Our Story

Our mission – do right by our members. We're focused on providing great service, not earning big profits.

We're not-for-profit, and all for you

Serving North Texas since the 1930s

Owned by members

Helping people, not shareholders

Our roots run deep in the heart of Texas

DATCU opened during the Great Depression. We survived the hard times, thrived during the good times, and have always worked to make our members' lives better and local communities stronger.

DATCU history

The 1930s in the Unites States was not our finest hour. We were in the heart of the depression and the future looked grim. Times were difficult for everyone, especially educators in a time of war and depression. However, the timing was perfect for an outstanding long-lived financial organization to be born.

The idea of credit unions originated from the thought of people pooling their money together to make loans to each other at a low interest rate, to eliminate the dominance of a bookie. The idea is the essence of People Helping People. This is exactly what two North Texas State College professors, Dr. V.Y. Craig and Ross Compton, along with 11 other educators did when they pooled $650 together, and established Denton County Teachers Federal Credit Union.

Today, we serve more than 100,000 members and have assets of more than $1.5 billion.

We attribute our success to outstanding service, hiring great employees who care about the communities and members they serve, and giving back. We are committed to supporting nonprofits, civic organizations, and our schools.

How Credit Unions Operate

DATCU and other credit unions don't have to answer to shareholders who are expecting maximum profits. Our Board of Directors and team are focused on providing the best financial service possible.

Not-For-Profit Status

Credit unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives, where banks are for-profit institutions. Credit unions exist to serve our members. We return earnings to our members in the form of lower loan rates, higher interest on deposits, and lower fees.

Membership Eligibility

Under federal law, credit unions cannot serve the general public. Some credit unions are open to people who live in certain communities, while in other cases eligibility is based on working for a certain employer or being affiliated with specific organizations, such as churches or social groups. DATCU membership is open to anyone living or working in Denton, Cooke, Wise, Montague, Clay, Collin, Tarrant, Dallas, Grayson, Jack, or Parker counties in Texas.

Ownership

Each credit union is an economic democracy. Each credit union member has equal ownership and one vote, regardless of how much money a member has on deposit. At a credit union, every customer is both a member and an owner.

Volunteer Boards

Each credit union is governed by a volunteer board of directors, elected by and from the credit union’s membership.

Tax Status

Credit unions do pay payroll taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes. Congress exempts credit unions from federal income taxes.

People Helping People

Credit unions exist to help people, not make a profit. Our goal is to serve all of our members well, including those of modest means. Every member counts.

Annual Report & Meeting

Our credit union's business is our members' business. Join us for our annual meeting and read through our annual report to see how we've been impacting lives in North Texas.

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