What This Means For You
When you join UMassFive, you'll be required to open a Base Savings account with $5. Those five dollars act as your share of the Credit Union, and make all of our great member benefits available for you to enjoy.
The UMassFive Difference
Being a not-for-profit financial cooperative means UMassFive operates as an association of people coming together for a common purpose.
Members pool their deposits, then loan those deposits to other members.
- By having an account at UMassFive you are a member-owner of the Credit Union.
- You have one share of the Credit Union which allows you to vote for our volunteer board of directors.
- As a member in good standing, you are allowed to run for the volunteer board of directors.
- All the profits of the Credit Union are returned to you—our members—in the form of higher dividends, lower loan rates and fees, and improved services.
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Our Mission
We create access to financial well-being for our members, sponsor groups, and the greater Pioneer Valley.
We do this through financial education, personalized attention, maintaining strong partnerships with organizations in our local community, and providing a workplace culture that encourages professional growth, empowerment, member advocacy, and teamwork. We pursue this mission every day, while maintaining financial stability and adhering to all regulatory requirements.
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The Eight Co-operative Principles upon which our culture is founded
- Voluntary and Open Membership
- Democratic Member Control
- Member Economic Participation
- Autonomy and Independence
- Training and Information
- Co-operation Among Co-operatives
- Concern for Community
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Our Investment Strategy
At UMassFive, every financial decision begins with one question: Does this protect member deposits and preserve our long-term strength?
As a member-owned credit union, we don’t invest to chase higher returns or take on unnecessary risk. We invest to preserve capital, maintain financial stability, and ensure we remain strong and dependable for our members — today and long into the future.
Safety and Stewardship First
UMassFive adheres to a conservative, disciplined investment approach. We only invest in financial instruments that are fully guaranteed or backed by the United States Government or its government-sponsored enterprises, including:
- Federally insured Certificates of Deposit (NCUA or FDIC insured)
- Securities issued by government-sponsored housing organizations such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae
- Portions of certain SBA and USDA loans that carry a full U.S. Government guarantee
What We Don’t Invest In
Federal credit unions are legally limited to specific, low-risk investment types. These permitted investments are regulated financial instruments and do not represent government funding decisions, operating budgets, or political contributions. Guided by prudence and responsibility, we do not invest in: Corporate stocks or corporate bonds, Municipal bonds, Mutual funds or exchange-traded funds, Fossil fuel or pipeline funding bonds, Energy companies, Gambling-related industries, Other speculative or high-risk investments.
Returning Value to Members
Any income generated from our investments is returned to you through competitive loan rates, strong deposit yields, lower service charges, and continued improvements to our services and technology.
This is how we live our cooperative values — through careful stewardship, transparency, and a long-term commitment to your financial well-being.
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Our History
- In 1967, UMassFive was founded by a handful of motivated employees of the University of Massachusetts Amherst to provide financial solutions to them and their immediate family members.
- In 1973, Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges were added to our field of membership.
- Since our humble beginnings, we have grown from a one-room operation on the UMass Amherst campus, to a full-service financial institution with six physical branches, a full-service contact center, and a robust online presence.
- We continue to partner with local community-based groups with which we share a vision, and now have over 50 local organizations that we serve and work with.
Read our full Bylaws document here.
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