National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) - an independent federal agency, based in Washington (State of Columbia), established by the U.S. Congress to oversee the federal credit union system. Typically, donor contributions to the credit unions are targeted and used in the same statutory requirements and restrictions as the Mutual Financial Aid fund as a whole. When organizing the credit union it is important that people know each other and know the extent to which each of them is trustworthy. First central bank of credit unions appeared in 1876. Credit unions began to appear rapidly in many European countries. The relationship between credit unions and shareholders arise from the membership and are not customer relationship. Credit unions base their activities on savings of shareholders, their shares and savings contributions, which make up the fund of mutual financial assistance - a source of cash loans to shareholders.