Comunidad Latina Federal Credit Union

What Comunidad Latina Federal Credit Union does

Comunidad Latina Federal Credit Union (CLFCU) is a federally chartered, member-owned cooperative credit union headquartered at 1325 W. Warner Ave. in Santa Ana, California. Founded in 2016, it operates with a staff of 1-10 employees and serves a field of membership restricted to individuals who live, work, attend church, or attend school in Santa Ana, or who have a family relationship to an existing member. The institution's core differentiation is its focus on the Latino community, including acceptance of ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) and Matrícula Consular (Consular ID) for loan qualification, extending credit access to immigrants who are typically excluded from mainstream bank underwriting.

The product portfolio spans savings accounts ($1 minimum, 0.05% APY), checking accounts, share certificates (6/12/24-month terms at 3.15%-3.25% APY with $500 minimum), and a lending suite that includes vehicle loans up to $50,000 (3.99%-18.00% APR), first-time buyer auto loans (7.00%-18.00% APR), personal loans up to $6,000 (12.99%-18.00% APR), payday loans up to $500 (18.00% APR), DACA/Immigration loans, savings-secured loans, certificate-secured loans, and emergency loans (10.00% APR). Add-on products include GAP insurance and Mechanical Breakdown Protection for auto loans. The technology infrastructure comprises a bilingual Squarespace-hosted website (English/Spanish), an online banking platform, and a CU Payments loan payment portal, with CO-OP Network ATM access supplementing the single physical branch.

Revenue is generated through two primary streams: net interest income on the loan portfolio (vehicle, personal, payday, secured) and fee income from a published fee schedule (membership opening $1, overdraft $20, payday loan application $10, stop payment $15, cashier's check $5, CarFax $35, plus various transaction and service fees). As a not-for-profit cooperative, surplus is returned to members via competitive rates rather than distributed to external shareholders. Member deposits are federally insured by the NCUA up to $250,000. The institution operates as a community-led go-to-market motion, relying on in-branch referrals, bilingual service, and a Facebook presence for member acquisition.

Name

Comunidad Latina Federal Credit Union

Legal name

Comunidad Latina Federal Credit Union

Website

https://clfcu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Comunidad Latina Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered, member-owned cooperative credit union in Santa Ana, California, serving the Latino community with savings, checking, and a lending suite that includes ITIN and Consular ID-based vehicle, personal, payday, and DACA/immigration loans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Credit Union

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213)

SIC

Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Development Credit Unions (CDCUs) (FSABAEAC)

Keywords

• Community credit union
• Consumer lending services
• Auto loan financing
• ITIN banking services
• Share certificate deposits

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Ana

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, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: Interest income from vehicle loans (new and used), personal loans, payday loans, and secured loans. Vehicle loans up to $50,000, personal loans up to $6,000, payday loans up to $500. Interest rates range from 3.99% to 18.00% APR depending on loan type and creditworthiness.
2. Fee Income: Various fees including new membership opening ($1), overdraft ($20), payday loan application ($10), stop payment ($15), statement copy ($2), prepaid card ($5), money order ($1), cashier's check ($5), non-CO-OP ATM fees, temporary checks ($4/sheet), returned deposit/loan payment ($8), legal process fees, inactive account fees, DMV fees, research fees ($15/15 min), ATM deposit adjustment, non-member check conversion (1%), paper statement ($2), card replacement, inactivity fees, CarFax ($35).
3. Share Certificate Interest Spreads: Accepts share certificates (term deposits) with competitive rates. Certificates at 6, 12, and 24 month terms with minimum $500 deposit. APY ranges from 3.15% to 3.25%. Also offers secured loans against certificates at certificate rate plus 3.50%.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Comunidad Latina Federal Credit Union provides consumer banking and lending products to members of the Santa Ana, California Latino community. Core offerings include savings and checking accounts, share certificates (6-24 month terms at 3.15%-3.25% APY), and a diverse loan portfolio spanning vehicle loans (up to $50,000), personal loans (up to $6,000), payday loans (up to $500), secured loans, and specialized ITIN/DACA/immigration loans. The credit union uniquely accepts ITIN and Matrícula Consular (Consular ID) as primary identification for loan qualification and delivers services in English and Spanish.

