Powering Community Change through Operation Round Up

Across the nation, electric cooperatives have created non-profits to grant members' spare change back to the community. These non-profits are branded nationally as Operation Round Up. As a participating co-op, Hancock-Wood automatically adjusts members' bills to the nearest dollar and then combines each amount for grants to local organizations and individuals in need.

For example, a monthly bill of $52.73 is rounded up to $53.00. The additional $.27 will be contributed to Hancock-Wood's Operation Round Up fund managed by the HWE Community Trust Fund Board of Trustees. On average, a member would contribute $6 annually to the fund. These pennies, nickels, and dimes have helped raise more than $900,000 to benefit area charities since its inception in 2008.

A six-member board, separate from the Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative board, reviews all grant applications quarterly and approves applications for assistance — based on demonstrated need and funds available. Anyone is welcome to apply for a grant from the HWE Community Trust Fund, including individual members who find themselves in need of assistance.

How to apply:
The Hancock-Wood Community Trust Fund board meets four times a year to review applications. Please supply all information by the deadline or mark the application for emergency consideration.

IMPORTANT:

If you are submitting a grant request for an "immediate or emergency attention" this grant will be reviewed by the board before the regular scheduled board meeting and can only be approved for $1,000 or less. 


Deadlines:
Submission deadlines are the third Monday of January, April, July, and October each year. An email to the applicant will be sent to confirm your submission.

Decision process:
The board will review applications and contact references prior to making a decision during their quarterly meetings on the third Monday of February, May, August, and November. After a decision has been made, the applicant will receive an email with the board's decision. Those awarded grants will be invited to a small check presentation ceremony the week after the board's meeting.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes, all Members are automatically enrolled into the program, but if you wish to opt out at any time, simply Contact Us.

Your monthly electric bill includes a separate Operation Round Up line item.

Yes, a $49.01 bill and a $49.99 both round up to $50.

Every cent is deposited into a separate Trust Fund used only to help those in need.

Yes, these contributions are tax deductible, charitable donations. On your December bill each year, we include a small statement indicating how much you contributed during the previous year.

Every single penny donated by Members goes directly to charitable causes. Small administrative costs to run the HWE Community Trust Fund is absorbed by Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative, not from the contribution fund.

You can, by serving on the board (see next question for how to apply). All Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative Members are elligible to apply to be a board member of the HWE Community Trust Fund. Without  selecting representatives from HWEC to act as board members, the process to choose individual charities would prove problematic in administering the funds, especially in emergency situations.

You can download an application here. As each three-year term expires, applications will be reviewed for each district.

Groups or individuals/families in our service territory are welcome to apply. Groups based outside of our service territory are also welcome to apply if their works affect those in our service territory. Applications can be downloaded at the links near the top of this page.

Becoming a 501(c)3 charitable organization can be done through a process with the IRS, detailed here. If you are a legally established non-profit, governmental agency, school or fire department, a 501(c)3 is not required.

Some examples could be funding for community service, education and youth, community economic assistance, environment, emergency energy assistance and disaster relief. Donations are not limited to these categories, however, political issues or campaigns are not eligible for grants.

Our community involvement is hallmark of a caring, local utility that is concerned about the well-being of our members.

While the program can help those who are in financial hardship, it is not designed to benefit delinquent bill payers. At its basic level, the program is there to help those in need, not necessarily those who don't pay electric bills. The application requires applicants to prove their need through required information, including: employment, other aid being received, assets, liabilities, expenses, income and references, and others. If you or someone you know is having difficulty paying a bill, we recommend first consulting the agencies listed on our website.

Yes.

No. Budget billing program participants will participate in the same manner as everyone else, as the "actual" billed amount — not the averaged "budget" amount — will be the figure used to determine only the Operation Round Up donation.

Yes! You can mail your check to our office, and it will be deposited directly into the Operation Round Up Fund. Make checks payable and mail to:

HWE Community Trust Fund, Inc.
1399 Business Park Drive South
P.O. Box 190
North Baltimore, OH 45872-0190