Connections Credit Union

What Connections Credit Union does

Connections Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative founded in 1937 in Pocatello, Idaho, operating under a state charter with federal insurance through the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF). The institution serves more than 20,000 members across 16 counties in Southern Idaho (Ada, Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Bonneville, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Franklin, Jefferson, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, Oneida, Power, and Twin Falls) through a distribution network of 10 physical branches, a Mobile Branch unit (launched April 2025), the Co-op Credit Union shared branching network (5,000+ branches and 30,000+ ATMs nationwide), and a digital banking platform with iOS/Android apps, online banking, text banking, mobile deposit, and card controls.

The product portfolio covers core retail banking: deposit products (Regular Share Savings, Connected Checking, Kasasa Cash/Cash Back/Saver, Money Market, CDs of 6 months to 5 years, Traditional and Roth IRAs) and lending products (auto loans up to 84 months, RV/boat/ATV/motorcycle loans up to 120 months, mortgages including VA and balloon, home equity lines of credit, unsecured personal loans, and a Visa credit card). The institution monetizes primarily through net interest margin on loans and secondarily through transaction fees, service charges, and a partnership-based fee stream spanning TruStage insurance referrals, LPL Financial/Haven Wealth Group investment services and Guided Wealth Portfolios robo-investing, Trust & Will estate planning referrals, Zogo financial literacy, Kasasa rewards checking platform, and IDSafeChoice identity protection at $1.25 per member per month.

Connections Credit Union received the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) designation from the U.S. Department of Treasury in 2022 and the Juntos Avanzamos designation from Inclusiv in July 2025, formalizing its mission to serve low-income, underbanked, and Hispanic communities. The credit union's growth over decades has been driven substantially by inorganic mergers (Graphic and Allied Arts, United Medical, IBEW Local #449, Inkom Cement Employees, Idaho Advantage, Simcoe, Magic Valley FCU), and customer acquisition currently combines a $50-per-referral "Proud to BE" program (up to $350 annually), community sponsorships, a Zogo-powered financial literacy channel, and a Spanish-language site (connectidaho-es.org).

Name

Connections Credit Union

Legal name

Connections Credit Union

Website

https://connectidaho.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Connections Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative founded in 1937 in Pocatello, Idaho, serving 20,000+ members across 16 Southern Idaho counties via 10 physical branches, a Mobile Branch, and a digital banking platform, with CDFI and Juntos Avanzamos designations supporting its mission to serve underserved, rural, and Hispanic communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (522130)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Bank & Credit Union Personal Loans (Unsecured Installment) (FSAKAAAL)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Consumer lending products
• Credit union membership
• Community development banking
• Deposit and loan services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pocatello

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: Interest income from auto loans, RV/boat loans, home loans, personal loans, and credit cards. Primary revenue driver for the credit union.
2. Deposit Account Fees: Fees from various account services including overdraft fees, same-day fee reversals for qualifying accounts, and minimum balance maintenance
3. Service Charges: Fees for services such as Skip-A-Pay processing ($30 fee), ATM fees, wire transfers, and official check fees
4. Insurance Products: Referral fees from TruStage insurance products including life, auto, home, and AD&D insurance offered to members
5. Investment Services: Partnership with LPL Financial and Haven Wealth Group for investment and retirement services, generating referral and partnership revenue
6. Estate Planning Services: Partnership with Trust & Will providing online estate planning services with 20% member discount, generating referral compensation
7. Identity Theft Protection: IDSafeChoice identity protection service at $1.25/month providing fraud monitoring and recovery services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Connections Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative that provides personal banking products and services to residents of 16 counties in Southern Idaho. Its offerings span deposit accounts (checking, savings, CDs, money market, IRAs), consumer loans (auto, RV/boat, home, personal, credit cards), digital and mobile banking, shared branching access, insurance referrals, and investment and estate-planning services delivered through partner providers.

Product overview

Connections Credit Union operates as a full-service financial cooperative offering a comprehensive suite of banking products organized around its digital banking platform. The core portfolio includes deposit products (Regular Share Savings, Kasasa Cash/Cash Back/Saver checking accounts, Certificate of Deposit, Money Market, and IRA accounts) and lending products (Auto Loans, RV/Boat Loans, Home Loans, Personal Loans, and Visa Credit Cards). The institution enhances its offering through strategic partnerships including TruStage Insurance for insurance products, LPL Financial/Haven Wealth Group for investment services, Trust & Will for estate planning, Zogo for financial literacy education, and IDSafeChoice for identity protection. Key programs include the Mobile Branch serving rural communities, Shared Branching through Co-op Credit Union network, BE Part of Connections referral rewards, Skip-A-Pay loan deferral, and the Kasasa rewards checking suite. The credit union serves members across 16 counties in Southern Idaho with 10 branch locations and received CDFI designation in 2022 and Juntos Avanzamos designation in 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Connections Investment Services: Investment services aligned with LPL Financial and Haven Wealth Group, offering mutual funds, stocks, ETFs, bonds, retirement accounts, and portfolio management.