Product overview

Comunidad Latina Federal Credit Union (CLFCU) is a non-profit financial institution serving the Santa Ana, California community. The credit union offers a comprehensive suite of financial products and services centered around savings and lending. Core offerings include savings and checking accounts, share certificates (6-24 month terms), and a diverse loan portfolio spanning auto loans (new/used/first-time buyer programs), personal loans, payday loans, and secured loans (using savings or certificate collateral). The institution specializes in serving the Latino community by accepting alternative identification including ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) and Consular ID, including DACA recipients and immigration-related loans. Free services include online banking, direct deposit, CO-OP network ATM access, unlimited transfers, and account protection. The products operate through a single-location credit union model at 1325 W. Warner Ave., Santa Ana, CA, with bilingual (English/Spanish) service delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Savings Account (Cuenta de Ahorros) Basic savings account with variable 0.05% APY interest and $1.00 minimum deposit, providing foundational membership access for individuals in the Santa Ana community.
• Checking Account (Cuenta de Cheques) Checking account for daily transactions, direct deposits, and check writing with no monthly service fees and no minimum balance requirement.
• Share Certificates (Cuentas a Plazo Fijo) Fixed-term deposit certificates with 6, 12, and 24-month terms, $500 minimum deposit, and APYs ranging from 3.15% to 3.25%.
• Vehicle Loans (Prestamos para Automoviles) Auto loans for new and used vehicles, financing up to $50,000 with APRs from 3.99% to 18.00% based on creditworthiness.
• First-Time Auto Buyer Program (Comprador de Auto por Primera Vez) Specialized auto loan program for first-time car buyers with APRs ranging from 7.00% to 18.00%, designed for members with limited or no credit history.
• Personal Loans (Prestamos Personales) Unsecured personal loans up to $6,000 with APRs from 12.99% to 18.00% based on creditworthiness and term.
• Payday Loans (Prestamos de Día de Pago) Short-term emergency payday loans up to $500 with 18.00% APR and a $10 application fee.
• Savings-Secured Loans (Prestamos Asegurados con Cuenta de Ahorros) Secured loans using the member's savings account as collateral, up to 100% of available balance at a 3.50% interest rate.
• Certificate-Secured Loans (Prestamos Asegurados con Certificados) Secured loans using share certificates as collateral, up to 90% of certificate balance at certificate rate plus 3.50%.
• DACA/Immigration Loans (Prestamos DACA-Inmigracion) Specialized interest-only loans up to $500 for DACA recipients and immigration-related financing, accepting ITIN and Consular ID for qualification.
• Emergency Loans (Prestamo de Emergencia) Emergency loan product with a 10.00% APR for urgent financial needs.
• ITIN Loans (Prestamos con ITIN) Loans offered with ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) as the primary identification for members without a standard Social Security Number.
• Prepaid Cards (Tarjetas de Prepago) Reloadable prepaid cards for daily spending with a $5.00 card fee.
• Check Cashing (Cambio de Cheques) Check cashing service allowing members to convert checks to cash.
• Money Orders (Giro Postal) Money order service at $1.00 per order, providing a secure payment method.
• Cashier's Checks (Cheques de Caja) Cashier's check service at $5.00 per check providing guaranteed payment instruments.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CO-OP NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with CO-OP network for ATM transactions. Members receive free transactions at CO-OP network ATMs. This is a critical service partnership enabling member access to cash withdrawals and deposits nationwide.
• CU PaymentscoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline loan payment processing platform enabling members to make loan payments through the cu-payments.org portal.
• National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)coreOthersFederal regulatory agency that insures member deposits up to $250,000. Provides federal charter and oversight for the credit union.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Stilt: Fintech lender focused on non-status / immigrant borrowers, including ITIN holders and DACA recipients, offering personal loans and refinancing. Comparable as an emerging player competing for the same alternative-ID consumer lending demand that the credit union serves.

Regional players

• Mission Federal Credit Union: Large community-chartered credit union headquartered in San Diego with branch presence across Southern California, including portions of Orange County. Comparable as a Southern California community credit union competing for overlapping consumer and auto loan demand in adjacent geographies.
• Patelco Credit Union: California-headquartered credit union with deep Bay Area roots and statewide digital reach, offering consumer loans, auto loans, and deposit products. Comparable as a California credit union competitor pursuing consumer and auto loan share that overlaps with the credit union's product mix.
• Orange County's Credit Union: Local community credit union headquartered in Orange County with branch presence in Santa Ana-adjacent cities. Most directly comparable as a geographically overlapping community credit union pursuing similar retail deposit and consumer loan relationships.
• Nuvision Federal Credit Union: Federal credit union serving Southern California including Los Angeles and Orange County with full consumer deposit, lending, and online banking suite. Comparable as a competitor credit union operating digital and branch channels targeting similar consumer finance customers in overlapping Southern California markets.
• Kinecta Federal Credit Union: Long-standing Southern California credit union serving Los Angeles and Orange County. Comparable as a regional Southern California credit union competing for the same Latino and immigrant retail deposit and consumer lending customers in the credit union's catchment.
• Guadalupe Credit Union: New Mexico-based community credit union with explicit focus on Hispanic and immigrant communities, serving members with bilingual service and flexible underwriting. Comparable as a regionally focused Hispanic-serving credit union with a similar community-led mission and product mix.

Broad incumbents

• Alliant Credit Union: Large digital-first U.S. credit union offering consumer deposit, lending, and credit card products nationwide with a community-development mission focus. Comparable as an online-led credit union that competes for the same digitally active, value-oriented consumer.
• SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union: One of the largest credit unions in California, serving school employees and broader community members with full deposit, lending, mortgage, and investment products across the state. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for community and consumer banking share across California.

Direct peers

• Self-Help Federal Credit Union: Federally chartered CDFI credit union serving low- and moderate-income communities, including strong immigrant and Latino membership across North Carolina, California, and Washington. Directly comparable on community-development mission, alternative-ID underwriting, and bilingual service model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/1470058423306174

Compliance2 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 Comunidad Latina Federal Credit Union