CUES Named Winner of 2024-2025 Amazon Web Services IMAGINE Grant for Nonprofits

Jerry Saalsaa

CUES today announced it has been selected as a winner of the 2024 Amazon Web Services (AWS) IMAGINE Grant, a public grant opportunity open to registered charities in the United Kingdom and Ireland and registered 501(c) nonprofit organizations in the United States who are using technology to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. The grant will support CUES’ efforts to further develop and personalize its learning platform, MyCUES Dashboard, delivering highly customized learning and development content to help credit union leaders develop themselves, and their organizations.

Now in its seventh year, the AWS IMAGINE Grant provides vital resources to nonprofit organizations looking to deploy cloud technology as a central tool to achieve mission goals. As part of the program, AWS seeks proposals for big ideas on how to leverage cloud technology in new and innovative ways to accelerate impact in local and global communities.

CUES was named a winner in the Go Further, Faster category which recognizes highly innovative projects using advanced cloud services. CUES will receive up to $150,000 in unrestricted funding, up to $100,000 in AWS Promotional Credits, and engagement with AWS technical specialists. Proposals were judged on several factors including the innovative and unique nature of the project, impact on mission-critical goals, and clearly defined outcomes and milestones.

CUES is creating a cutting-edge, personalized learning platform tailored to the unique needs of credit union leaders. By using advanced data analytics and AI, the platform delivers customized content to support leadership development, career growth, and deeper member engagement. By providing valuable business insights, it also helps leaders drive meaningful progress in their organizations.

“We are thrilled to have been awarded the AWS IMAGINE Grant, which enhances the support and value we provide to our members,” said Jerry Saalsaa, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at CUES. “This empowers us to drive innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of credit union leaders, ultimately strengthening the industry as a whole. We are grateful to AWS for helping enable us to push boundaries, drive meaningful change, and deliver exceptional value to credit union leaders.”

“At AWS, we're inspired by the nonprofit sector's unwavering commitment to preserving the dignity and health of people and our planet," said Allyson Fryhoff, managing director of nonprofit and nonprofit health at AWS. "Our Imagine Grant winners are pioneering groundbreaking, technology-driven approaches that will amplify their mission impact and build a more equitable and compassionate world. We are thrilled to work alongside these organizations, helping them leverage the transformative capabilities of the AWS Cloud to bring these projects to life.”

Since the launch of the IMAGINE Grant program in 2018, AWS has awarded over $14M in unrestricted funds, AWS Promotional Credits, and expert technical guidance to over 130 nonprofit organizations in support of their technology-driven goals. Previous winners are currently using AWS services to tackle critical challenges such as eliminating barriers to food security, improving maternal health outcomes, helping millions access clean and safe drinking water globally, tackling rare disease research, and more.

Over 85,000 nonprofit organizations worldwide use AWS to increase their impact and advance mission goals. Through multiple programs tailored specifically to the nonprofit community, AWS enables nonprofits of all sizes to overcome barriers to technology adoption, while enhancing the scale, performance, and capabilities of mission operations.
For more information on the AWS IMAGINE Grant, visit aws.amazon.com/IMAGINE-grant

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