Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative’s Concern for Community program provides grants of up to $5,000 for capital improvement projects throughout the Heartland service area.
Eligibility
To qualify for a grant, a project must fit within one of the following categories:
County Fairs
- Projects related to county fairs in the Heartland service area, with a focus on infrastructure projects and other projects that are not supported by normal fair sponsorships
Schools
- Schools within the cooperative’s service area that have capital campaigns for facilities that would positively impact Heartland consumer-members
Non-Profit Organizations
- Non-profit organizations undergoing capital campaigns with facilities that focus on education, environment, culture and the arts, and civic and community development that would positively impact Heartland consumer-members
Other Projects
- Other projects that better the communities in or surrounding the cooperative’s service area, as authorized by the board
How Are Grants Funded?
- Funds for Heartland’s Concern for Community Grants come from the cooperative’s unclaimed capital credit retirement checks
- Because that money was intended to support the local community, Heartland’s Board of Directors has decided to use those funds for community grants
- Grant money does not come from cooperative revenues and the issuing of grants will not impact future rates or capital credit allocations
How Are Grants Awarded?
- Applications will be scored by Heartland staff members
- The top-scoring applications will be given to the Heartland Board of Directors for final selection and approval in October
- Funds will be distributed in November
- In keeping with Heartland’s goal of encouraging sustainable development, preference will be given to collaborative projects receiving support from other sources
Applying for a Grant
- Applications are accepted during a defined application period each year
- Applications for this year’s Concern for Community Grants will be accepted from September 1 through 30, 2022
- The 2022 application deadline has passed
If you have any questions, reach out to Doug Graham at (620) 724-5526 or email Doug.