Annie Vamper Helping Hands Award Nomination Form

The Annie Vamper Helping Hands Award, the highest recognition bestowed by Inclusiv, honors extraordinary individuals whose leadership, service, and unwavering commitment has shaped the Community Development Credit Union (CDCU) movement. It is a tribute to those whose work carries forward Annie Vamper’s legacy and embodies the spirit of community empowerment and financial justice that define the CDCU mission. 

Established in 1993, the award honors Annie Vamper, a trailblazing leader whose life’s work championed financial inclusion for low-income and historically underserved communities. Her legacy endures through this prestigious honor, which recognizes individuals who reflect her defining qualities: deep compassion, fearless advocacy, and an unshakeable commitment to elevating others. 

Each year at the Inclusiv Conference, this award recognizes leaders who have gone far beyond their professional roles—individuals who have transformed institutions, strengthened communities, and advanced economic opportunities where needed most. Nominees are those who have contributed meaningfully to the growth of the CDCU movement, doing so with humility, generosity, and a deep belief in the power of cooperative finance to change lives. 

Recipients of the Annie Vamper Helping Hands Award are celebrated for: 

•  Decades of service to financially underserved communities 

•  Innovative leadership that expands access to safe, affordable financial services 

•  Mentorship and collaboration that strengthen the entire CDCU ecosystem 

•  A lifelong commitment to equity, inclusion, and community empowerment 

To be nominated for this award is to be recognized as a steward of Annie Vamper’s legacy—a leader whose work has left a lasting imprint on the movement and the communities it serves. It is a profound acknowledgment of service, impact, and heart.