• Donations and Sponsorship requests - What’s the difference?
• Donation Request Guidelines
• Sponsorship Request Guidelines
• Niagara Credit Union Charitable Foundation
• What we support
• Some examples of what we support
• Corporate Funding
• Branch Funding
• Exclusions
• Where do I send my Request?

Please click here to download the Sponsorship Request Form (PDF format). You may also obtain this form at any one of our branches.


Community Investments
Niagara Credit Union is committed to enhancing the quality of life in Niagara by investing in our communities. Supporting the community is a sound long-term investment. We are proud to sponsor the following events across Niagara. More information is available in our Events Calendar (above).

Teddy Bear Tymes

Local Registered Charitable Club that provides Teddy Bears to be placed in Ambulances, Local Police Cars, Hospitals, and Senior's Homes for traumatized individuals.

Niagara Community Foundation

The Niagara Community Foundation will serve the people of Niagara by building permanently endowed charitable funds for the changing needs and opportunities of the community. The Foundation will make grants that contribute to the health and vitality of the Niagara Region. Donations can be made at any Niagara Credit Union branch. For more information please contact the Niagara Community Foundation at (905) 684-8688.

Family & Children's Services (FACS)

Family and Children's Services Niagara is your local children's aid society- providing child protection, foster care, adoption, family counselling and many other services that support the children, youth and families of our community. Please call us if you have a concern about about the safety and well being of a child, would like to learn more about our community programs such as our family counselling centre, nursery schools, family resource centres or toy lending services or if you are interested in becoming a foster parent, volunteer or a donor. You could make the difference in the life of a child. (905)937-7731 or 1-888-937-7731 ext 3304.

Junior Achievement of the Niagara Peninsula

Junior Achievement of the Niagara Peninsula is a non-profit registered charitable organization, operating through private sector financial support from many corporate and individual donors, with a volunteer Board of Directors encompassing all communities in Niagara. With over 30 years of service in Niagara, we offer business education programs that are funded through supporters in the private business sector, with programs delivered by community volunteers.

Wellspring Niagara

Wellspring Niagara is a non-profit, regional cancer support centre for individuals and their families living with cancer.  We offer one-to-one confidential peer support, various support groups, coping skill programs such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Relaxation & Visualization and an educational resource library for our members.  Membership is free and no referral is required.   For information about all Wellspring Niagara programs please contact Lorraine Bauer, Operational Manager 905-684-7619 or 1-888-707-1277 or e-mail: wellspringniagara@becon.org. Visit the website at: www.wellspringniagara.com.

Children's Discovery Centre of Niagara

This exciting new innovative project will provide many benefits for the entire Niagara peninsula. Through educational tours, workshops, partnerships and community and tourist access, the Discovery Centre will play a vital role throughout our region. The Centre will create a unique, interactive and educational experience for children. Programs and exhibits will offer a dynamic learning environment, examining many aspects of the world around us. For more information please call (905) 934-8338. .

Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region

Dedicated to ensure quality services for individuals with Alzheimer Disease and related dementias. Support and advocate for individuals, families, caregivers and community through counseling, education, and the promotion of research to compassionately respond to the very special needs of those experiencing dementia.

Agape Valley Sugar Bush

Owning and managing a 140-acre property located in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario, Canada near the village of Fonthill and the famous attraction, Niagara Falls, Agape Valley operates unique programs that are focused on developing healthy child and family relationships. The most popular of them is the Summer Day Camp.

The Merritton Community Group

The Merritton Community Group (MCC) was formed in January 2001 as a direct result of the City of St. Catharines Community Development Strategy (CDS) project. This project, which began in 2000, was designed to give St. Catharines residents an opportunity to provide and prioritize ideas related to improving the quality of life within their area. Following a series of CDS community consultations in Merritton, a number of interested residents and various Merritton group members were inclined to form a permanent "Merritton Community Group" with the following mission statement: "A non-profit group dedicated to the development and enhancement of the social and economic character of Merritton, mindful of its distinct community heritage." The group is open to anybody who subscribes to this mission and anybody who wants to contribute to the community and economic betterment of Merritton, St. Catharines.

St. Catharines Ringette Association

Our St. Catharines Ringette Association was formed in 1977 to promote the sport of Ringette in St. Catharines. Since its inception we have grown, almost dwindled away and now are seeing a resurgence in support, both in volunteers and players. We currently have approximately 130 girls enrolled in our program and are hoping to see an increase for the 2002-2003 season. Ringette is promoted as a girl's sport for all ages ranging from our Bunny program (4-7 years old) to our Open Division (19 years and older). The only similarity to hockey, is that it is played on ice. The actual rules closer resemble Basketball or Lacrosse.

St. Giles Presbyterian Church

Located at 205 Linwell Rd., St. Catharines, Ontario, offers a variety of programs for all age groups and has a busy congregational schedule.

Bethesda

Bethesda is a non - profit, charitable organization that provides services and accommodation for adults with developmental disabilities in the Niagara Region.

About NCU / History

Throughout its long and impressive history, Niagara Credit Union has built its success on one simple goal…to enrich people’s lives by excelling in personal financial service. Now sixty years and thousands of lives grown later, Niagara Credit Union members are still reaping the rewards of this vision.

