Missoula Federal Credit Union

What Missoula Federal Credit Union does

Clearwater Federal Credit Union, formerly Missoula Federal Credit Union, is a federally chartered, member-owned cooperative credit union founded in 1955 and headquartered at 3600 Brooks St, Missoula, Montana. Operating for 70 years, it rebranded to Clearwater in 2025 and is recognized as Montana's largest Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). The institution serves individual consumers, small-to-mid-sized businesses, nonprofit organizations, and homebuyers throughout Montana through a multi-channel distribution model comprising physical branches in the Missoula area, Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs), an Online Banking (OLB) digital platform with mobile access, and a contact center.

The product portfolio spans three core lines: personal banking (checking, savings, health savings, certificates, retirement accounts, credit cards, and personal/vehicle/student/energy resilience loans), home loans (mortgages, home equity lines, home improvement loans, and dedicated first-time homebuyer resources), and business banking (commercial checking/savings, business loans and lines, business credit cards, and specialized nonprofit banking). Differentiated program offerings include Pathway Banking for financial health, Energy Resilience Banking aligned with environmental sustainability, and a Financial Guidance Center providing education and advisory services. Underlying technology is a conventional digital banking platform with online/mobile account management, bill pay, transfers, and payment services; no proprietary AI/ML systems, APIs, or SDKs are disclosed.

The revenue model is interest-income-driven, with earnings derived from interest on consumer, mortgage, vehicle, business, and credit card lending, supplemented by interchange fees, account service fees, wire/overdraft charges, and income from insurance and investment services offered through the Financial Guidance Center. As a not-for-profit cooperative, surplus is returned to members via better loan and deposit rates rather than distributed as equity. The credit union holds CDFI certification from the U.S. Department of Treasury, NCUA federal insurance and charter, Equal Housing Lender status from HUD, and is a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) and Inclusiv. No external funding rounds, parent company, subsidiaries, or management team disclosures are available in the source data.

Name

Missoula Federal Credit Union

Legal name

Clearwater Federal Credit Union

Website

https://missoulafcu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Clearwater Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered, member-owned cooperative credit union founded in 1955 in Missoula, Montana. As Montana's largest CDFI, it provides consumer banking, business banking, mortgage lending, and community financial education programs across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (522130)

SIC

Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035), National Commercial Banks (6021)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Consumer banking services
• Credit union lending
• Mortgage financing
• Business banking accounts
• Digital banking platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Missoula

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

Revenue model

1. Interest Income: Clearwater generates revenue primarily through interest earned on loans including home loans, vehicle loans, personal loans, credit cards, and business loans. As a credit union, interest collected from borrowers is distributed back to members through better rates on loans and deposits.
2. Financial Services Fees: Fees from checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates, retirement accounts (IRAs), and other financial services including wire transfers, overdraft protection, and account maintenance.
3. Credit Card Revenue: Interchange fees and interest from credit card transactions for both personal and business credit cards.
4. Home Loan Servicing: Revenue from mortgage origination and servicing including home loans, home equity lines, and home improvement loans.
5. Investment and Insurance Services: Revenue from insurance and investments offered through the Financial Guidance Center and Insurance & Investments services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Clearwater Federal Credit Union (formerly Missoula Federal Credit Union) is a federally chartered, member-owned credit union providing consumer and business banking services. Its core offerings include checking, savings, health savings, certificates, retirement accounts, credit cards, personal/vehicle/student loans, home loans and home equity products, business accounts and loans, digital banking, and financial guidance and insurance services to members across Montana.

Product overview

Clearwater Credit Union (formerly Missoula Federal Credit Union) operates as a values-based banking institution offering a comprehensive suite of financial products and services. The portfolio includes personal banking (checking, savings, health savings accounts, certificates, retirement accounts, credit cards, and various loan products including personal, vehicle, student, and energy resilience loans), home loans (mortgages, home equity products, and home improvement loans), and business banking (checking/savings accounts, loans, lines of credit, and credit cards). Supporting services include Digital Branch online/mobile banking, Financial Guidance Center, Home Energy Advisor, Insurance & Investments, and community programs (Clearwater Foundation, Scholarship Program, Volunteer Program, Community Education). Special banking programs include Energy Resilience Banking, Nonprofit Banking, and Pathway Banking. The institution also provides educational resources through the Financial Education Center with calculators and a Fraud & Security Center. Built on cooperative ownership principles, the credit union serves as Montana's largest CDFI with 70 years of operation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Clearwater Foundation: The charitable arm of Clearwater Credit Union, supporting community programs including scholarships, volunteer initiatives, and community education.

