The new year is looking a bit brighter for 32 area organizations, communities, and schools receiving Sioux Valley Energy Operation Round Up grants. The $41,500 in grants, including nearly $5,000 reserved for scholarships, were awarded during the quarterly meeting of the Sioux Valley Energy Customers’ Trust Board of Directors in December. More than $164,000 in Operation Round Up grants has been awarded in total for 2024. Fourth quarter recipients include:

Baltic, South Dakota Baltic Community Club – $1,000 to build an outdoor classroom at the community

garden Beaver Creek, Minnesota City of Beaver Creek – $2,500 awarded to expand the splash pad at the city park

Brandon, South Dakota Brandon Valley Band Parents – $1,200 awarded to purchase portable mirrors for Winter Guard and Color Guard rehearsal

Brandon Valley Hockey Association – $1,200 awarded to build locker rooms at the new indoor hockey facility

Dynamic Dance Booster Club – $1,000 awarded to help fund the dance team’s participation at the world competition in Florida

Brookings, South Dakota Boys & Girls Club of Brookings – $1,250 awarded to purchase e-sports consoles

Dakota Drifters Snowmobile Club – $500 in funding awarded for speakers and presenters at the South Dakota Snowmobile Association State Convention

South Dakota Youth Foundation – $1,000 awarded toward training materials, toolkits for schools, and curriculum printing

Chester, South Dakota Chester Area Middle School Science – $500 awarded to purchase Solar Power Rover Kits and Solar Power Racer Kits

Colton, South Dakota City of Colton – $1,500 awarded to add a 10-foot by 14-foot concrete pad at the pool

Flandreau, South Dakota Boys & Girls Club of Moody County – $1,250 awarded to purchase e-sports consoles

Flandreau Public High School After Prom – $750 awarded toward After Prom event

Garretson, South Dakota Palisades State Park – $1,000 awarded toward installation of a kayak and fishing dock at the park

Hartford, South Dakota Christ Lutheran Church Daycare – $1,000 approved to purchase wellness and physical fitness items

Luverne, Minnesota Carson’s Cause – $2,000 in funding to purchase brain health improvement books for elementary students

Generations Inc. Quilters – $1,000 awarded to purchase batting and sewing supplies

Madison, South Dakota Dakota State University Foundation – $1,500 in funding to help sponsor Junior Achievement’s JA-in-a-Day program for area middle school students

The Domestic Violence Network – $2,000 awarded to use for rental deposits, rent, utility deposits and bills, and other items to help individuals and families

East Dakota Transit – $2,000 awarded toward general transit operations

Madison High School Drumline – $500 awarded toward drumline costs

Sunset Harbor Homeowners Association – $600 awarded toward purchase of an outdoor enclosure for the association’s automatic external defibrillator (AED)

Pipestone, Minnesota Historic Pipestone, Incorporated (HPI) – $1,000 awarded toward funding for the electrical and plumbing portion of the St. Paul Episcopal Church historic site remodel

Pipestone County Historical Society – $1,500 awarded toward the electrical upgrade to the Ferris Grand Block

Ramona, South Dakota Town of Ramona – $1,500 in funding to help transform the city baseball field to a multi-use field

Sioux Falls, South Dakota Breathe Bravely – $2,500 awarded to fund “Singspire,” a program of 10 weeks of virtual vocal lessons for individuals with cystic fibrosis

Catholic Community Foundation – $1,250 awarded to purchase gifts for children attending Christmas at the Cathedral

Great Bear Ski Valley Adaptive Skier Program – $2,000 toward purchase of SnowKart adaptive ski equipment

Independent Living Choices ADA 35 Festival – $2,000 in funding awarded to support vendors, interactive booths, activities, programming, volunteers, and more for the ADA 35 Festival in July 2025

Rare by Design – $1,000 awarded toward hosting the fourth annual The Style Show: A Runway to Empower in May 2025

Volunteers of America – $1,500 awarded to purchase sensory equipment for children residing at New Start

Washington Pavilion Management, Inc. – $1,500 to support Spotlight Theatre Company offerings for students ages 6-18

Tea, South Dakota TSC Blaze – $500 awarded for uniforms and equipment for 2025 18u softball season

More than $2.46 million has been donated to area non-profits, schools, and communities since the year 2000 when Sioux Valley Energy started its Operation Round Up® (ORU) program. The program is simple – participating members “round up” their electric bill to the next high dollar and those “rounded up” funds are placed into a trust. Additionally, many Sioux Valley Energy employees donate from their paycheck each month. Each quarter the Operation Round Up Board of Trustees meets to review applications and consider grant requests. A list of recent grant recipients, as well as information on how local organizations can apply for funding, can be found online. 

The next deadline to apply for funding is February 20 with grants being awarded in March.

Sioux Valley Energy, a Touchstone Energy® Cooperative, is a member-owned electric utility, providing reliable electric service at cost-based rates to nearly 30,000 homes, farms, businesses, and industries in a seven-county area of east-central South Dakota and western Minnesota.

Photo Courtesy Washington Pavilion Management, Inc.