Fund of Mutual Financial Aid of the credit union can be extended by sponsorship contributions from businesses, organizations, including on a returnable basis. Like any financial institution, credit unions have the financial resources. The first credit union in the United States was founded in 1909. by the group of Franco-American Catholics in Manchester, New Hampshire, and was called "Cooperative Credit Association of St. Mary. " Principles of cooperative democracy and interaction were adequate to the purposes for which people joined credit unions. Credit union is created by a group of members who pursue a common interest. Agreeing to make regular contributions, they create a fund from which can borrow money for investments and replenishment of working capital at favorable interest rates. Credit unions of the open type are still controlled by their members, but at the same time provide services to people who are not its members (external customers). Until the mid-XX century, credit unions in the United States had little assets that did not exceed, as a rule, 100 thousand dollars Credit unions are financial institutions, financial cooperatives of citizens, and in this capacity they are above all associations of people, not unification of capitals, which is typical, for example, for public companies. Unlike banks credit unions limit their activities to a closed circle of people.