Valley First Credit Union Receives Prestigious Grant from Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco to Empower Underserved Communities and Drive Economic Growth in the Central Valley

​Valley First Credit Union is pleased to announce that it has once again been awarded a significant grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of San Francisco’s Affordable Housing and Economic Development (AHEAD) program. This recognition underscores Valley First’s unwavering dedication to strengthening the Central Valley community through economic development and expanding opportunities for local residents.
 
As a proud member of the FHLB, Valley First Credit Union applied for and secured an AHEAD grant on behalf of STEP to support their impactful initiatives. This program, dedicated to promoting affordable housing and economic development in underserved communities, enables us to further STEP’s mission. We are honored to support their work and contribute to meaningful change in our community.
 
This year’s grant funds will further Valley First’s collaboration with Stanislaus Equity Partners (STEP), a leading community development organization in the Central Valley. Founded in 2021, STEP is dedicated to empowering Stanislaus County residents through access to asset-building opportunities, including housing, small business services, and affordable lending. Despite its relatively recent formation, STEP’s leadership brings decades of experience addressing economic disparities in underinvested communities.
 
Expanding Economic Development Through STEP
STEP’s core initiatives address two critical needs in Stanislaus County: pathways to homeownership and support for minority-owned small businesses. This year’s grant will primarily support STEP’s Micro-Business Development Center (MBDC), an initiative aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and sustaining successful BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) entrepreneurs in Stanislaus County.
 
The MBDC provides:

• Access to capital and technical assistance.
• Networking opportunities designed to help small business owners grow and thrive.
• The Small Business Cohort program, a culturally relevant learning experience offered in both Spanish and English, where entrepreneurs can share experiences, learn from experts, and build a supportive community.

 
To date, STEP has delivered over 2,615 hours of technical assistance, connected more than 50 small businesses to funding, and held impactful events such as pitch competitions and funders expos. These efforts are crucial in addressing the disparities faced by entrepreneurs of color, who represent nearly 60% of the population but own less than 30% of businesses in the county.
 
A Community-Centered Approach
STEP designs its programs to be accessible and culturally relevant, meeting entrepreneurs and residents where they are. Services are offered in Spanish and English, and staff regularly travel to rural areas to ensure that geography and language are not barriers to access. By building bridges between community leaders and regional stakeholders, STEP fosters collaboration and alignment across sectors to drive meaningful economic progress.
 
Valley First’s Commitment to Economic Development
“At Valley First Credit Union, we believe in the power of partnerships to transform communities positively,” said Kathryn Davis, President and CEO of Valley First Credit Union. “This grant reinforces our commitment to the Central Valley and enables us to amplify our support for STEP’s essential programs, which address the unique challenges faced by our community. Together, we are creating opportunities that empower individuals and uplift the region.”
 
The Central Valley has often been underserved in terms of funding opportunities. This grant from the FHLB of San Francisco exemplifies the positive change that collaboration can bring to the region. Valley First Credit Union is proud to lead by example, actively investing in the future of the Central Valley and bringing much-needed resources to its communities.

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John Levy

IMM, the only eSignature provider specializing in eSignature and digital transaction solutions exclusively for financial institutions (FIs), announced today more than 1,600 FIs now use IMM’s products and solutions for eSignatures, which reflects a growth in the client base of more than 15% from this same time last year. Of that, 30% have partnered with the company for more than five years, and notably, 50% for 10 years or longer. Fueled by a client-focused culture, the company has a history of reporting consistent long-term retention levels that are unprecedented within the financial software industry.
 
Chuck Klein, IMM CEO, said, “IMM has provided solutions to financial institutions for more than 25 years. I am so proud of our year-over-year growth as well as the spectacular team we have assembled. Reaching the milestone of 1,600+ bank and credit unions clients is quite an achievement. IMM eSign is the only solution available that was created exclusively for financial institutions, and we understand there are unique client requirements. Our products are designed with specific functionality to ensure IMM eSign is simply the best eSign solution for the financial services market.”
 
In 2021, IMM strived to go above and beyond exceeding their clients’ expectations. The company’s most notable achievements include:

• IMM released enhanced versions of IMM eSign and IMM eSignPlus to further simplify and streamline eSignature processes across the entire enterprise, elevating and further safeguarding the consumer experience while accelerating digital transformation strategies for its clients.
• IMM successfully completed the SOC 2® type 2 certification, reinforcing its commitment to security and regulatory compliance with leading industry standards for managing enterprise data. Undergoing this voluntary audit further affirmed its long-standing dedication to information and data security practices, ensuring policies, procedures and operations not only meet, but also exceed the industry standards for security, availability, and confidentiality.
• IMM strategically partnered with Notarize to offer clients remote online notary services and continues to expand its partner ecosystem.
• IMM’s most innovative eTransaction application to date, eReceiptsPlus, was introduced. The company’s patent-pending, cloud-based technology features real-time, remote-sign capabilities, enabling members or customers to complete end-to-end digital transactions, including remote embedded signature capture, directly from their mobile device via SMS (text) message.  
• The launch of IMM’s new Client Experience Program. This new client-centric program ensures current and prospective clients receive best-in-class account services and management as a part of their overall IMM experience. The company has a keen understanding of the challenges FIs face and can anticipate and quickly respond with relevant technology solutions.

 
For more than two decades, FIs of all sizes have selected IMM for its continued commitment to providing an enriching digital customer experience with technology offerings that solve evolving industry challenges. IMM attributes much of this success to its continued commitment to providing excellent customer service, including a collaborative environment in which ideas and feedback from clients influence much of the development and technology initiatives deployed each year.
 
“While this year brought many challenges to financial institutions, we are honored to be here to support their eSignature needs every step of the way,” said John Levy, EVP at IMM. “Our clients are at the center of our company's mission, and we want to continue to meet their evolving demands. We are grateful for their continued partnership and look forward to our growing relationships in the coming years.”

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​Hanscom Federal Credit Union Charitable Foundation recently announced the “12 Acts of Community Kindness” donation recipients for the fourth quarter of 2021 and first quarter of 2022. The Foundation has donated $1,000 to each of the nonprofit organizations chosen for an ongoing campaign to increase its charitable reach.
 
Each nonprofit organization represents one of three focus categories for the Foundation: service area, funding area, and SEG (Select Employer Group)/other area. Service area organizations are those that local to the area the credit union serves in Massachusetts and Virginia. Funding area organizations are those that provide services to groups close to the credit union’s mission, including ones serving veterans and the unhoused. SEG/other area organizations are those that are either affiliated with the credit union’s select employer groups or aren’t well defined by the other categories.
 
In the fourth quarter of 2021, the organizations chosen were Friends of the Beverly Public Library, Dog Tag, Inc., Shriner’s Children’s Hospital Boston, and the Jennifer Lynn Kane Scholarship and Charitable Trust. Friends of Billerica Public Library, Fisher House Boston, and Bedford American Legion Post 221 were funded in the first quarter of 2022.
 
“We’re proud to be able to continue this campaign and reach more organizations doing such great work,” said Laura Galeski, Hanscom FCU’s social responsibility manager. “Both the credit union and Foundation are focused on investing in our community, and supporting these organizations strengthens so many different facets of what makes our communities great.”

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