1. Identify your new bank and open an account (~1 hour)

 

Find a credit union near you or a green bank that does not invest in fossil fuels/DAPL. A few examples in the Bay Area are Redwood Credit Union (SF), Alliant Credit Union (Oakland), and and New Resource Bank. Not in the Bay Area? Here are recommendations across the US.

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2. Learn what your new bank requires (~15min)

 

Once you open a new account, make sure you look into their account requirements and deposit preferences. Two of the most important things you need to know are:

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• How to Make Deposits. This is especially applicable with online banks, which may let you transfer money through Paypal, a check, a wire transfer, or directly from your existing bank account.

• Minimum Balances and Monthly Fees. These are things you’ll want to be aware of from the get go. You don’t want to be hit with surprise fees!

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3. Set up direct deposit (~1 hour)

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• Direct Deposit. Your employer should have an easy form you can fill out to change your direct deposit information. This usually can be done by the next pay cycle, but make sure to ask how long it will take to process.

• Automatic Payments. Things can get a little tricky here. Make a list of all of your payments that are automatically debited from your account. Then figure out which ones were set up through the company you’re paying, and which were set up through the Bill Pay system at your old bank. Be sure to set up the proper online payments through your new bank, and change the account information for payments automatically debited by companies.

• Online Payment Systems. Last, but not least, switch your banking information in any online payment systems you have set up (e.g., paypal, venmo).

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Once you know the date of the first direct deposit, arrange for your automatic debits and withdrawals to be made from your new account and be sure to cancel them from your old account. Leave enough money in your old checking account to cover any checks that haven’t cleared or automatic payments that haven’t been made to avoid any fees.

 

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​4. Transfer your money (10min)

 

Once you’re certain all direct deposits and automatic payments are coming in to and going out of your new account, transfer the remaining funds from your old checking account into your new account. You can do this fastest electronically or by using a cashier’s check. Using a personal check may be cheaper than using a cashier’s check, but there may be a longer wait before it is available in your new account.

 

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​5. Close your old account! (30min)

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Once the transfer clears your new account, close the old account. Take one last look and make sure everything in your old bank account has cleared. If you have no outstanding payments or credits, make a trip to the bank and close your account. Get written confirmation that the account has been closed and, importantly, take a picture in front of the bank with a #DefundDAPL sign to post on social media!

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Your old bank will probably make a last ditch effort to convince you to stay. Stick to your guns! Remember why this is a powerful action to resist the Dakota Access Pipeline and protect the indigenous rights of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. 

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6. Report Out (1min)

 

Tell the DefundDAPL project how much money you pulled from DAPL-funding banks. $40 million and growing!

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