BROOKINGS The new year is looking a bit brighter for three Brookings County organizations receiving $2,750 in Sioux Valley Energy Operation Round Up grants.
The awards are part of $41,500 in grants, including nearly $5,000 reserved for scholarships, 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 was awarded in 2024.
Brookings
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
Other fourth quarter recipients include:
Baltic
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
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 teams participation at the world competition in Florida
Chester
Chester Area Middle School Science $500 awarded to purchase Solar Power Rover Kits and Solar Power Racer Kits
Colton
City of Colton $1,500 awarded to add a 10-foot by 14-foot concrete pad at the pool
Flandreau
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
Palisades State Park $1,000 awarded toward installation of a kayak and fishing dock at the park
Hartford
Christ Lutheran Church Daycare $1,000 approved to purchase wellness and physical fitness items
Luverne, Minnesota
Carsons 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
Dakota State University Foundation $1,500 in funding to help sponsor Junior Achievements 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 associations 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
Town of Ramona $1,500 in funding to help transform the city baseball field to a multi-use field
Sioux Falls
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
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 2000, when Sioux Valley Energy started its Operation Round Up 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 here.
The next deadline to apply for funding is Feb. 20, with grants being awarded in March.
Sioux Valley Energy, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, is a member-owned electric utility, providing 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.
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