Strengthening nonprofits that remove barriers and build pathways to financial stability

Veridian Credit Union is rooted in the belief that financial success should be within reach for everyone.

“The credit union was started by a group of employees from John Deere who wanted to make financial services more accessible for each other,” said Angela Weekley, Manager of Community Inclusion at Veridian Credit Union. “More than 90 years later, Veridian’s mission is to partner with our members to create successful financial futures.”

As a member-owned financial cooperative, Veridian’s success is directly tied to the strength of the communities it serves.

 “We’re a member-owned cooperative,” Angela said. “Giving back to the community is important to our members. For our communities to be strong, there has to be strong philanthropy and opportunities to partner with community organizations.”

That commitment led to the creation of the Veridian Credit Union Fund at the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, allowing Veridian to invest strategically in organizations removing barriers and expanding opportunity across the region. 

“Employment readiness and financial literacy are key to building a successful financial future,” Angela said. “It’s important that we support organizations offering those tools in our communities.”

Unlike many grant programs, Veridian’s fund supports organizations as a whole, not just individual projects. 

“Sometimes organizations will tailor a program to fit a grant,” Angela said. “We want to support organizations already doing the work. How do we support that work, let them decide what they need, and trust that they know what is best for these funds.”

This trust-based approach strengthens nonprofits across Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Through its partnership with the Community Foundation, Veridian benefits from grantmaking expertise and regional insight.

“The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa provides the expertise in grantmaking,” Angela said. “It’s truly a partnership.”

Since 2010, the Veridian Credit Union Fund has distributed more than $1.1 million to organizations expanding opportunity and building stronger communities. 

“To say that we’ve invested over a million dollars in communities where our members live and have the opportunity to thrive is powerful,” Angela said. “It’s proof that we are good stewards of our members’ money. We’re pouring it back into the community where they live.”

Organizations across Veridian’s region demonstrate this impact by supporting individuals on the path to stable housing, strengthening workforce readiness, and expanding opportunities for long-term financial stability.

“We want to do things that allow us to give people a hand up, not a handout,” Angela said. “Helping  people get to where they can sustain on their own and then reach back and help someone else.”

Through the Veridian Credit Union Fund and its partnership with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, that cooperative spirit continues by strengthening organizations, removing barriers, and helping communities build successful financial futures.