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It (Re)Launched! Missoula FCU is Now Clearwater Credit Union

Clearwater Credit Union (formerly Missoula FCU) re-launches website

We’re excited to announce the re-launch of Clearwater Credit Union’s recently redesigned website, which recently won a Gold Davey Award for Corporate Responsibility! After more than 60 years as Missoula Federal Credit Union, the credit union changed its name to celebrate its expansion into new communities in Western Montana while honoring its roots in local Missoula County, which is home to both the Clearwater River and Clearwater Lake.

Clearwater worked with us to launch a redesigned website in early 2019. This past month, we re-launched the website to reflect the credit union’s new brand, which was spearheaded by design and innovation consultancy Opp/Ed. From the outset of the project, we identified three primary goals: 1) create a values-based banking impact hub, 2) differentiate by being proudly local, and 3) ensure the user experience is fast, easy, and accessible.

For Clearwater, the values truly come first. To that end, we up-ended the typical credit union site and put values first — everywhere. The new homepage is all about the mission and how the reader can get involved, and product pages lead with the positive impact the product has in the local community. It’s not for people who are just looking for a generic banking account, and that’s ok — Clearwater is looking for the people who want to be part of their mission, and this new site is designed to help those people know they’ve found their financial home. It’s not about just opening a checking account, it’s about joining a movement.

In addition to leading with values, Clearwater is proudly local, and wants to make sure its website visitors know it. Woven throughout the site are community impact stories, staff and member testimonials, and local imagery so visitors always know they’re dealing with a local credit union that prides itself on service and impact. Clearwater is passionate about transparency, so we made it easy for visitors to see what the credit union is up to. From easily accessible annual reports, to actual impact numbers throughout the site, to a blog categorized by the local causes the credit union actively works with, it’s obvious that Clearwater walks the walk.

Values, impact, and local connection are all important, but of course, user experience remains paramount. Clearwater wanted to make sure that visitors could intuitively navigate the site and find what they were looking for. With well-organized menus, prominent “join” and “login” buttons, and a seamless mobile experience, anyone can open an account, explore products, or view recent transactions without any heavy lifting required.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with Clearwater Credit Union to further evolve the website and better support values-based banking and the financial well-being of Clearwater members.