Community Involvement

Buy Local Spend Local is a regional program that connects FAFCU members to locally-owned businesses in the community, encouraging and rewarding members to not only BUY LOCAL, but to also SPEND LOCAL by using your FAFCU debit card for purchases.

This unique program benefits local business owners and Credit Union members.

Each year, FAFCU offers a Business Scholarship of $500 to a student from each of the following high schools; Forest Area High School, Kalkaska High School, Kingsley High School, Manton Consolidated High School, Mesick High School, and Lake City High School.

Who Qualifies:

Applications must have an active account at Forest Area FCU, be majoring in a business-related field, such as accounting or business administration, and have a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher.

How To Apply:

Applications should be picked up from your nearest branch and returned to Forest Area Federal Credit Union by April 15th. Recipients of the scholarship will be notified at each school's awards ceremonies. Scholarship money is available during the student's first fall semester of college if they attend immediately after high school.

Our Board of Directors acts as a committe to receive grant applications throughout the year. They consider projects for funding such as those that contribute to improvements that support arts and culture, basic human needs, the local environment, health and safety improvement projects, recreation and support for seniors and youth.

Funding may cover capital improvements, new or replacement equipment, and new building projects supporting parks and recreation could qualify for funding from the grant program.

Who can apply:

Community non-profit organizations or government units who sponsor public projects that are located in FAFCU's field of membership: Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Wexford, Missaukee, Antrim, and Crawford Counties. For more details on what can qualify for the Grant Program, please click the "Grants page" link below.

To apply:

Download the Grant Application HERE.

For more information:

Visit Grants page.

The Three Tree Fund is funded by FAFCU employee contributions and donations by the Board of Directors. Since 2007, The Three Tree Fund (previously known as the Humanity Fund) has supported members of our communities who have suffered a loss or tragedy such as those who may have medical needs, suffered from a house fire, car accident, or death in the family.

Forest Area Federal Credit Union has brought Banzai, a premium online financial literacy program, to educators and students of six schools in the area. These include Forest Area High School, Kingsley Area High School, Manton Consolidated High School, Lake City High School, Kalkaska High school, and Mesick High School.

Forest Area FCU speaks in many classrooms and other community events on budgeting, financial security, dividends, interest, loans and more. These are offered on a request basis, in an effort to provide knowledge to our communities on how to become financially responsible. Forest Area FCU is proud to be apart of Banzai and the impact is not going unnoticed, just hear what the teachers are saying!

     "A special thank you to Forest Area Federal Credit Union for sponsoring our financial literacy materials from Banzai. Our students are asking many insightful questions as we begin this unit on learning to manage money." - Amy Bernthal, Teacher at Mancelona Middle School

FAFCU offers $1,000 of Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance available to members at no charge. This insurance is provided by TruStage and underwritten by CMFG Life Insurance. To be elibile, the member must active the program by signature. More information can be found at TruStageADD.com or by calling 1-855-612-7910.

Additional benefits are available to the membership at affordable rates.