MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) – Central Electric Cooperative is accepting Operation Round-Up grant applications from local organizations until May 1. Through Operation Round-Up, groups can request up to $3,000 for projects that benefit cooperative members and their communities.

Operation Round-Up is a voluntary program in which Central Electric members round up their monthly electric bill to the next whole dollar. Those extra cents, along with contributions from cooperative employees and board members, are pooled together to help fund local projects. Since the program launched in 2015, approximately $250,000 has been raised for local projects.

Grants are awarded twice a year by a volunteer board of trustees representing Central Electric’s service area. Julie Dykstra of Stickney represents Aurora County, Clarissa Glaus of Chamberlain represents Brule County, Yvette Isburg of Fort Thompson represents Buffalo County, Steven Weisz 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 Van Overschelde of Letcher represents Sanborn County and Merl Bechen of Mitchell represents the board of directors.

For more information, call Tara Miller at 605-996-7516 or visit www.centralec.coop and click on Member Programs.