SELCO is one of three finalists selected from more than 100 entries across the West
(SPRINGFIELD, Ore.) — SELCO Community Credit Union has been named one of three finalists for the 2026 GoWest Community Impact Award, the latest recognition for the credit union’s SELCO Steps Up community outreach program.
More than 100 entries were submitted for this year’s GoWest Community Impact Award, which recognizes credit unions and individuals making a meaningful difference in the lives of their members and communities. Finalists were selected by a 44-member panel of credit union leaders from across GoWest’s six-state region.
“SELCO Steps Up was created to expand and elevate our community support to be more responsive, more collaborative, and more closely connected to the people and organizations doing critical work throughout Oregon,” said Bob Newcomb, SELCO’s president and CEO. “Being named a finalist is a meaningful recognition of our team members, community partners, and everyone who has helped turn that vision into measurable impact.”
Launched in 2024, SELCO Steps Up transformed the credit union’s community-impact strategy into a statewide, employee-powered model that could be a consistent and lasting force for good.
SELCO Steps Up reimagined the credit union’s approach to community engagement by empowering employees to help guide local giving and volunteer efforts. Since its launch, the program has provided nearly $1 million in support and thousands of volunteer hours through various initiatives, such as educator grants, scholarships, nonprofit sponsorships, and more across the communities SELCO serves.
The recognition marks the latest honor for SELCO Steps Up. In 2025, the program was recognized as a national finalist for the Credit Union Times’ Luminaries Award for Community Impact. In addition, the public relations campaign that supported Steps Up earned a “Category’s Best” Diamond Award from America’s Credit Unions earlier this year and was named a national finalist for PR Daily’s 2026 Nonprofit Communications Award, the winner of which will be announced this fall.
GoWest Award winners will be announced Oct. 9 during GoWest’s MAXX convention in Denver. GoWest, which announced the finalists on Aug. 5, is a trade organization representing not-for-profit credit unions across six states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
For more information about SELCO Steps Up, visit selco.org/steps-up.
About SELCO Steps Up:
The SELCO Steps Up program aims to create positive, innovative, lasting change through volunteerism, resource support, and collaboration with community partners. In 2025 alone, SELCO reinvested nearly $415,000 in the communities it serves through educator grants, scholarships, and impact-driven sponsorships, while SELCO team members committed nearly 1,700 volunteer hours. As a credit union founded by teachers, education is a cornerstone of these efforts, with a focus on removing barriers to financial literacy. By empowering individuals and families to achieve financial well-being, SELCO strives to build a strong foundation for all its members and neighbors. Learn more at selco.org/steps-up.
About SELCO Community Credit Union:
Founded in 1936 by a group of fiscally minded teachers, Springfield-based SELCO Community Credit Union today serves more than 150,000 members as one of the largest and longest-standing Oregon-based credit unions. A not-for-profit, federally insured, member-driven financial cooperative with more than $3 billion in assets, SELCO provides exceptional rates and low fees on a full range of financial products and services, including banking, mortgages, personal and business loans, investment management, and property & casualty insurance. Membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of the 27 Oregon counties or eight Washington counties SELCO serves. For more information or to become a member today, stop by one of SELCO’s 15 branches, visit selco.org, or call 800-445-4483.
Contacts
Jacob Berns, SELCO, 541-338-3841, jberns@selco.org
Zack Hall, DVA Advertising & PR, 775-338-0745, zack@dvaadv.com
