Grant applications for Central Electric Cooperative’s Operation Round-Up® program are due May 1, 2023. Through Operation Round-Up, funds are awarded to organizations that benefit area communities. Applicants do not need to be members of Central Electric Cooperative, but eligible projects should have a positive impact in Central Electric’s territory which includes Aurora, Brule, Buffalo, Davison, Hanson, Jerauld, Miner and Sanborn County. 

Past projects supported through Operation Round-Up include fire department equipment upgrades, 4-H projects, youth programs, public beautification efforts, community building upgrades and various non-profit projects. 

Operation Round-Up is a voluntary program in which members round their electric bill up to the next whole dollar each month, and the extra cents are used to fund grants. A number of cooperative employees and board members also contribute to the fund. Since 2015, Central Electric members, employees and board members have invested more than $170,000 to support projects. 

Local residents from the cooperative’s eight-county territory serve on the board of trustees that awards grant funds. Julie Dykstra of Stickney represents Aurora County, Jill Ekstrum of Kimball represents Brule County, Ellen Speck of Gann Valley represents Buffalo County, David Jorgenson of Mitchell represents Davison County, LeAnn Moe of Alexandria represents Hanson County, Amber Kolousek of Wessington Springs represents Jerauld County, Tami Moore of Howard represents Miner County, Dawna VanOverschelde of Letcher represents Sanborn County and Merl Bechen of Mitchell represents the cooperative board. 

Complete funding guidelines and a fillable application can be found online by visiting centralec.coop/operation-round-up or by calling 1-800-477-2892.