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Operation Round Up

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  • No Boundaries Middle School Program - Grant to help construct a 12' x 12' corner bench system with tables & portable pedestal seats. More
  • Spirit Lake Youth Athletics - Grant used towards the renovation of the three existing Spirit Lake little league fields. More
  • Alta Aurelia Shooting Sports - Grant to help construct the new trap shooting field. More
  • Estherville Parent Action Team - Grant to help with expenses towards the Estherville Demoney School Playground Project. More
  • Emmet County Water Trails - Grant to support the Emmet County Water Trail Kayak Rental Project. More
  • Vocal Boosters of Emmetsburg - Grant to help fund the purchase of auditorium visual equipment. More
  • Heat Tactical Team - Grant to help with expenses towards upgrading the HEAT Incident Command Bus. More
Operation Round Up Logo

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative launched Operation Round Up® in 2001. Operation Round Up is a community support program where participating members "round up" their monthly power bill to the next dollar, with the difference going to support a variety of charitable, educational, community and youth related programs and events.

How Operation Round Up Works
The voluntary community support program enables member-owners to raise money for their local community. Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative rounds up the electric bills of participating member-owners to the nearest dollar amount. For example, if a bill is $92.73, a member will pay $93, with all 27 cents going directly to the Iowa Lakes Electric Member-Owners Charitable Foundation. On average, a member-owners account will contribute less than $6 a year, but no more that $11.88.

Donations to Operation Round Up are tax deductible and both monthly and year-to-date donations will be printed on the member's monthly billing statement.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative will print in its quarterly newsletter, ILEC News, the donations the Iowa Lakes Electric Member-Owner Charitable Foundation makes from the Operation Round Up funds.

Iowa Lakes Electric Member-Owner Charitable Foundation
The Iowa Lakes Electric Member-Owner Charitable Foundation, is non-profit, 501c3 Corporation that administers the funds from Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative's Operation Round Up program.

The Iowa Lakes Electric Member-Owner Charitable Foundation Board of Directors is made up of volunteer, member-owners from each of the eight counties in your Cooperative's service territory.

The Foundation's board members include the following:

  • Chairperson Janet Deim, Swea City
  • Vice Chairperson Jarrett Smith, Spencer
  • Secretary John Boettcher, Spirit Lake
  • Treasurer Dan Sievers, Storm Lake
  • Robin Hauswirth, Havelock
  • Ruth Brown, Ruthven
  • Bruce Chrestiansen, Estherville
  • Lynn Winterhof, Aurelia

Organizations, groups and individuals within the Cooperative's service territory may apply for funding from Operation Round Up. The grant guidelines, application, and proposed budget forms are available below or you can stop by our headquarters in Estherville. 

The Foundation's Board of Directors will meet quarterly in January, April, July and October to review the grant applications. 

Operation Round Up Application Deadlines

  • January 1, 2023
  • April 1, 2023
  • July 1, 2023
  • October 1, 2023

Operation Round Up is strictly voluntary.

Member-owners who wish not to participate in the Operation Round Up program must fill out the form above and return to your Cooperative, notify the office at 800-225-4532 or send an email to ilec@ilec.coop.

Quick Facts

  • Operation Round Up rounds each member's bill to the next whole dollar amount. 
  • The donations are tax deductible and your monthly billing statement shows your year-to-date contributions to serve as your receipt for the previous year's contribution.
  • The money will be used to support charitable causes and nonprofit community services and programs throughout our local communities.
  • An independent board made up of Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative member-owners, selected from each county, to review applications for the Foundation and select how and to whom the money will be distributed.
  • Participation is voluntary. Members are automatically placed into the program but can choose to withdraw at any time.
  • Foundation Board is governed by a set of bylaws.