You’re a credit union exec walking an exhibit hall at a fall conference. Someone nearby snaps a selfie, tags it #BrightFutures4Kids, and just like that, $10 is headed to a children’s hospital. That small moment has been repeating all year, and the totals are now in.
Acumen Financial Advantage has marked the first anniversary of its BrightFutures4Kids campaign with $40,971 donated to Children’s Miracle Network. That’s more than double the $20,000 the company announced in April. Over 500 selfies have been posted on LinkedIn so far, and the count keeps climbing.
The campaign is also getting a second year. This time, credit unions that open a new charitable donation account (CDA) with Acumen are invited to match Acumen’s donations to Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in their own communities.
How the campaign works
Acumen launched BrightFutures4Kids in October 2025 with two goals: raise money for children’s hospitals and introduce more credit unions to CDAs. Here’s how the giving breaks down:
- Acumen donates $10 to Children’s Miracle Network for every LinkedIn selfie posted with #BrightFutures4Kids.
- Acumen also donates 5 percent of its revenue from every CDA it implements.
All year, and again this fall conference season, credit union leaders and staff have posted selfies from exhibit halls and sessions across the country.
What’s a CDA, anyway?
A CDA is a giving tool many credit unions haven’t yet tapped. Under NCUA rules in place since 2013, a federally chartered credit union can hold investments that would otherwise be impermissible, as long as at least 51 percent of the account’s total return goes to qualified charities.
The results are adding up fast. Across the 60 credit unions and community organizations working with Acumen, CDAs are on track to generate at least $5.98 million a year for nonprofits. At the end of 2024, that figure was about $56,000 a year. Nearly all of the money stays local, supporting food banks, children’s hospitals, shelters and school foundations.
“When we started BrightFutures4Kids, we hoped a few selfies would start a conversation about how our favorite charities like Children’s Miracle Network can be funded through charitable donation accounts. A year later, our community has helped raise more than $40,000 for children’s hospitals, and our clients’ CDAs are on track to give nearly $6 million a year to the causes they care about most,” said Samantha Paxson, Principal at Acumen Financial Advantage. “In year two, we’re inviting credit unions to join us by matching our gift when they open a new CDA. Every new account can support their own community and children’s health at the same time.”
“Credit unions have a long history of showing up for kids in their communities, and BrightFutures4Kids has given them a meaningful way to do it,” said Nick Coleman, Managing Director, Program Development at Children’s Miracle Network. “We’re proud to extend our partnership with Acumen for a second year and build on the momentum of year one. Throughout the coming year, we’ll join Acumen at industry events to share how the new CDA match helps credit unions make a lasting impact on children’s health, with every dollar staying at their local hospital.”
How to take part
Credit union professionals can join in by posting a selfie on LinkedIn with #BrightFutures4Kids. Credit unions curious about how a CDA could work for them can visit Acumen’s Charitable Donation Account page.
One selfie takes seconds, and a year in, it has helped put more than $40,000 into children’s hospitals.