About ICUF
Founded in 1995 after historic flooding, the Iowa Credit Union Foundation (ICUF) is the philanthropic arm of the Iowa credit union movement and the Iowa Credit Union League (ICUL).
Our Mission: Guided by the credit union philosophy of “people helping people”, ICUF works to champion financial well-being for all.
Our Vision: To be a hub for credit union philanthropy.
Delivering Our Mission: ICUF advances it's mission through several key initiatives:
Advocacy
Advocating for issues that affect the financial well-being of Iowans.
Collaboration
Working with ICUL, Iowa credit unions, and community partners to provide resources and opportunities.
Investments
Funding mission-aligned programs, initiatives and grants.
Education
Educating credit unions and communities on financial well-being issues and resources.
Explore ICUF’s Annual Reports to see how we’re advancing financial well-being, supporting credit unions, and making an impact across Iowa. These reports highlight our programs, initiatives, and key accomplishments each year.
30 Years of ICUF Impact (2025)
2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011
Meet the Team
Ena Babic Barnes
Executive Director
Ena oversees the strategic execution of ICUF’s mission driven programs and investments. Prior to this role, she served as ICUF's Program Manager.
Ena has spent her career in various leadership roles with nonprofit and trade association organizations in Serbia. She led the development of programs and strategies focused on European integration and community development. Ena has an undergraduate degree in International Relations from the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Belgrade and earned a master’s degree in public administration from Drake University. Ena lives in Altoona, Iowa with her husband Brent and enjoys volunteering in her community.
Grace McKenna
Program Manager
As Program Manager, Grace McKenna is responsible for helping to bring the Foundation’s programming and mission-driven initiatives to life.
Prior to her role at ICUF, Grace served in a number of roles within the public, private and non-profit sectors in Des Moines and across Iowa. She is a proud graduate of Drake University, where she earned a B.A. in History and Politics. Grace is originally from the Quad Cities and now lives in Providence, Rhode Island with her dog, Biggie. In her free time, Grace is a personal trainer and fitness coach and participates in her community's robust and diverse arts scene.
Alicia D'Hont
Hospitality & Administrative Coordinator
As Hospitality & Administrative Coordinator, part of Alicia's work is to provide support to the ICUF Executive Director, along with supporting ICUF programs, governance and donor stewardship.
Prior to joining the ICUF team, Alicia worked for several years in the food service and hospitality industry. Alicia served two years as a Youth Development Volunteer with the Peace Corps on the northern coast of Peru. She has a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Northern Iowa. Alicia resides in Urbandale with her husband, Sean, and guinea pigs: Lotte, Berry and Charlie.
Board of Directors
Iowa Credit Union Foundation Directors serve three-year terms. We thank these generous volunteers for their commitment and strategic direction.
-
Board Chair: Jordan Hensley, Peoples Credit Union
-
Vice Chair: Julie Willse, Greater Iowa Credit Union
-
Secretary: Rebecca Neades, GreenState Credit Union
-
Treasurer: Jennifer Naeve, Ascentra Credit Union
-
Alejandro Alaniz, Greater Iowa Credit Union
-
Mary Bontrager, Community Volunteer
-
Dave J. Cale, Financial Plus Credit Union
-
Donna Dyer, TruStage
-
Kim Fettkether, Veridian Credit Union
- John Parks, Sioux Valley Community Credit Union
-
Aaron Plein, Dupaco Community Credit Union
-
Lindsey Ramos, I.H. Mississippi Valley Credit Union
-
Jeremy Reynolds, Corda Credit Union
-
Traci Stiles, Des Moines Metro Credit Union
-
Jamie Thomas, Community 1st Credit Union
ICUF's Story
OF SERVICE, EVOLUTION & ADVOCACY
1995 ICUF was established to provide disaster relief to credit union members after historic flooding uncovered the need.
2000 The ICUF Small Credit Union Grant was established to promote financial choice and support Iowa's credit union movement.
2005 Programming was expanded beyond credit union member disaster relief, providing educational resources to credit unions across the state.
2008 ICUF launched asset-building programs that matched participants' monetary savings.
2013 The Warren A. Morrow Memorial Scholarship was established in memory of ICUF champion, Warren A. Morrow.
2015 ICUF sponsored the "Money Smart Read" entrepreneurship program for 800 Iowa students.
2019 Financial coaching became a flagship educational offering through ICUF's "People Helping People" Financial Coach Training Program, educating credit union staff on guiding members through financial journeys.
2020 $700,000 was raised for COVID-19 relief, allowing ICUF to support credit union members in times of need.
2023 ICUF invested in the creation of the Economic Realities of Communities of Color Statewide Report to highlight financial disparities and key areas for improvement across Iowa.
2024 ICUF committed $150,000 over three years to fund the ICUF Financial Inclusion Grant Program to collaborate with community organizations combatting financial wellness barriers in Iowa.
