From Feel-Good to Fully Measured: How One Credit Union Turned Community Support into Strategic Growth with Measured Impact
Case Study: How Our Signature Program Measured Impact: A KPI Framework for Credit Union Sponsorships Helped One Credit Union Turn Sponsorships into Measurable Success
When this mid-sized credit union reached out, they were known for being active in their community. They sponsored everything from local parades and sports teams to nonprofit galas and financial wellness fairs. Their events looked great on social media, and they genuinely believed in supporting their members and community.
But behind the scenes, there was a growing problem: they had no idea what was actually working.
“We’re showing up, but we can’t prove anything. Our CFO keeps asking what we’re getting for this budget—and honestly, I don’t know how to answer him,” their marketing director admitted.
The Challenge: Good Intentions, No Accountability
In our initial Measured Impact Discovery Session, we uncovered common—but costly—gaps:
No system for tracking member interactions, product interest, or leads
No defined sponsorship KPIs aligned to credit union goals
No consistent post-event reporting or storytelling to leadership
No criteria to evaluate existing partnerships before renewing
Growing internal skepticism from senior leadership about sponsorship spend
They weren’t alone. Many credit unions fall into what I call the "feel-good sponsorship trap"—where community involvement is high, but ROI visibility is low.
The Measured Impact Solution
Over the course of our 4–6 week engagement, we took them through the full Measured Impact framework:
Mapped sponsorships to strategic priorities like youth outreach, membership growth, financial literacy, and enhancing member benefits
Built a custom KPI framework tailored to their internal tracking tools (QR codes, member surveys, app activity, and lead forms)
Implemented a sponsorship scorecard that scored partners based on alignment, reach, engagement potential, and member value
Developed a post-event reporting system that could easily be shared with internal stakeholders—translating activity into impact
Audited member perks and created new measurable benefits (discounted tickets, VIP access, financial education tools) that tied directly to credit union value
We didn’t just give them a plan—we made sure they could execute it within their team’s existing capacity.
The Results: From Uncertainty to Evidence-Backed Impact
Within 90 days of launching their new sponsorship strategy, the credit union achieved:
Over 300 warm leads generated via QR code activations and lead-gen contests
A 23% lift in auto loan conversions directly tied to event participants who engaged with their booth and follow-up campaigns
A strategic partner ranking system that helped them tier their investments and renegotiate contracts based on performance
Elimination of two long-standing partnerships that no longer aligned with their goals—or produced results
An internal sponsorship impact dashboard used in executive meetings to justify budget and prioritize growth
An average $30 per member increase in measurable member benefit via perks, discounts, and financial education resources
And most importantly:
“For the first time, I walked into a CFO meeting with real numbers tied to our sponsorships. I didn’t just defend the budget—I demonstrated why it should grow.” — CU Marketing Director
The Takeaway: Strategy Beats Sentiment
This credit union didn’t stop caring about community—they just added strategy, clarity, and measurability to their mission.
Their members still feel the love, but now the leadership team feels the value. That’s the real power of building a sponsorship strategy around measurable impact.