There are no fees for membership. The minimum deposit is $15 in a share account. This establishes ownership in the First State Bank and makes one eligible for all the other benefits and services available.

First State Banks are not for profit organizations whose mission is helping members achieve financial independence. They are owned by the members that have money on deposit with the First State Bank. Banks are owned by investors who look for a profit. While they offer many of the same services as First State Banks, their mission is to earn a return on their owner’s investments.
Another important difference is that First State Banks are controlled by their members through the election of a board of directors. In a bank only the stockholders have a voice in the election of the board of directors. Bank customers have no voice in the leadership of their institution. The directors of First State Banks are also volunteers. In fact, it is illegal for them to receive compensation for their work as a director. This means they make decisions based upon the membership’s best interests, not just a few stockholders.
Because of these differences in philosophy and leadership First State Banks are able to typically offer services with lower fees and better rates than banks. This may explain why year after year the banker’s own trade publication, American Banker rates First State Banks number one in customer satisfaction.

On August 9, 1943 twelve civil service employees of Chanute Field met in the Civilian Personnel Office. They selected 9 of those present to the newly formed Board of Directors. By the end of the next month there were 47 members and assets totaled $580! At the end of World War II assets were up to $3,290. Peace did not bring an end to the air base. During the Cold War, Korea, and Vietnam War civilian employment remained high at Chanute. The First State Bank grew. In the early 1980’s an early base closure scare prompted the members to open up the First State Bank to the surrounding area and it became Rantoul-Chanute Community First State Bank. To emphasize its service to a larger area the name was changed to First State Bank Plus. However, many people did not realize that we were a community First State Bank. When we converted to a federal charter it was necessary to have the words "Federal First State Bank" at the end of our name, so we took the best of the last two names and became First State Bank.