Products and services

• Personal Checking Personal checking account for everyday banking needs with online access and bill payment capabilities, available to individual members.
• Personal Savings Savings account for depositing funds and earning interest on balances, available to individual members.
• Health Savings Account Health Savings Account (HSA) for managing healthcare expenses with tax advantages, available to qualifying individual members.
• Certificates of Deposit Certificate of deposit products offering fixed-term savings with guaranteed returns for individual members.
• Retirement Accounts (IRAs) Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) for long-term retirement savings, available to individual members.
• Personal Credit Cards Personal credit card products for purchases and revolving credit access, available to individual members.
• Personal Loans Unsecured personal loans for various financial needs including debt consolidation and major purchases, available to individual members.
• Vehicle Loans Auto loans for purchasing new or used vehicles with competitive rates, available to individual members.
• Student Loans Education financing for undergraduate and graduate studies, available to individual members and their families.
• Energy Resilience Loans Specialized loans supporting energy efficiency and resilience improvements for homes, available to individual members.
• Home Loans Mortgage products for purchasing homes including conventional and government-backed loans, available to individual members and homebuyers.
• Home Equity Loans and Lines of Credit Home equity loans and lines of credit leveraging built-up property value, available to homeowners.
• Home Improvement Loans Loans specifically for financing home renovation and improvement projects, available to homeowners.
• Business Checking & Savings Accounts Commercial banking accounts designed for small to mid-sized businesses and nonprofits with various features and fee structures.
• Business Loans & Lines of Credit Commercial lending products including term loans and revolving credit lines for business needs, available to small and mid-sized businesses and nonprofits.
• Business Credit Cards Credit card products tailored for business spending and expense management, available to business members.
• Nonprofit Banking Specialized banking services for nonprofit organizations including accounts and advisory support.
• Pathway Banking Banking program designed to help members build financial health and a pathway to economic opportunity, targeted at underserved members.
• Energy Resilience Banking Values-based banking program supporting energy sustainability and environmental protection initiatives for members.
• Financial Guidance Center Financial education and counseling services to help members make informed money decisions, available to individual and business members.
• Home Energy Advisor Advisory service helping members improve home energy efficiency and reduce utility costs.
• Insurance & Investments Financial planning services offering insurance products and investment advisory to members.
• Digital Branch (Online and Mobile Banking) Online and mobile banking platform providing 24/7 account access, transactions, bill payment, transfers, and financial management tools for individual and business members.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClearwater Credit Union is a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, a network of banks and credit unions worldwide committed to advancing positive change in the banking system. This affiliation aligns with their values-based banking philosophy and provides credibility for their mission-driven approach.
• National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)coreOthersClearwater Federal Credit Union is regulated and insured by the NCUA, the federal agency that charters and supervises federal credit unions. This is a mandatory regulatory relationship for all federally chartered credit unions.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)coreOthersClearwater is an Equal Housing Lender as designated by HUD, allowing them to offer home loans and mortgage products in compliance with federal fair lending laws.
• Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund)coreOthersClearwater holds CDFI certification from the U.S. Department of Treasury's CDFI Fund, recognizing them as a financial institution dedicated to supporting economic development in underserved communities. Clearwater is Montana's largest CDFI.
• InclusivcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClearwater Credit Union is affiliated with Inclusiv, a national organization that connects credit unions committed to closing gaps and increasing financial equity. This membership supports their inclusivity and community development mission.
• Clearwater FoundationminorOthersClearwater Foundation is the charitable arm of Clearwater Credit Union, supporting community programs, education, and financial literacy initiatives throughout Montana.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Inclusiv: Inclusiv is the national CDFI-certified credit union network and trade association of which Clearwater is an affiliate member. It is comparable as the broader ecosystem/infrastructure supporting Clearwater's CDFI strategy and financial inclusion mission.

Regional players

• Glacier Bank: Glacier Bank is a Montana-headquartered community bank offering personal, mortgage, and business banking across the Mountain West. It is a regional competitor for retail deposits, mortgage originations, and small-business lending against Clearwater.
• Whitefish Credit Union: Whitefish Credit Union is a Montana-based credit union serving Flathead Valley and beyond with consumer and business banking. It directly competes with Clearwater for members in the Montana market.

Direct peers

• SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union: SchoolsFirst is a federally chartered credit union operating under NCUA with a defined-membership model and comprehensive personal, business, and home loan products. Like Clearwater (federal charter), it pairs a regulated cooperative structure with a broad retail banking product set.
• BECU: BECU is a large, member-owned community credit union operating under a cooperative model with a full suite of consumer, mortgage, and business banking products. It is comparable to Clearwater in mission (member-first cooperative, NCUA-chartered, broad product set).
• Self-Help Credit Union: Self-Help is one of the largest CDFI-certified credit unions in the U.S., serving low- and moderate-income communities with a values-based, mission-driven model closely analogous to Clearwater's CDFI positioning and community development focus.
• Patelco Credit Union: Patelco is a community-chartered credit union serving the San Francisco Bay Area with consumer deposits, mortgage, consumer lending, and digital banking. It is comparable in product breadth, NCUA-regulated structure, and retail/member banking focus.
• Lake Michigan Credit Union: LMCU is a large community credit union offering personal, mortgage, business, and wealth products through both physical branches and digital channels. It mirrors Clearwater's mix of community-led acquisition, broad product suite, and multi-channel distribution.
• Unitus Community Credit Union: Unitus is a CDFI-certified, community-focused credit union serving Oregon and Washington with similar financial inclusion and member-cooperative values. It directly mirrors Clearwater's CDFI designation and values-based positioning at a comparable scale.

Broad incumbents

• Mountain America Credit Union: Mountain America is a large, broad-based credit union operating across multiple states with full personal, mortgage, and business banking. It is comparable in product breadth and NCUA-regulated structure but operates at significantly greater scale than Clearwater.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/clearwatercreditunion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clearwater-credit-union
• Instagraminstagram.com/clearwatercreditunion

Compliance3 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 Missoula Federal Credit Union