Products and services

• Kasasa Cash Checking
• Kasasa Cash Back Checking
• Regular Share Savings
• Kasasa Saver
• Connected Checking
• Certificate of Deposit (CD)
• Money Market Account
• IRA (Traditional and Roth)
• Auto Loans
• RV and Boat Loans
• Home Loans
• Personal Loans
• Visa Credit Card
• Digital Banking (Online and Mobile)
• Shared Branching
• Investment Services (Connections Investment Services)
• TruStage Insurance
• Trust & Will Estate Planning
• Zogo Financial Literacy
• IDSafeChoice Identity Protection
• Mobile Branch

Quantifiable outcome

• Earn 5.00% APY on Kasasa Cash checking balances up to $15,000
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• InclusivcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 July 2025National organization that awards Juntos Avanzamos designation to credit unions demonstrating capacity and commitment to serve Hispanic communities. Provides additional resources and support for outreach expansion.
• TruStage InsurancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTruStage provides insurance products including life, auto, home, and accidental death & dismemberment insurance to credit union members. Offers $2,000 no-cost AD&D insurance to all members. Connection receives referral fees for insurance products sold.
• IDSafeChoicecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerIdentity theft protection service automatically enrolled with all checking accounts at $1.25/month. Provides fraud research, remediation, and recovery services including credit monitoring, fraud alerts, and licensed Recovery Advocate support.
• LPL FinancialcoreTechnology or IntegrationRegistered investment advisor and broker-dealer providing securities and advisory services to credit union members. Offers mutual funds, stocks, ETFs, bonds, retirement accounts, and portfolio management through Connections Investment Services.
• Haven Wealth GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWealth management and financial planning services aligned with LPL Financial. Assists members with investments, retirement planning, estate planning, college planning, and portfolio management.
• Trust & WillminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline estate planning service offering Will and Trust-based plans. Members receive 20% discount. Trust & Will is trusted by 100+ financial institutions and 500,000+ families.
• ZogocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial literacy app providing 300+ interactive lessons on budgeting, investing, and financial concepts. Members earn gift cards as rewards for completing educational modules. Code 'Connections' required for signup.
• KasasacoreTechnology or IntegrationKasasa rewards checking platform providing Cash Back and Cash checking accounts. No monthly fees, free debit cards, ATM refunds, and tiered rewards based on qualification requirements.
• Co-op Credit Union (Shared Branching)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShared branching network providing access to 30,000+ ATMs and 5,000+ branch locations nationwide. Enables members traveling or relocating to access full branch services at participating credit unions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BECU: Pacific Northwest's largest community-owned credit union serving more than 1.3 million members with a full suite of deposits, loans, and digital banking. Comparable as a member-owned cooperative with branch and digital distribution, though at materially larger scale.
• Mountain America Credit Union: One of the largest U.S. credit unions ($20B+ in assets) with a community-focused member model offering Kasasa-rewards, branch networks, and full-service loans. Comparable in mission (not-for-profit, cooperative) and product mix, but operating at much greater scale across multiple Mountain West states.
• Zions Bancorporation (Zions Bank): Major regional bank holding company with substantial Idaho retail presence (including Boise, Idaho Falls, Twin Falls branches). Competes directly for deposit and loan share in Connections' core counties as a much larger, publicly traded, multi-state incumbent with comparable product breadth.

Direct peers

• Connexus Credit Union: Mid-size cooperative credit union with digital-first and community-branch distribution, similar Kasasa rewards checking and full consumer lending suite. Comparable cooperative/governance structure and member-owned mission to Connections, though operating at a larger scale across multiple states.
• SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union: Large member-owned cooperative credit union with a deep community mission, full deposit/loan/investment product set, and signature member benefits. Comparable in governance, non-profit incentives, and aggressive member-rewards philosophy, though serving a defined California membership group.
• Consumers Cooperative Credit Union: Illinois-based community credit union with strong member-rewards checking, CDFI-aligned mission, and Kasasa-branded products. Structurally and operationally comparable to Connections — a community-focused cooperative with similar product breadth and small-institution economics.
• Idaho Central Credit Union: The largest credit union headquartered in Idaho, serving members across the same Southern Idaho geography (including Boise, Twin Falls, Pocatello markets). Direct competitor for consumer deposits, auto loans, mortgages, and branch-based relationship banking in Connections' core counties.
• Capital Educators Federal Credit Union: Idaho-headquartered credit union serving educators and select employer groups across the Treasure Valley. Closely comparable in size, geography (Boise-area), and member-owned consumer/mortgage lending focus, with overlapping branch and digital competition.

Emerging players

• Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union: Mid-size Minnesota-based credit union with comparable cooperative governance, community focus, and full consumer/mortgage lending suite. Similar scale and member-owned economic model, serving a single Midwestern state geographic footprint versus Connections' Idaho footprint.

Regional players

• WaFd Bank: Idaho-headquartered retail bank offering consumer deposits, mortgages, and commercial lending across the Pacific Northwest. Directly comparable competitive alternative for retail banking in Connections' Southern Idaho counties — a for-profit peer with overlapping branches (Boise, Nampa, Meridian) competing for the same consumers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ConnectionsCreditUnion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/connections-credit-union

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Connections Credit Union