Financial Freedom
Work toward your financial goals.
Achieving your financial goals can be tough if you don’t know where to start. Our programs connect you with educational resources and opportunities to receive matching funds on your savings.
The $250 in matching funds can be used to:
• Obtain a secured credit card to build credit
• Open a Certificate of Deposit (CD) to build your savings
• Make debt payments to lower you income-to-debt ratio
The financial education curriculum includes:
• Developing a spending plan
• Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals
• Credit scores and reports
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• Lending processes
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• Accessing mainstream financial services
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• Understanding paychecks to maximize your tax situation
Money Moves Financial Education and Counseling Program
Veridian provides financial education and individual counseling
to participants. After completing the program, participants will receive $250 in matching funds.
Partner:
Veridian Credit Union
You are eligible for an IDA if you:
• Are a Veridian member with all loans here paid current
and other Veridian accounts not overdrawn
• Earn 80% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI)
• Have not previously received an IDA match
You can use the funds in an IDA to:
• Buy your first home, including a down payment or closing cost
• Pay down debt to decrease your debt-to-income ration and
qualify for a mortgage
• Pay off collections to increase your credit score to qualify
for a mortgage
To receive your savings match, you must:
• Deposit between $25 - $350 monthly
• Save for 6 - 12 consecutive months, including the month
you open the account
• Complete a Veridian-approved Homebuyer's Financial
Education Program
Veridian Individual Development Account (IDA)
Save money in an IDA and Veridian will match it
dollar for dollar up to $2,000 to help you work towards
home ownership.
Partner:
Veridian Credit Union
Partner:
Try Pie Bakery
Empowerment for Teenage Girls
Try Pie uses employment as an opportunity to engage and equip young women for their futures. Paid job experience in the kitchen is supplemented with 1-on-1 mentorship, leadership opportunities and time spent in a classroom setting.
Try Pie's curriculum focuses on four core values:
• Financial Literacy
• Job skill development
• Faith development
• Reconciling community
Teenagers will learn lessons that help them:
• Manage paychecks and build healthy financial habits
• Utilize savings programs like SIMPLE IRA and 529 Collete
Savings Account offerings
• Prepare for future employment
• Understand their unique gifts
• Recognize the value in each other and their community
You are eligible for the Try Pie program if you:
• Are in 9th grade in the Cedar Falls or Waterloo Community
School districts
• Identify as a female
Partner:
House of Hope
Financial Empowerment Program
House of Hope offers a 1-on-1, 5-week course to help residents build a spending plan, check their credit, create financial goals with an action plan to achieve them. The participant and their assigned accountability partner work together to ensure their spending plan is realistic and followed through on. You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in Veridian’s Money Moves and IDA programs, as well as House of Hope’s Driving Hope program.
Upon completion, you will be eligible for a $500 scholarship to spend on housing, transportation or health care.