Local organizations seeking funding through Sioux Valley Energy's Operation Round Up program have until Feb. 20 to apply for the first distributions of the year.

Operation Round Up is administered by a non-profit trust, the Sioux Valley Energy Customers' Trust, which was initiated in the fall of 2000. The purpose of the trust is to acquire, accumulate and disburse funds for charitable and educational purposes as permitted by Section 501 (c) (3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Your community, your school, and/or your nonprofit organization may be eligible for funding. Each quarter, the Board of Directors, volunteer representatives of each county, to review grant applications and make awards based on criteria guidelines of the Trust. Not all proposals are funded, and not all applications are funded at the full funding request.

The region served by the Trust includes the seven-county Sioux Valley Energy service area, as well as adjacent neighborhoods within the outer boundaries of the cooperatives service area. Money must also be spent within these boundaries. The electrical service area includes Rock and Pipestone counties in Minnesota, and Brookings, part of Kingsbury, Lake, Moody, and Minnehaha counties in South Dakota.

The major funding categories of the Sioux Valley Energy Customers' Trust include lending assistance to community service projects, economic development programs, education and youth initiatives, and emergency energy assistance. These funds are also available, should the need arise, to provide disaster relief.

Examples of the types of organizations who have received funding in the past are daycare associations, schools, nursing homes, sports clubs, vocational schools, youth groups, scholarship programs, humanity programs, fire departments, cities, special needs for individuals, and senior dining programs.

All applications received by the 20th of the month preceding a Board meeting will be considered at the next Board meeting. For example, an application received at the Sioux Valley Energy office by February 20th will be reviewed for funding at the March Board meeting.

Completed applications should be mailed to:

Sioux Valley Energy Customers' Trust
PO Box 216
Colman, SD 57017