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From small beginnings

Back in 1940, $75 was a lot of money. That’s how much our founders – nine federal employees – pooled to give their co-workers and families an alternative to traditional banks. They were passionate about providing affordable choices and giving people a voice in how their financial organization was managed. And so, the NIHFCU was born!

Throughout the decades, we have expanded membership beyond the National Institutes of Health to include those employed at other select biomedical/healthcare organizations in the Washington DC metro area. In 2010, as we continued to grow, we branched out further to offer membership to those working in these industries in MD, VA, DC, and WV.  In 2016, we also welcomed NC into the geographies we served.

Today, we serve more than 41,000 members and now make membership available beyond just the healthcare and biomedical industries.  Not a healthcare or biomedical professional?  You still may be eligible to join.  See our list of eligible employers or become a member of American Consumer Council (complements of NIHFCU) so you can begin banking with us.  Join the NIHFCU.

Our members are smart, dedicated and focused individuals – too busy to waste time and too smart to waste money. We understand the unique needs of our members – both within and outside the biomedical/healthcare industries – and we are proud to provide the product and service options they deserve to reach their financial goals.

For more information about the National Institutes of Health Federal Credit Union, view our annual report.

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Why a credit union?

If it feels like we’re on your side, it’s because we are. Our members are equal owners of the NIHFCU, meaning they all have one vote in electing our volunteer Board of Directors (who are also NIHFCU members). With most commercial banks, customers do not have a real voice in its future. Where banks focus more on Wall Street and the financial stake of their shareholders, credit unions are focused solely on the lives of its members. As a not-for-profit cooperative, we are proud of the “people helping people” approach we’ve taken to financial services since we were founded in 1940.

Credit unions do look similar to banks – both offer a range of products and services. However, because of the way credit unions operate, you’ll commonly enjoy:

  • lesser fees for services,

  • lower interest rates on loans of all kinds,

  • higher returns on your savings.

And, that means more of your money where it belongs – in your pocket.
NIHFCU members have a voice in the future of the credit union
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We’re here for you

Ownership

As a nonprofit cooperative, NIH Federal Credit Union is owned and operated by its members. Each member has one share of ownership and one equal vote.

Board of Directors

Each year, members vote on our Board of Directors. The Board is a volunteer group of NIHFCU members responsible for the strategic direction of the credit union, including developing goals and establishing policy. The current Chairman of the Board is Steven J. Berkowitz. You can contact the Board at board@nihfcu.org

Supervisory Committee

This committee ensures the integrity and financial strength of NIHFCU, as well as maintaining the highest level of service to our membership. Should you have concerns or comments, please email nihfcu@nihfcu.org for the quickest response. However, if you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can contact the committee at supervisorycommittee@nihfcu.org or P.O. Box 1482, Rockville, MD 20850.

President/CEO

Rick Wieczorek, with over 30 years of credit union industry experience, has served as President and CEO of the NIHFCU since 2014. He is also the current Chairman of the Board of Directors of the MD/DC Credit Union Association. You can reach him at CEO@nihfcu.org

For general account inquiries and fasted support, please email nihfcu@nihfcu.org or call us at 800-877-6440

For your security, please do not include sensitive financial information such as your member number or social security number.