAAL)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Consumer lending
• Community credit union
• Deposit accounts
• Share certificates

Headquarters

HQ city

Sandusky

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interest Income from Loans: Credit union generates revenue primarily through interest charged on loans including vehicle loans, real estate loans, personal loans, credit cards, and business loans. Rates vary by loan type and term.
2. Deposit Interest Spreads: As a not-for-profit credit union, earnings from interest rate spreads between loan interest collected and savings/dividend interest paid to members represent core revenue.
3. Fee-based Services: Fees from various services including corporate checks, overdraft fees, and courtesy pay services for checking accounts.
4. Insurance Products: Commission revenue from TruStage insurance products and Member Credit Life & Disability Insurance offered to members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Erie Community Federal Credit Union is a federally insured, member-owned, not-for-profit community credit union that accepts deposits and extends credit to its members. It provides savings, checking, money market, share certificate, and IRA deposit accounts; VISA credit cards; vehicle, real estate, personal/signature, student, business, and short-term "Life Happens" loans; and ancillary services such as online and mobile banking, bill pay, notary service, financial counseling, and partner-offered insurance products.

Product overview

Erie Community Federal Credit Union is a full-service, not-for-profit federally insured credit union offering a comprehensive suite of financial products and services. The core product portfolio includes traditional deposit accounts (Savings, Checking, Money Market, Share Certificates, IRAs), credit products (VISA Credit Cards, Vehicle Loans, Real Estate Loans, Personal Loans, Student Loans via SallieMae, Business Loans via North Coast Business Lending), and short-term lending (Life Happens Loans). Digital banking services are delivered through Homelink Teller online banking and mobile banking capabilities, complemented by SHAZAM-powered debit card services including surcharge-free ATM access through Alliance One and SHAZAM Privileged Status networks. Youth-focused products include Penny Saver Club for children up to age 10 and Freedom Account for teens. The institution also provides financial counseling, notary services, and insurance products through partners like TruStage. All products are designed to serve members in Erie County, Ohio and operate under the credit union philosophy of 'People Helping People' with earnings returned to members through better rates and lower fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Visa Credit Card rate as low as 11.99% APR with rewards program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North Coast Business Lending, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECFCU is proud to be part of The North Coast Business Lending, LLC, a joint venture of ECFCU and several other local credit unions to offer competitive rates to underwrite members' small business lending needs. NCBLC provides small business loans for members who own their own companies, including financing for small entrepreneurs, rental real estate, and equipment financing. The financing and service are local while expertise is universal. Contact: (419) 465-2091.
• My Cu MortgagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECFCU partners with My Cu Mortgage to offer a wide variety of first mortgages with flexible terms and competitive rates. Contact: Michael Graham at (419) 626-4283 or visit their website.
• SallieMaeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerErie Community FCU has partnered with SallieMae to offer student loans to members through their student loan program.
• SHAZAMcoreTechnology or IntegrationSHAZAM provides the Privileged Status ATM network giving members access to thousands of surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. Also provides SHAZAMBrela fraud protection app and SHAZAMChek Debit Card services including security chips and Mastercard SecureCode.
• Alliance OnecoreTechnology or IntegrationECFCU SHAZAMChek Debit Card is part of the Alliance One network with more than 5,000 surcharge-free ATMs at over 800 financial institutions nationwide.
• TruStage InsuranceminorOthersTruStage Insurance provides insurance products offered to credit union members including auto, home, life, and other insurance coverage options.
• Love My Credit Union RewardsminorOthersMember benefits program providing discounts and rewards for credit union members through the Love My Credit Union Rewards program.
• North Coast Business Lending (Affiliate)coreOthersListed as an affiliate company in privacy policy disclosures. Joint venture of ECFCU and other local credit unions for small business lending.
• Area Financial Services (Affiliate)minorOthersListed as an affiliate company in privacy policy disclosures.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Alliant Credit Union: Large national digital-first credit union that competes for similar consumer deposit and loan customers; serves as a benchmark for how credit unions can extend reach beyond a single local market via digital channels.
• Connexus Credit Union: Larger federally chartered credit union with a much broader geographic footprint but overlapping product set (deposits, vehicle loans, mortgages, credit cards) and shared branching participation, serving as a scale-up reference point.

Regional players

• Firelands Federal Credit Union: Another small Ohio-based federal credit union serving the Firelands region (which overlaps with parts of Erie and surrounding counties), with a comparable community-led model, similar deposit and loan product mix, and similar scale of operations.
• Buckeye State Credit Union: Ohio-headquartered community credit union with similar member-owned cooperative structure, comparable deposit and consumer lending products, and overlapping participation in shared branching and surcharge-free ATM networks.
• Great Lakes Credit Union: Ohio/Northern Indiana area credit union with a similar community membership model, deposit products, vehicle and personal lending focus, and small-to-mid scale institution footprint comparable to ECFCU.
• Consumers Cooperative Credit Union: Midwest community credit union with a comparable member-owned cooperative structure, full retail deposit and loan product suite, and similar NCUA regulatory framework.
• Directions Credit Union: Ohio-based community credit union serving multiple counties with a comparable retail/consumer focus, full suite of deposit and loan products, and shared branching participation, making it a strong size and model comparable.

Direct peers

• Catholic Credit Union: Faith-based affinity credit union with a similar community membership model, comparable deposit and loan product offerings, and shared branching presence, representing the same niche small-affinity credit union archetype.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ErieCommunityFCU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eriecommunityfcu
• Instagraminstagram.com/eriecommunityfcu

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Erie Community Federal Credit Union