The Ford Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) today announced joint funding to launch a credit union to serve people with disabilities. Artichoke Credit Union is a sub-brand created in partnership with Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) and is designed to center the needs, voices, and experiences of the disability community, with the goal of increasing financial inclusion for people with disabilities.
Artichoke Credit Union, the first credit union of its kind, is designed to serve people with disabilities, their families, caregivers, advocates, and supporting organizations nationwide. Artichoke Credit Union is expected to begin accepting member sign-ups in the early second quarter of 2027.
The name Artichoke Credit Union is inspired by Ed Roberts, a pioneer in the independent living movement. When Roberts, who contracted polio at age 14, overheard a doctor tell his mother that he would be a “vegetable” if he survived the illness, Roberts declared that he “decided to be an artichoke—a little prickly on the outside but with a big heart.” Roberts was also the first MacArthur Fellow with a disability.