It all began back in 1937 when some Virgil-area fruit farmers formed the Niagara Township Fruit Cooperative Limited for the purpose of providing a central organization for buying their farm requirements and selling their produce. As this Co-op expanded and flourished, it became apparent that banking services were needed, including the granting of credit for farm expansion and development. Virgil had no banks and the nearest ones were in Niagara-on-the-Lake and St. Davids.

These financial institutions had a reputation for being ultra-conservative in their attitude toward farmers in need of financial help. A little farther away, in St. Catharines, the banks did provide some credit for the well-established and successful farmers. But these banks too were reluctant to grant loans to the newcomers who had little in the way of tangible assets despite their honesty, integrity, and excellent farming skills.

Around 1944, requests were made to have a branch bank opened in Virgil, but these requests gained no favorable reaction. An employee of the Co-op, Mr. A. P. Regier, who had some experience with credit unions, suggested that the Co-op members band together and organize their own “people's bank.” A number of study meetings were held and the group applied to the Provincial Government for a credit union charter, which was granted in December, 1944. All charter applicants were directly connected with agriculture in Niagara Township. The credit union was called Niagara Township Credit Union.

The newly formed credit union began operations in January 1945, in space provided by the Co-op, and with the voluntary help of Regier. The credit union was started with assets of $24. At the end of its first year of operation, membership was 63 and assets were $2,421.

The underlying principles of the credit union were to provide its members with a place to save along with providing low-cost loans. These loans were generally small and short term. By the early 1950s, the Co-op had opened stations in Beamsville and St. Catharines; therefore many more Co-op members became eligible to join the credit union. Virgil, too, was growing as a result of the post-war boom. These factors combined to convince the credit union's Board of Directors to engage a full-time office.

Regier was hired as the first full-time Treasurer-Manager. The credit union also introduced secondary chequing services to its members in August 1952, through the Dominion Bank. By doing so, Niagara Township Credit Union was the first credit union to introduce chequing services to its members.

A new bond of association was formed in 1955 and membership became open to a larger geographical area. Regular meetings were held and an eligible person could only become a member if they attended a stipulated number of these meetings and were nominated for membership by two active members of the credit union. Later that year, the credit union leased its first office and offered its members 48 hours of service each week.

The second branch office was opened in St. Catharines. With this branch location, more and more citizens of St. Catharines joined the credit union resulting in a significant growth in membership and assets. The Virgil branch moved into its own building in January 1960. In 1966, the Vineland branch was opened. Continued expansion and growth of the credit union necessitated a major expansion of the office building in Virgil. It was also in 1970 that the credit union applied for and was granted permission to change its name to Niagara Credit Union.

In 1972, the Provincial Government changed the credit unions' bond of association and membership became available to anyone living in, or working in, the City of St. Catharines, the Regional Town of Lincoln, and the Regional Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. In 1975 the credit union opened its fourth branch at Lake Street in St. Catharines. Earlier in this same year the board of directors voted to discontinue the sponsorship requirement for membership and in 1977 the credit union's fifth branch was opened at Pendale Plaza.

The credit union’s bond of association was changed again in 1980. This change covers the Regional Municipality of Niagara. In 1981, further expansion of branch office locations resulted following amalgamations with other area credit unions with offices opening in Port Colborne, Stevensville, Welland, Fonthill, and Wainfleet. In 1984 Niagara introduced Automated Banking to its members. By 1985, Niagara Credit Union had a total of 11 branches serving the region with another branch having been opened in Niagara Falls. By 1988, the Ridley Square and Grimsby branches had been added and the membership totaled over 62,000 with assets of $454 million. Extended hours were also added to the branches in an effort to better accommodate the membership. 1990 saw the addition of a drive-thru ABM location at the Ridley Plaza branch and construction on a new Corporate Office building was begun and completed in 1991. Construction on a Beamsville branch is also completed this year. By 1992, Telephone Banking had been introduced and the asset base was $627 million. The Grimsby branch is relocated. 1994 was a banner year in that it marked the 50th anniversary of Niagara Credit Union. By this time there were 14 branches with assets of $650 million.

In an effort to replace their outdated Niagara-on-the-Lake facility, a new state-of-the-art branch was opened in Virgil in 2003, reinforcing the company’s commitment to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Virgil and the entire Niagara region.

In 2004, Niagara Credit Union made the landmark decision to merge its operations with Guelph & Wellington Credit Union, moving beyond the Niagara marketplace for the first time. This merged credit union is the largest in Ontario serving more than 100,000 members in the communities of Niagara, Guelph and Wellington County with a full range of banking, wealth management and credit products and services. With 18 branches and 27 ATMs throughout Niagara, Guelph and Wellington County, the new credit union has almost 500 employees and over $1.65 billion in assets, and operates Commercial Banking Centres in St. Catharines, Welland, Guelph and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

This brings us to the present. With its strong leadership, professional staff and excellent services, Niagara Credit Union is committed to delivering financial excellence to its members today, tomorrow and into the future.