Operation Round Up®

Many of Minnesota’s electric cooperatives participate in a program called Operation Round Up®. Funds are contributed by electric co-op members who agree to round up their electric bills to the next dollar, usually not more than 50 cents per month, or an average of $6.00 per year per customer bill.

An Operation Round Up Trust Board, independent of the co-ops’ board of directors, is established for each co-ops’ program. Most trustees are appointed by the co-op's board and usually are comprised of community leaders and members. The contributions have supported public schools, pre-school and day care programs, fire departments, hospitals, community centers, food shelves, Salvation Army HeatShare, CAP agencies, Reach Out for Warmth, boy and girl scout programs, museums and historical societies, local public libraries, emergency responders, hospice, individuals, 4-H programs, agencies for the disabled, American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, United Way, the Tree Trust and a myriad of local organizations and needs.

In the first ten years, members gave more than $4.8 million to local charities through Operation Round Up®.