The La Plata Electric Round Up Foundation Board approved 11 grants totaling $27,840 to local non-profit organizations at its meetings in January, February, and March of 2023.
The Durango Arts Center, Durango Trails, KUTE, Inc., Southwest Rural Philanthropy Days, and Riverview Christian Fellowship were awarded Round Up grants totaling $12,500. The Boys & Girls Club of La Plata County, Dancing Spirit Inc., Durango High School Parent Teacher Organization, Locals First Foundation, San Juan BOCES, and Upper San Juan Search and Rescue were awarded educational grants totaling $15,340.
“As today’s youth spend more and more time on screens and in other digital media, the Boys & Girls Club continues to focus on ensuring kids spend time being physically active,” said Vaughn Morris, Boys & Girls Club CEO. “Thanks to the LPEA Round Up Foundation Educational Grant, we can help hundreds of kids meet their weekly requirement of physical activity in a fun, safe and supportive environment.”
Round Up grants are made possible by the generosity of La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) members, who choose to round up their monthly electric bill to the next highest dollar. Approximately 16,973 LPEA members donated $29,817 to the Round Up Foundation during the first quarter of 2023. An additional $60,000 in Unclaimed Capital Credits is also allocated annually by the LPEA Board of Directors to support educational grants.
A percentage of Round Up Foundation funds is also distributed to community assistance programs each year. The Round Up Foundation has allocated $7,417 to the Community Emergency Assistance Coalition and $2,476 to the Pagosa Outreach Connection to provide families and individuals with emergency assistance funds thus far in 2023.
Grants are available to registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations in La Plata and Archuleta counties and usually range from $500 to $5,000. Application forms are available at lpea.coop/grant-programs.
LPEA members wishing to round up their bill can sign up on SmartHub or at lpea.coop/round-foundation. The average LPEA member contribution is just $6.00 annually. Members can also elect to donate more each month if they would like to contribute additional money to local non-profits automatically.
Established in 1997, the La Plata Electric Round Up Foundation is a non-profit, community-support fund for organizations and individuals in LPEA’s service territory. A local, eleven-member volunteer board reviews applications and allocates funds. 100% of the tax-deductible donations stay in the communities LPEA serves.