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A school’s website is its digital front door, and for many Christian schools, that door has been stuck for years. Now, a faith-based credit union is paying to fix it.
America’s Christian Credit Union (ACCU) has stepped up as a sponsor of The First 10, a 2026 initiative led by School Success. The program will give 10 qualifying private and charter schools professionally designed, enrollment-focused websites at no upfront cost. For Christian schools already stretched thin on resources, this kind of partnership is more than practical. It is a reflection of what the body of Christ is called to do for one another.
The Problem That Has Gone Unspoken Too Long
Many Christian schools are doing extraordinary work inside their walls. Their teachers are devoted. Their communities are tight. Their values run deep. But the families they need to reach never see any of that, because the first thing those families see is a website that looks like it was built in another era.
School Success has worked with hundreds of schools over the years. The same barrier keeps showing up. A modern, well-built website can cost $10,000 or more. For most private and charter schools, that number is simply out of reach. Budgets go toward teachers, curriculum, and facilities. A website redesign sits at the bottom of the list, even when school leaders know it costs them families.
An outdated website does not just look old. It communicates something unintended. It tells prospective parents that the school may not be ready for their child. That perception, fair or not, shapes enrollment decisions. And enrollment decisions shape whether a school stays open.
The First 10 initiative was built to close that gap. Ten schools will receive new websites, designed with enrollment in mind, at no upfront cost. School Success will also manage ongoing hosting, security, and updates. School leaders will not have to think about any of it. They can stay focused on their mission.
A Credit Union With Deep Roots in Christian Education
ACCU was not a random sponsor for this kind of initiative. The credit union was founded in 1958 by five Nazarene pastors in Glendora, California. That origin matters. It tells the story of an institution built by people who believed finances could serve faith, not the other way around.
Today, ACCU holds more than $800 million in assets and serves 150,000 individual members. It works with Christians, churches, ministries, and Christian schools all across the country. Its mission is clear: to enable Christians to advance God’s good plan for the world.
Supporting Christian K-12 education is not new ground for ACCU. The institution has provided lending and financial services to Christian schools for decades. It has made school choice funding and Christian school financial health a core part of its work. Sponsoring The First 10 initiative is a natural extension of that commitment. ACCU is not simply writing a check. It is investing in the continued reach of Christian education at a time when that reach matters deeply.
Why This Matters for the Christian Community
There is a spiritual dimension to this story that deserves to be named directly.
Christian schools exist to form young people in faith and knowledge. That is a sacred task. When a school cannot communicate its mission clearly, when a broken website keeps families from finding their way in, the impact goes beyond enrollment numbers. It means children who might have grown in a faith-centered environment go somewhere else instead.
The families seeking a Christ-centered education for their children are out there. They are searching. They are making decisions. What they find online in those first moments shapes what they decide next.
This initiative gives under-resourced schools a fighting chance in that moment. It clears a real obstacle with real generosity. And it does so in a way that reflects the kind of community care that Christian institutions should model.
When one part of the body of Christ supports another, the whole body grows stronger. ACCU’s sponsorship of The First 10 is exactly that kind of support.
What Schools Need to Know About Applying
All 10 spots in The First 10 initiative are still available. Each application is reviewed individually, which means schools are not competing against a formula. They are telling their story.
Christian schools interested in applying can visit schoolsuccessmakers.com/10schools. Applications are open now. Schools that qualify will receive a professionally designed website built around enrollment goals, plus ongoing management of hosting, security, and updates at no upfront cost.
This is not a small opportunity. A well-designed website can change how a school is perceived, how many families inquire, and ultimately how many students enroll. For a school that has been working hard but struggling to be found, it could be the turning point.
A Closing Thought Worth Sitting With
It does not take a large gesture to change a life. Sometimes it takes one person, or one institution, deciding to fill a gap that others have walked past. ACCU and School Success are filling a gap that too many Christian schools have carried quietly for too long.
The work of Christian education is holy work. It deserves to be seen. This initiative helps make that possible.
For schools ready to take the next step, visit schoolsuccessmakers.com/10schools and apply today. For more on ACCU’s services for Christian schools and ministries, visit americaschristiancu.com.
Read next: How Faith-Based Organizations Are Building Stronger Communities Through Education Support
