Over the course of its 80-plus-year history, Michigan State University Federal Credit Union has prioritized serving not only its members but also its community. In 2019, it established its own foundation in furtherance of that commitment.

The Desk Drawer Fund is a nonprofit aiming to empower MSUFCU members, employees, and local businesses to contribute to a universal wellbeing by investing in the MSUFCU and Oakland University Credit Union communities to help them flourish.

“Giving back is part of the ethos of our credit union,” said Susi Elkins, Chief Community Impact Officer for MSUFCU. "Our employees want to give back, and we know our community wants to give back, so establishing the foundation made perfect sense. And it’s a very important part of meeting our mission.

The DDF, as it's colloquially known, is named after its parent organization's early history. MSUFCU was founded in 1937 amid the throes of the Great Depression by Michigan State University faculty and staff who had struggled to find a financial institution, in an effort to make saving and affordable borrowing possible.

The DDF, as it's colloquially known, is named after its parent organization's early history. MSUFCU was founded in 1937 amid the throes of the Great Depression by Michigan State University faculty and staff who had struggled to find a financial institution, in an effort to make saving and affordable borrowing possible.

Since then, MSUFCU has grown into one of the nation's 50 largest credit unions with almost a half-million members. In fact, it is now the largest university-affiliated credit union in the U.S. But at its founding, MSUFCU was such a modest organization that it was operated out of a single desk drawer.

The DDF focuses its philanthropic initiatives on five pillars: arts and culture, stable housing, empowering youth, financial education, and fostering entrepreneurialism. The organization provides more than $450,000 per year to nonprofits, charities, and causes within its community. Since its establishment in 2019, the DDF has gifted more than $1.3 million.

MSUFCU is celebrating its 85th year, but its mission and the purpose of the DDF still tie directly back to 1937, Elkins said.

"MSUFCU was born out of a community need, and the mission hasn't changed," she said. "Now more than ever, communities rely on leaders like MSUFCU to understand what investments need to be made for our communities to thrive. Going back to our founders and the original desk drawer, we're still thinking about those very same things. The Desk Drawer Fund is a solidification of that and a more visible way to show the impact these investments make within the community."

The DDF is funded by charitable donations from MSUFCU members, employees, and the community. The organization is currently running its first raffle fundraiser, where members are encouraged to donate with a chance to win a prize. Elkins said the raffle, which runs through Sept. 27, has been a fundraising success and that the DDF is planning on making it a quarterly recurring drive. 

"We're grateful to our members that have supported the DDF through this raffle," Elkins said. "The more funds we raise, the more we can invest back into the community."

The DDF also recently began supporting two new Michigan charities: Family Promise of Grand Rapids, which helps to provide impacted families with stable, safe housing as they try to get back on their feet; and Community Schools In Michigan, which helps to provide schoolchildren with the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.

"These are both incredible community-focused organizations whose missions align with ours," Elkins said. "We're pleased to have the ability to support them."

At Spave, we're proud to support the DDF in its mission to support its community. Together, we are working to amplify the DDF's reach, increase its sponsorship, and help it impact even more lives.

We invite you to join us in supporting the Desk Drawer Fund. You can set up automatic, recurring donations and/or make one-time contributions to the DDF through the Spave app.