Our Foundation

One way the Cooperative serves the community is through the Coastal Electric Cooperative Foundation.

The Foundation’s mission is to assist with the food, health, safety, education, and shelter needs of citizens in counties served by Coastal Electric Cooperative.

The Foundation’s main funding is from Operation Round Up, the volunteer program in which members allow their monthly electric bills to be rounded up to the next whole dollar and invested back into the community. Members who participate make an average contribution of $6 per year.

Contributions are appreciated and may be tax-deductible.

Since its creation in 1993, the Coastal Electric Cooperative Foundation has been assisting with the community's food, health, safety, education, and shelter needs. To date, the Foundation has awarded grants in excess of $1.8 million to numerous charities, organizations, and individuals.

The Foundation helps local educators through Bright Ideas, which awards grants of up to $2,000 each, to bring teachers’ innovative classroom projects to reality. In 2022, thanks to the generosity of Coastal Electric Cooperative members, local teachers received $40,000 in Bright Ideas grants, and the Foundation donated $24,000 to school principals to help meet students’ and teachers’ needs throughout the year.

The Foundation awards scholarships to students who need financial assistance to attend college and technical schools – $104,916 in 2021 alone.